Declining RBTA. Help needed

[aggie13reef]

Hey guys,
Bought this RBTA near the end of August. The picture of it bubbled up is the first day I had it in the tank. It stayed bubbled for day 1 and never bubbled up again. The picture of him and the clown is about 3 weeks after I bought it. After moving the tank to our new home, It has been looking like the last 3 pictures. It is now up at the top of the tank (I placed it up there), it moves around the top but doesn't move down. The placement when he looked good was more towards the bottom of the tank. I am just trying to figure out what is wrong with it. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Ztrain]

Take a large sample of water to your local fish store. Have them test it. I recently lost one and found out that the numbers my tests were producing were very different from what the fish store was getting readings as. Double check all your stuff.

 

[aggie13reef]

Thanks for the reply, I Detached it yesterday and placed it near the middle of the tank in a crevice and it has moved back up to the upper side of my rock scape. It looks better than in the last couple pictures but not much. Mouth is tightly closed.

 

[mcfa2403]

What are the parameters reading in the tank? pH and temp swings generally are the hardest hitters on BTA (in my experience) followed by phosphates.

What is the lighting in the tank and what are you using for flow? I have found that a lot of times a lack of flow over the oral disk makes it difficult for them to expel waste as it just sits over the mouth without being carried away and can cause them to be irritated. Furthermore, I wouldn't move him unless it is absolutely necessary, he doesn't look to be on deaths door yet and many times the process of trying to relocate the nem does more harm than good.

 

[aggie13reef]

What are the parameters reading in the tank? pH and temp swings generally are the hardest hitters on BTA (in my experience) followed by phosphates.

What is the lighting in the tank and what are you using for flow? I have found that a lot of times a lack of flow over the oral disk makes it difficult for them to expel waste as it just sits over the mouth without being carried away and can cause them to be irritated. Furthermore, I wouldn't move him unless it is absolutely necessary, he doesn't look to be on deaths door yet and many times the process of trying to relocate the nem does more harm than good.

Thanks for the advice! I don't have a phosphate test kit so I am not sure on that, but last time I ran params they were all in check ammonia and nitrite at 0 nitrate low I can't remember exactly. pH was at 8.0.

The lighting is a build my LED reef spectrum, and the flow is an aquatop CPS-3 (660 gph). Glad he doesnt look to far gone yet.

 

[aggie13reef]

Anyone else have any advice? Nem is still not looking that great, found a spot and he hasnt moved from that spot in about 5 days. Just still not looking good. I am going to test all of my params today I will post the results after I do that, may lead to the cause.

 

[aggie13reef]

Well I have about half of my testing done before heading to do Sunday errands.

Nitrate - 2 mg/L
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
pH - 7.8

I think pH is definitely the problem. I never had pH issues before moving the tank but in the last month I have let it drop WAY to far. I added a buffer today and will re test tonight and continue to add the buffer daily until I pull my pH back up to 8.3.

 

[bobbravo2]

Low ph indicates CO2 build up (among other problems). I would focus on getting your Alk up (over at least a week, to at least 8-9dKh) as opposed to worrying about the pH

 

[aggie13reef]

Low ph indicates CO2 build up (among other problems). I would focus on getting your Alk up (over at least a week, to at least 8-9dKh) as opposed to worrying about the pH

How fast can Alk drop because 5 days ago it was at 9.1 dkH and a week prior to that it was at 9.0. Red sea test kit, what could make it drop that fast when it seemed to be stable over a few weeks. I quit dosing buffer about a month ago due to high dKH of 11.9. It came down and then seemed to level off so I figured I was fine.

 

[bobbravo2]

Alk dropping depends on a lot of factors: coral growth, acidic conditions, etc.

I'm dealing with a low ph system myself now. Using outside air in the protein skinner has made the biggest change. 7.6 -> 7.9ish

 

[geckoejon]

do you spot feed the bta? i would recommend spot feeding a small meal the size of it's mouth max once a week. i rotate between mysis and chopped krill.

have you ever taken par readings on your tank? i've noticed that my bta's seem to do well around the 100 par level. i've also noticed that my bta's seem to respond better to more of a 16000k spectrum. not sure why. not sure why and it's just my experience....

 

[aggie13reef]

Well guys, I have been monitoring pH and alk intently since I began trying to stabilize the pH when I started this thread. I am happy to say my RBTA has made an awesome comeback and almost looks back to what it did in the second picture I posted. It must have been the low pH. Thanks to everyone who gave me some advice on this post, dont know how well I would succeed in this hobby without RC!!

 

[aggie13reef]

Well the BTA is back to a poor looking state. I have been monitoring pH and alk since starting this thread and pH has been consistently 8.15-8.2 for weeks now. The alk has been high (12.9-12.3). I am thinking this is due to the buffer I added to raise the pH weeks ago. I am wondering if the high alk level is what is making the nem unhappy. I would love for my alk to be around 9, just not sure how long it will take to drop to this amount and do y'all think it will make a difference in the happiness of the BTA?