RBTA constantly detaching?

[FiveGallonSea]

Hey everyone. I purchased a RBTA about 3 weeks ago. Put it in my tank and everything was great for the first week. Chose a front and center spot and opened up enormously. From one moment to the next it now keeps detaching from the rock and floating around the tank periodically attaching itself in random locations. I have to keep placing it somewhere at night, turning off the powerhead, and the next morning it's attached.

This has been going on for a week and a half now. I have another anemone that is doing great. Hasn't moved since the day I bought it and actually recently just split! I believe it's a sunburst?

I should also add the RBTA is constantly swollen now too where before it would close up a little for the night.

Parameters- My nitrates have been at 20-30ppm with only a slight change after a water change. I've done it all, but it won't come down and I given up trying because all my coral and fish are happy. I even bought Nopox but I don't want to fix something that's technically not broken.

Salinity- 1.025 constant

Nitrites- 0

Phosphates- undetectable

Ph- 7.8-8

8/24 hour lighting schedule with 2 AI Prime HDs. (not run too high).

Red Sea Reefer 350 with GFO/carbon reactor and Reef Octopus 150INT skimmer. Also run a UV sterilizer.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[WatDatThing]

I would try placing the anemone when the light is on. Reduce the light level to 25%, and turn off the PH. Once it is attached, turn on the PH but direct the flow away from the BTA. If all is good, increase the light level by 5% every hour until you reach 50% of your normal level. Leave the light at that level for a few days before increasing the level. After 2 months, you may change the flow to your liking.
I recently introduced a mag in my tank. Even though mag love light and flow, it took me 2 months of light and flow adjustment without it moving down from its perch.
IMO, BTA like nitrate. My level is high too.



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[Uncle99]

How old is this set up?
20-30 nitrate with 0 phosphate does not make sense to me.
So either you have a young tank, a big pooper, or feed to much.
No pox will aid in lowering this number

 

[FiveGallonSea]

How old is this set up?
20-30 nitrate with 0 phosphate does not make sense to me.
So either you have a young tank, a big pooper, or feed to much.
No pox will aid in lowering this number

It's 15 months old. I do have 2 tangs that are big poopers. I feed once daily and do not feed heavy.

 

[Uncle99]

deattaching and floating around may indicate some damage to the foot.
Is this still the case, if so protect your intakes or he may get sucked up....

 

[A.ocellaris]

What are you using to measure those parameters? Whey they go work a walk it means they do not like where they are. It could be the light, water parameter, or just the flow.

What flow do you have? Is it too high, too low?

 

[garygb]

You definitely want to keep any powerheads covered with screen to prevent the BTA from getting sucked in. Even though some BTAs may adapt to a nitrate level as high as yours and stay put, I have BTAs that are over a decade old and any time the nitrates started to become detectable on an API nitrate test, the BTAs would start to shift around and then wander if the level got to say 10ppm. You mentioned that one of your BTAs divided, that can be a natural process, but it can just as likely be a stress reaction, so I wouldn't take asexual reproduction as evidence that the other BTA is happy.