Rose Bubble Tip Anemone RBT help..

[hkmhrns]

Hey all,

I added an RBT to my 72 gallon bow front a couple months ago and it has split and they shrank from 2.5-3" to maybe an inch and holding. I had a little algae bloom issue that I've been clearing up for the past couple weeks that's almost gone, and I'm pretty sure what ever it was that caused it also hurt my RBTs (I've also changed out my lighting system to 2xRadions recently as well, but my tank seems to be getting better light now). I'm trying to get these little guys to start growing so my clown fish (who was hosting in the beginning) will have his bubble tip back (he's been searching all around the tank looking for it). It's hard to feed something that's 1" in size. I just started dosing oyster eggs for my coral twice a week, I also feed my fish mysis, and a bit of krill. So, I need help in reviving both these little guys back to normal and then help them turn into giants.. : )

Here are my approximate perimeters as of yesterday:

Calcium- 480 ppm
Alkalinity- 9.5 dKH
Salinity- 1.025-1.026
Temperature- 77.5-79.5° F
pH- 8.0-8.2
Magnesium- 1200
Phosphate- little to none
Ammonia- little to none
Nitrate- little to none

My light schedule is from 11am to 11pm with it going up slowly and ending slowly. Opening with actinic, getting to 12K at around 75% strength and then fading back to actinic. I also set a moon to come out around 3am and ends around 6am..

I also have an MP40 that goes through three different modes in a 24 hour period. It starts of with reefcrest around 40%- then going to short pulse creating a wave like affect, and then finishing with nightmode.

They've been around 1" for a couple weeks now and seem to be holding on, but it would be great if I could get some feed back to help them blossom.

Thanks in advance... :bigeyes:

 

[Islandfever]

The algae bloom is a factor. Changing your light may have brought some kind of a optical shock to the nems. Parameters looks good. Dont go too crazy on the flow, bta likes moderate flow. About light duration,i cant help u much cuz i never used radions. All you gotta do is wait and avoid doing anything major, keep the parameters stable and hope for the best.

 

[hkmhrns]

Isandfever,

Thanks for the reply- I'll see what I can do about the flow making sure they aren't in a turbulent area. As usual with saltwater aquariums- slow and steady wins the race.. If there's anything else that comes to mind please let me know...

: )

 

[Dapg8gt]

Have they lost color? I agree with the flow part not too much and not too little. How old is the system? In my experience nems like alternating current that u should have covered w/MP40. What lighting did you switch from? Could be too much intense light too soon. Good luck hope they come back 3 times as better than the original LoL.

 

[hkmhrns]

Hey Dap,

I switched from Power Compact 4x98watt bulbs 2x10K & 2xActinic, to a temporary Marineland Reef Ready LED setup (I had just moved and wanted to finally make the switch to LEDs). The Marineland grew some coral, and others it kept alive (the crazy thing is the RBT started turning a clear pinkish- which from my understanding meant it was getting too much light), but I knew it was only temporary. Now for the last month, or so I've had 2xRadions over my 72 gal bow and they're a lot stronger and they cover the whole tank, which the Reef Readys didn't do all the way. I knew that I couldn't start at full power with the Radions, so I've been gradually rampin them up. I got as high as 85%, but I'm going to start toning them down, because usually my mushrooms and yellow polyps grow like crazy, but lately they haven't been as extended as they were with my other light systems. I haven't had any bleaching, but I have seen other corals look good at first, then shrink down to nothing (thought is was some missing element in the water, but now I'm thinking it could be my lights). I'll start rampin them down slowly and see what happens. Oh, and my tank has been running for several years now- I did move it about 6/7 months ago and the coral did take a hit, but everything seems to be stable and moving hopefully forward.. Let me know if there's anything else that anyone thinks of...

Thanks : )

 

[Dapg8gt]

Could be the nem was just doomed from the get go also. Usually if the go clear they lost their zooxanthellae (how ever it's spelled lol) and its not an easy task to get them back. They parish rather slow and by the time you notice it could be too late. Are they still sticky tentacles at all? Was it readily accepting food when you got it. I have a nem breeder and have been successfully keeping RBTA for almost 8 years plus. A buddy bought a bunch of rises from some guy on Craigslist and brought me three for my cube. It already had a few RBTA and a GBTA thriving.. I noticed they were a little stressed and clearing up color. Long story I didn't take any from him and him not knowing any better added them all to his tank and every single one died. Even the ones that looked healthy and were eating. His tank is lightly stock 240 LPS w/4 250 MH. Parameters were perfect tank was over 4 years established it was just the life they had before led to their demise even in a perfect scenario. I'm my experience and research healthy nems will split into 2 and unhealthy animals/conditions will split into more. Just my experience which I'm positive someone else has and knows more so hopefully will chime in and offer some advice.

 

[Islandfever]

any improvement? last ditch effort is iodine. but you have to be super super careful not to over dose. test your iodine. if its low bring it up to par. if its ideal, supplement NO MORE THAN 50% of the instructed dosage. monitor closely and be patient.

 

[hkmhrns]

I've adjusted the radions & vortech pump (turned them down a bit), and am going to check my iodide levels in the next days, or so. Short of that, I've been just doing 10% + water changes a week. When in doubt- water change...

: )

 

[killerbubbles]

mag needs to be 1350+. i like my dkh 11+.

 

[Islandfever]

Stop dosing iodine once you see signs of improvement. Iodine is to help resist disease and vulnerability from the wound. IMO too much water changes might defeat the purpose. The key is to keep the parameters stable so the animals can settle in and adjust to its environtment. Test your water and monitor closely.

 

[hkmhrns]

Killerb,

Since my Ca is high and my Mag is low, what's the best way to bring both these to their best levels? I do have alkalinity/calcium buffer, but nothing for magnesium.. I've also been told that these three chemicals form a triangle- if you buffer one the others will adjust accordingly?

Islandf,

I understand what you're saying, but I have a bit of a algae/bacterial bloom that I've been trying to get under control. It's getting better since I've increased my water changing (I think you're supposed to do 10% every two weeks/month at least?), but once I see it's under control I'll let the tank stabilize more naturally.. I don't have an iodide/iodine testing kit (and I've heard they're a nightmare to do, but I have Red Sea Ca/Kh/Mag test kit), so I'll just take it to my LFS and see if they can test what I can't...

Anyways- if there's anything else y'all can think of please let me know.. I'll put the advice already given to work as of now...

: )

P.S. The two tiny RBTs are still holding in there (fingers crossed)..

 

[killerbubbles]

I use brightwell products for mag, ca and alk. You need mag at 1350+ before you can get your ca and alk in check. Yes, they do all work together.

 

[hogfish]

I would say that changing the lighting is a considerable issue. With that said, there isn't much you can do about it. Kind of something that just needs to waded through. Any change in lighting can instigate a small cycle often times too small for you to pick up with normal testing but enough for the corals and nems to feel it. even replacing bulbs with new bulbs can do it. I would up my water change regime and also be careful about shifts in salinity. IME, changes in salinity are very stressful for nems. Think about the fact that you lighting has changed on your system and therefore the rate of evap has changed as well. Something to keep in mind. You might need to adjust your top off regiment.

 

[Islandfever]

Sweet! Sounds like you are on the right track. Im confident that your nems will recover. Dont worry about the iodine then. Its not critical, just a supplement.

 

[hkmhrns]

Thanks for all the info and support. I've changed several thing and it most likely led to a mini cycle that turn into an algae/bacteria bloom because of some level/swing I wasn't paying attention to. I can say that in the past week, or so- my temp/salinity/pH have been much more stable and I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome. I'll try and post a picture of the visible one in a couple days so we can all see if it is indeed recovering with bi-monthly photos.. : )

 

[LukeGI]

Any updates? I ask because I have a similar scenario and am hoping to see someone else made it through

 

[hkmhrns]

Keep on keepin on..

Keep on keepin on..

Any updates? I ask because I have a similar scenario and am hoping to see someone else made it through

Hey Luke, so far so good. They haven't gotten any bigger, or smaller. I do believe with how small they are (about a 1/2") it will take sometime for them to make a full recovery, but I'm keeping my eye on'em...

:spin1:

 

[ERIC85854]

Hey Luke, so far so good. They haven't gotten any bigger, or smaller. I do believe with how small they are (about a 1/2") it will take sometime for them to make a full recovery, but I'm keeping my eye on'em...

:spin1:

Old post but what happened with anemones?