Too much flow for BTA?

reeformadness

New member
I want to get a BTA from my LFS and was wondering if I have too much flow for one. I have two mjmods and a mag 7 on my return. Are mjmods safe to an anemone?
 
I can't comment on the flow, but if there's any intakes anywhere in the tank, cover them. These guys are notorious for getting sucked into powerheads, overflows, and things like that.

A great site for information (especially covering intakes) is http://www.karensroseanemones.com/


Good luck!
 
Thanks. It looks like I might need to cover my mjmods. Does any one know what the plastic mesh material is called? It is supposed to be at Walmart, but I don't know what to ask for. I have plastic screening, but I don't know if that would work.
 
as long as no powerheads are touching LR u should be ok i think. i don't think BTA's are known to climb from LR onto glass, and up to powerheads...but if powerhead is lower touching LR, i would think there's more chance for disaster...
 
Hmm. OK my powerheads are both on the side glass away from the LR. So does that mean it should be safe. Do BTA's generally stay on LR and not on glass?
 
I've seen btas stuck in power heads when there was no live rock in the tank, they will move on glass just as easily as rock. If there is an intake of any sort, it needs to be covered. Not only can you loose a nem needlessly, if you don't catch it in time, you could loose a lot more. The headaches just aren't worth the risk.

Okay, the plastic mesh for covering. It was 78c or so at WalMart. It's in the craft section, look in the needle work area. It might be called plastic needle point canvas or some variation of those words. It comes in different colors too, you might be able to match your powerheads :) We used zipties to secure ours.

Generally btas will hang out in the rock. They seem to like caves and crevices to keep their foot safe and to retract into at night. They'll stretch out into the light during lights on.

Until they find a happy spot they tend to wander the tank, and this includes the glass. Even after they're situated in a spot it's important to keep intakes covered because you never know when they'll go walking, sometimes very minor changes will lead to a walk about.

Good luck! Keep researching and asking questions, these are really neat animals to keep if you do it right.
 
i'm trying to imagine how an anenome can be sucked into tiny intake slits of a MJ or TUNZE...i know i have heard it happens but the slits are so small.
does covering the intake lessen the output of a powerhead though?
 
Shouldn't reduce the output much, just makes it much, much safer should the anemone manage to get itself close enough to cause problems...As far as getting sucked into the powerhead...anemones are not a solid mass, it's kind of like jell-o through a straw.

I don't get what the big deal is, it's not like it's hard to cover the intakes, it's not expensive, and it can save the lives of your anemones and the rest of your tank inhabitants...why would you NOT do it???
 
There may even be pics of one stuck in a powerhead on Karen's site, it's late and I can't remember for sure, but definately worth reading. She gives excellent advice that's easy to follow.

We don't have ph's in our tank, but we've got intakes that suck water into the sump so we've got those covered, that did slow down some and we're trying to fine tune it, but I don't know that a ph will be affected as much.

Good luck :)
 
If you have ever held a BTA in your hand before you would understand how they can get sucked into a powerhead. There is litterally nothing to them. I was shocked the first time I had to catch one, and realized they were feather weight. Just because it's on a rock, doesn't mean it can't let go of the rock and be tossed around in the flow and end up in the intake. Some anemones will leave a rock and climb the glass for a while, right up to a powerhead. Please do cover your powerheads.
 
should whatever u cover it with be tied on tight or leave room between pump intake and cover, just tightening at top and bottom w/ ties, leaving middle more puffed up?
- what's best to cover with really?
 
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