Urgent help needed! New BTA looks like its dying, leaving for weekend

[mmarti91]

I purchased a green bubble tip nem from the LFS 3 days ago and am really worried about it dying.

I have a 29 BioCube that has been running for about 6 months with live rock and live sand with the InTank media basket running Chemi Pure Elite, filter floss, and a CPR Bak-Pak Skimmer. I recently moved but kept the LR and sand wet during the 6 hour move where it was immediately set back up. I also dosed some Microbacter 7 just in case some of the bacteria died off.

My question is, I am leaving for the next two days and feel like the BTA is going to die, releasing toxins killing everything in my tank. What should I do? I don't have another tank to move the fish and corals into and don't want to just throw the BTA away if it still has a chance. But at the same time, is it worth the risk of it wiping out my entire tank?

The nem seems to not be happy anywhere in the tank and won't grab ahold of the LR, sometimes being face down in the sand. What would you do?

Temp: 80-81 F
Salinity: 1.023-1.025
Ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate are at acceptable levels (almost all 0)

 

[staindsoul]

that temperature is high. slowly bring it down to under 78. 72-78 degrees is the range your looking for and try not swing much.

you should have zero ammonia or nitrite. and the nitrate should be low but doesnt have to be zero.

 

[mmarti91]

that temperature is high. slowly bring it down to under 78. 72-78 degrees is the range your looking for and try not swing much.

you should have zero ammonia or nitrite. and the nitrate should be low but doesnt have to be zero.

Thanks for the tip! I programmed the Apex to run the cooling fan until it reaches the 78 degree mark. The BTA goes in and out of looking okay to shrinking up and looking like its dying. Would you think it would be okay for the next 2 days or should I just not take any chances and remove it from the tank?

 

[johanasu]

Temperature is HIGHLY unlikely to cause issues with your BTA. My tanks regularly run 82 when the lights are on and my BTAs are fine.

Staind is right that ammonia and nitrite should be 0, nitrate should be under 10, preferably as close to 0 as possible.

With the tentacles still having good zoox it doesn't look hopeless. Do you know anyone who has a saltwater tank/sump/qt you can leave it with while you are gone?

 

[mmarti91]

Temperature is HIGHLY unlikely to cause issues with your BTA. My tanks regularly run 82 when the lights are on and my BTAs are fine.

Staind is right that ammonia and nitrite should be 0, nitrate should be under 10, preferably as close to 0 as possible.

With the tentacles still having good zoox it doesn't look hopeless. Do you know anyone who has a saltwater tank/sump/qt you can leave it with while you are gone?

I was kind of thinking that the if the temp was under 82 that it shouldn't cause much of an issue. I am using an API test kit, which I don't really like.

Ammonia reads between 0 and 0.25, even after doing a large 50-70% water change.

Nitrate and nitrite are reading 0