BTA

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

I have had this bubble tip for a few months now. It’s always been bright and out. About a week ago it sunk back into the rock it’s been on since I brought it home. I decided to just flip the rock up and this is what it looks like. I just wanted anyone’s opinion on if it seems alright or if I have an issue on my hands.

Parameters
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 5-10
Phosphate - 0
Calcium - 420
Alkalinity - 7
PH - 8.0
Salinity - 1.026

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Have you changed flow or lighting intensity recently?

Also, if your po4 is truly zero, that is not ideal.

I have BTAs that move around until they are happy. It may be looking for a new spot.

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

Have you changed flow or lighting intensity recently?

Also, if your po4 is truly zero, that is not ideal.

I have BTAs that move around until they are happy. It may be looking for a new spot.

My Hanna checker said 0 but I haven’t added anything special to remove phosphate. I slightly changed flow behind that rock to try and help keep my sand bed clean. Added a small wave maker that runs across the bottom.

 

[Reef Jedi]

This looks normal. They will do what they want. Not much you can do other than let it do its thing. When it wants to move again it will. Since its happy there I would let it do its thing. I have over 60 RBTA’s in my tank currently. I see this often.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

My Hanna checker said 0 but I haven’t added anything special to remove phosphate. I slightly changed flow behind that rock to try and help keep my sand bed clean. Added a small wave maker that runs across the bottom.

Sometimes changing flow can make btas move. I would just let it do its thing. It looks healthy.

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

My Hanna checker said 0 but I haven’t added anything special to remove phosphate. I slightly changed flow behind that rock to try and help keep my sand bed clean. Added a small wave maker that runs across the bottom.

Sometimes changing flow can make btas move. I would just let it do its thing. It looks healthy.

Should I be doing anything to up that phosphate at all?

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Should I be doing anything to up that phosphate at all?

I’m never a fan of letting it stay at zero. Is the tank new/newer?

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

Should I be doing anything to up that phosphate at all?

I’m never a fan of letting it stay at zero. Is the tank new/newer?

I would classify it as “newish” I guess. It was a 10 year old 150 that sprung a leak and was downsized to 32 gallon biocube (reused sand and rock). Then moved back to a 90 gallon setup (again reused sand and rock but obviously added more). It’s been a 90 gallon for about 3 months.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

I would classify it as “newish” I guess. It was a 10 year old 150 that sprung a leak and was downsized to 32 gallon biocube (reused sand and rock). Then moved back to a 90 gallon setup (again reused sand and rock but obviously added more). It’s been a 90 gallon for about 3 months.

Gotcha. Sometimes with newer tanks/dry rock there can be fluctuation in po4 levels. I have just had a lot more issues with po4 bottomed out than with it detectable up to about .30 ppm.

I would measure it over the next week or two and if it is consistently zero then you may want to consider either feeding more (if you have the fish to consume it) or possibly dosing something like neophos.

Your corals will be happier with some measurable po4 in the water and it will hopefully keep dinos and other nasties from popping up.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Anemones are like cats; they are going to do what they want to do. To me, your anemone looks fine. I do agree that I would work on getting your phosphates off of zero

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

Just an update, the BTA crawled out from under the rock this morning. I also ordered some NeoPhos to start dosing my tank. It comes in on Monday.

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Just an update, the BTA crawled out from under the rock this morning. I also ordered some NeoPhos to start dosing my tank. It comes in on Monday.

It may take quite a bit to get your po4 up in a 90 gallon tank. I would shoot for .05 ppm to .10 ppm when using the formula on the bottle.

Like anything else, go slow. It may take a while to get a reading if your rock/substrate is soaking it up, but eventually you’ll get there.

 

[BryanM]

BTA's are the cats of reefing, they do what they want, when they want.

 

[oakcityreefer]

I lost a CSB earlier this year when my nutrients bottomed out. Is your tank a young tank. Mine was. Anemone looked great for months and in a matter of days it was gone with zero nitrate and zero phosphate.