Heteractis Magnifica

[Petros]

Hello guys I really need your help here. I bought my first and only Heteractis Magnifica 7 months ago for my LFS and it looked amazing. But a few months later it looks really awful I ask here and there for some help but no one could help somehow. I am posting before and after pics so you can see and tell me what to do. It's eating well the water condition seems to be fine but as you can see it doesn't look good at all. Please pass your wisdom to me.

 

[Shep]

[HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG] should be able to help

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

What are you feeding? What lights are you using? What are your exact water parameters?

 

[Petros]

I was feeding frozen shrimps but now I changed to small frozen fish. My lights are LED working for 5-6 hours a day 2 hours white and the rest blue (I will find the wavelength later and tell you) water conditions I could only check for nitrites and nitrates which were fine I will check again today and tell you as well. PH 8.1 - 8.4.

 

[saltyphish]

My guess is lighting, 5-6 hrs a day does not seem like enough. Also what light are you using , and intensity. Also need to know all water parameters to help you. Water quality is a big concern. Can't help with just nitrites and nitrates.

 

[domination2580]

I'm thinking lighting as well...if the leds aren't 3w each, it's been my personal opinion that they aren't capable of delivering the correct amount of light....

 

[Petros]

So guys my lights are LEDs as I said before. Max 210w and I have 72 LEDs which means that they are not 3w each but a bit less than that and I wasn't using at the max of 210w but a lot less. As if from today I will use 100% power of the lights. I will try and get all the water parameters and let you know asap. Thanks for your help until now.

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

You should bring the LEDs up over time,increase by 10% every two weeks.From low to 100% in one day could do more harm than good.

 

[Amoo]

I have 4 H. Mags and water params are key. They will basically tell you if something is out of whack way before anything else. If you tell us how exactly you have your lights programed we can help you set a schedule for raising them safely that won't hurt this pretty guy.

 

[RobReef]

Ritteris would be right at home on the surface of the sun in a washing machine. They need flow and strong lighting. 5-6 hours isn't going to cut it with them. As the others have said, bring up the intensity and lengthen your photoperiod and it should take off.

 

[Petros]

I started giving more light I am now up to 8 hours and increasing the intensity of the light by 10% every 2 weeks as SNAKEMANVET said I will try to find the exact wavelength of my LEDs and tell you so you can help me a bit more. But thanks anyway for the info you gave me until now.

 

[Petros]

Some more feedback. I run some test and turns out that my pH is low about 7.3 so I will start dosing tomorrow to raise it. Can anyone please tell me what is the best I can feed my H. Magnifica with and how often?

 

[Amoo]

Before you go chasing pH all over the place, you should read this article by Randy:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/

Chances are you might just need better surface agitation.


I feed mine small pieces of store bought shrimp once a week. The reality is you don't need to feed them at all as they do just fine eating clownfish poo and light.

 

[Petros]

Thanks Amoo this article is great. I will try to find out what's causing me low pH before dosing anything. Great help.

 

[Petros]

Hello again guys. So I finally found the info about my LEDs, I have 72 3w each.
White 23 LEDs 12000K
Red 12 660nm
Blue 36 460nm
Green 12 525nm

I hope this is enough and thanks for your help.

 

[Amoo]

Do you have an updated picture of how it's doing under the new lighting schedule and what percentages are you up to at this point?

 

[Petros]

At the moment I am at 41% for white and red
For blue and green I am at 35% but it's not doing very well I thing I lost it. Can you please tell me what to do with lights? I mean schedule and combinations?

 

[Amoo]

Ok, try this.

Today: Blue 50%, White 30, Green 30, Red 20

Friday: Blue 60, White 35, Green 30, red 20

Sunday: Blue 70, White 40, Green 40, Red 20

This is an aggressive raise so keep an eye on things, but honestly you need WAAAAAAAAAY more light around the 450nm spectrum which is what you get from the blue.

 

[Petros]

I can control only white and blue and with white I am controling red as well and with blue green. So I will raise for today blue at 50% and white at 30? Both at the same time?

 

[Amoo]

Ok if that's the case don't take your blues above 60% and leave them at 60/40 for a week then report back.

So Today 45/30
Friday 52ish/35
Sunday 60/40

Try that.