Need help with bta

[Halo_003]

Looking for help with this BTA if you guys have any ideas. It’s looked like this for about a week.

Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 78F
Ca: 470 ppm
Alk: 9.5
NO3: 0.5 ppm
PO4: untested for the moment but last time I tested it was 0, I run carbon and GFO in a reactor and regularly test at 0.

Everything else seems to be okay in the tank, just this BTA isn’t happy. Moderate flow with a Maxspect Gyre XF 230, LED is one I built with 4 BlueAcro AcroStar Pro arrays running around 60%.

Any thoughts you guys have would be great.

 

[Greg P]

Your tank looks brand new. Post info about the tank age, how you cycled it with testing results etc, what other critters you may have that are in what state of health ...

 

[Halo_003]

Your tank looks brand new. Post info about the tank age, how you cycled it with testing results etc, what other critters you may have that are in what state of health ...

I started cycling the rock in April. My last tank had bryopsis so I started over with new rocks. I added this BTA in mid September. It looks brand new still because I haven’t added anything that could carry coralline. I removed frags from plugs after dipping to prevent any incoming algae problems. I have a purple stylophora that is happy and a couple of zoanthids.

I cycled with Dr. Tim’s for 6 weeks before adding anything. Fish habitants are a Occ. clown, helfrichi firefish, and a Springer Dottyback.

I have another tiny BTA roughly quarter sized that generally seems happy, and a 4x3” purple hammer colony that gets good polyp extension.

 

[Greg P]

OK, sounds good so far. Did this new nem look better than this before/when you got it?
What water parameter and lighting differences has it gone through between you and the previous owner?
Not that it's a good idea to feed new nems right away but, what have you done since first receiving it? Did you leave it alone for a few days, then attempt to feed it something small?
Or have you just left it alone?
I don't see any signs of it wanting to spew it's guts but yah it looks pretty unhappy

 

[Halo_003]

OK, sounds good so far. Did this new nem look better than this before/when you got it?
What water parameter and lighting differences has it gone through between you and the previous owner?
Not that it's a good idea to feed new nems right away but, what have you done since first receiving it? Did you leave it alone for a few days, then attempt to feed it something small?
Or have you just left it alone?
I don't see any signs of it wanting to spew it's guts but yah it looks pretty unhappy

It came from Diver’s Den, looking like the below. I haven’t really tried to feed it directly, just fed the tank mysis cubes. It looked good for about two weeks.

 

[Greg P]

Can you post a shot or 2 from when it looked better?

Not saying you did anything wrong, but how did you acclimate it? Did you test the bag water?

What test kits do you have and what do you test for?

Know anyone local to you or the LFS who can test your water with their own kits?

Do you use a refractometer? Have calibration solution?

I like Salifert/Red Sea/Seachem test kits in that order for Alk, Ca and Mag
I don't like API kits
I also use Salifert for NO2 and NO3, and use Seachem Ammo Alerts for NH3

Could go on but waiting for your answers first

 

[Mykawl]

Quit using gfo imo, and maybe try bringing alk down to 8. Could try feeding directly in the mean time see if it will eat

 

[Greg P]

Being as stressed as it is right now I'd recommend not feeding it. Lots of energy goes into processing food.
Better to leave it be and let it spend it's energy stores repairing itself.

I have to run.
Hopefully others will chime in and help out.

 

[Halo_003]

Can you post a shot or 2 from when it looked better?

Not saying you did anything wrong, but how did you acclimate it? Did you test the bag water?

What test kits do you have and what do you test for?

Know anyone local to you or the LFS who can test your water with their own kits?

Do you use a refractometer? Have calibration solution?

I like Salifert/Red Sea/Seachem test kits in that order for Alk, Ca and Mag
I don't like API kits
I also use Salifert for NO2 and NO3, and use Seachem Ammo Alerts for NH3

Could go on but waiting for your answers first

thanks for your help so far!

shot at bottom.

I drip acclimated for an hour until temp and salinity matched, I should have tested pH but I didn’t. I didn’t test the bag water otherwise.

I have Red Sea Mg, Alk, Ca, and Nitrate Pro. I test for these all every week and haven’t seen any major changes. My salt mix is Red Sea Coral Pro and I’m changing 5 gallons out of a 30 gallon system once a week.

I live less than a mile from WWC’s newest big store so I can have them do a full range test.

I have a calibrated refractometer. I also have a Seneye that shows temp dead on at 78F and 0 ammonia.

October 6:

 

[Halo_003]

On a whim I wondered today if it would react better to more intense lighting, it seems like it tightened its mouth up in response.

 

[reef lover]

Well the nem is def starving. It could be insufficient lighting or nitrates and phosphates being so low.
I would get trates and phosphates up and maybe very slowly ramp up the lights and see how he responds.

 

[Halo_003]

Well the nem is def starving. It could be insufficient lighting or nitrates and phosphates being so low.
I would get trates and phosphates up and maybe very slowly ramp up the lights and see how he responds.

Thanks, I’ll crank up a few % and see if it looks better. Maybe this is an excuse to add a pair T5s and turn my LED into a hybrid.

 

[amazongb]

I’m no expert, but I feed mine three time a week.. in your case I’d try something small like mysis.. just a small piece..

 

[Halo_003]

I’m no expert, but I feed mine three time a week.. in your case I’d try something small like mysis.. just a small piece..

Thanks! I’ll give that a shot tomorrow when I feed the tank again.

 

[Greg P]

You can go ahead and try to feed it something small and meaty without a shell, but I'm still against it being fed while it is in distress.
It's amazing how much energy nems utilize processing raw foods.
Keep in mind that bubbles can subsist on photosynthesis alone, so if I were you, I'd leave it be and let it settle in.
It may take and try to eat or spit it out so do as you will.
MHO, and IME, If it's going to recover it will do so without you trying to stuff it's face

 

[reef lover]

Def dont feed until tentacles are full and mouth is closed tight.
And go very slowly with adding more light.

 

[Katrina71]

+1 don't feed

 

[Katrina71]

My observations are feeding the tank some frozen ocean plankton gets a really good feeding response from our nems. Leave your powerheads on.

 

[Halo_003]

You can go ahead and try to feed it something small and meaty without a shell, but I'm still against it being fed while it is in distress.
It's amazing how much energy nems utilize processing raw foods.
Keep in mind that bubbles can subsist on photosynthesis alone, so if I were you, I'd leave it be and let it settle in.
It may take and try to eat or spit it out so do as you will.
MHO, and IME, If it's going to recover it will do so without you trying to stuff it's face

Good points! I was thinking of just trying a piece of mysis and seeing if it grabs on.