Anenome stays deflated HELLLPPPPP

[Jharris032]

Just curious if anyone can give me an idea as to why my anenome is shriveled up. I have a mixed reef RS350 with two LED 90, reef octopus skimmer, reef mat 500, 25w UV filter, stocked refugium with a refugium led that runs opposite my display leds, 4 doser that I dose all the foundation elements & reef energy AB+ at the recommended levels per the calculator on their website and tweaked from there, sometimes my calcium spikes for an unknown reason to around 550-600 I checked my RO water and it’s reading zero on everything and my tank is reading normal on everything I test with the exception of the calcium sometimes and I test everything , two reefwave 45s and I’ve adjusted the flow, the lights and even blasted him with his own light just in case and did all of this with ample time between adjustments to see if there was any difference. I will say that when I bought him he was bleaching a little but was still inflated just looked translucent with a little color and I did it because I didn’t know if he’d make it at the lFS or if they sold it to someone who didn’t really care as much would just let him go…he has since regained all of his color but always looks deflated. He currently is in a low par area in the bottom right of my tank but I had moved him to that side from the left side to see if he’d move around a little and get happy, placed him midway up and he walked back down to the low par area. Tank is just over a year old but everything was transferred over from a biocube 32 that was also a year old. I don’t know, I’m at a loss…

 

[Nano_Man]

Let’s see if anyone chimes in

 

[D-Nak]

CA spiking is a bit odd. Can you describe that in more detail? How do you know it's spiking? How long does it last? Etc. Normal CA levels are in the 400 range, so 500-600 is high, but shouldn't negatively affect the nem. That said, fluctuations in parameters will affect the nem, which is why I ask about spiking. If it's due to ALK swings, which in turn causes pH swings (like a quick addition of Kalkwasser), that may negatively affect a nem.

How are you other tank inhabitants doing? Do you have any other anemones?

 

[Jharris032]

CA spiking is a bit odd. Can you describe that in more detail? How do you know it's spiking? How long does it last? Etc. Normal CA levels are in the 400 range, so 500-600 is high, but shouldn't negatively affect the nem. That said, fluctuations in parameters will affect the nem, which is why I ask about spiking. If it's due to ALK swings, which in turn causes pH swings (like a quick addition of Kalkwasser), that may negatively affect a nem.

How are you other tank inhabitants doing? Do you have any other anemones?

It is odd, I know it’s spiking because I test it with a fresh out of the box reef master test kit. It only happened a couple of times, once was when I ran out of alk and was dosing calcium and not alk and didn’t realize it, I’m pretty sure that spiked it and the other time I don’t have an answer for. It’s good now though I was just trying to lay the whole story of my tank out there, full disclosure. Everything else in the tank is good and looking healthy, I do have a feather dustier that’s not come out for a week or two but I did just add a second reefwave 45 and no the nem was looking like this before I added it. Interestingly though I was having the company I bought the system from come out twice a month and service the tank for me because I had too much invested in it to not have it taken care of the right way and they used sea water for water changes that they got at high tide and took back to the store and supposedly “filtered” then used it for water changes in their service accounts. Needless to say, I don’t use them anymore because I feel like I have enough knowledge to keep it in good shape on my own now but that could be a factor if I’m guessing. Thoughts?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just curious if anyone can give me an idea as to why my anenome is shriveled up. I have a mixed reef RS350 with two LED 90, reef octopus skimmer, reef mat 500, 25w UV filter, stocked refugium with a refugium led that runs opposite my display leds, 4 doser that I dose all the foundation elements & reef energy AB+ at the recommended levels per the calculator on their website and tweaked from there, sometimes my calcium spikes for an unknown reason to around 550-600 I checked my RO water and it’s reading zero on everything and my tank is reading normal on everything I test with the exception of the calcium sometimes and I test everything , two reefwave 45s and I’ve adjusted the flow, the lights and even blasted him with his own light just in case and did all of this with ample time between adjustments to see if there was any difference. I will say that when I bought him he was bleaching a little but was still inflated just looked translucent with a little color and I did it because I didn’t know if he’d make it at the lFS or if they sold it to someone who didn’t really care as much would just let him go…he has since regained all of his color but always looks deflated. He currently is in a low par area in the bottom right of my tank but I had moved him to that side from the left side to see if he’d move around a little and get happy, placed him midway up and he walked back down to the low par area. Tank is just over a year old but everything was transferred over from a biocube 32 that was also a year old. I don’t know, I’m at a loss…

Generally anemones with shrink/deflate when there is too much white brightness or inadequate water flow
Assure also that nitrate and phos and salinity are not elevated

 

[Jharris032]

Generally anemones with shrink/deflate when there is too much white brightness or inadequate water flow
Assure also that nitrate and phos and salinity are not elevated

I thought that too and bought a second reefwave 45 so I’d have one on both sides and tried every type of flow I could think of and also turned the whites down to 15%….I have read a couple of people say try and keep it at 78 and mines runs at 76-77. Could that be it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I thought that too and bought a second reefwave 45 so I’d have one on both sides and tried every type of flow I could think of and also turned the whites down to 15%….I have read a couple of people say try and keep it at 78 and mines runs at 76-77. Could that be it?

That temp should be fine. if this is a newer tank, anemones do not favor constant changes or spikes and even water changes which occur with newer tanks why its best to add them to a mature tank Of at least 6 months where the ammonia-nitrate and bacteria are steady and established

 

[Jharris032]

That temp should be fine. if this is a newer tank, anemones do not favor constant changes or spikes and even water changes which occur with newer tanks why its best to add them to a mature tank Of at least 6 months where the ammonia-nitrate and bacteria are steady and established

It’s over a year old and started as a transplant from a biocube that was a year old before this one.

 

[OrionN]

Anemones do not tolerate pH spike well at all. Overzealous kalk or sodium bicarb can do an anemone in fairly quickly. I had a kalk misshaped years ago that kill my healthy Magnifica, the only mortality of that fiasco. My dosing pump mechanical timer stuck on the ON position. It really did not stick on for very long when I notice the deflating Magnifica and check, it never recovered.

 

[Jharris032]

Anemones do not tolerate pH spike well at all. Overzealous kalk or sodium bicarb can do an anemone in fairly quickly. I had a kalk misshaped years ago that kill my healthy Magnifica, the only mortality of that fiasco. My dosing pump mechanical timer stuck on the ON position. It really did not stick on for very long when I notice the deflating Magnifica and check, it never recovered.

I will definitely keep that in mind, the Nem didn’t make it but I just got another two days ago so I will see how it goes and keep ya posted. This guy is a very large Sebae and it’s already nestled its way into a perfect spot out of the way and still in sight.