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JustAClownFish · 10/19/2017, 04:30 PM

Hey fellow reefers, I'm the new one and as a welcome present, I'm going to throw my problems right at ya!! haha

Ok, focus!

My wife and I got two BTAs roughly two weeks ago. A bigger one (maybe like 3-5" across) and a smaller one (approx. 2 -3"). Both nems seem to do OK but they're hiding behind the rocks in the shade. I left them for about two weeks but decided to move the rock they're attached on so they could be in the light. The bigger one started to bubble up quite nicely but when the lights turned off it moved back into the shade and has remained there ever since(the lights are on right now). The smaller nem followed the bigger one and hid as well. They're both open and their mouths are closed but they look a little brown which leads me to my major concern. I have a cheap China fixture. This is it: https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-.../dp/B00UMXAR5S
I'm at 40% blue, 20% white and the fixture is approx. 18 inches above the water. So it shouldn't be too strong but the fact that they're hiding makes me wonder whether it's the spectrum or quality of the spectrum, not the intensity.

My water parameters:

ph 8.2
Alk around 8.3dkh
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 -2.5ppm (I'm still using the API test kit and it's yellow but not bright yellow so I guess it's not really 0 but def. below 5ppm)
Phosphate 0.1 - 0.25 (this is high I know but I don't think that's why they're hiding)

I have two powerheads, one Korralia Nano pointed at the surface and one EcoTech Mp10 on the opposite site in reef crest mode (approx 20 -30%). It's not a lot of flow. It's a 40g roughly 7 months old by the way.

I perform bi-weekly water changes with Instant Ocean. Otherwise I have one hammer, daisy polyps, star polyps, a blue mushroom and blue xenia. They're all doing fine except for the fact that they are a little dull looking. This could be due to the high phosphates or the light fixture. Actually, I'm almost certain it's the light. All my fish and snails are doing fine as well.

I don't think there is something in the water that aggravates the nems. It must be either the light or the phosphates but I don't see why the phosphates would prompt them to hide.

Has anyone ever had nems that were hiding for more than 1-2 weeks? I'm really concerned that they might not adjust to the light and die in the shade. I keep reading that BTAs like A LOT of light and they NEED a lot of light to survive. If anyone knows what to do let me know! Thanks in advance!

10/19/2017, 04:30 PM	#1
JustAClownFish Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: California Posts: 226	New BTA's have been hiding for 2 weeks Hey fellow reefers, I'm the new one and as a welcome present, I'm going to throw my problems right at ya!! haha Ok, focus! My wife and I got two BTAs roughly two weeks ago. A bigger one (maybe like 3-5" across) and a smaller one (approx. 2 -3"). Both nems seem to do OK but they're hiding behind the rocks in the shade. I left them for about two weeks but decided to move the rock they're attached on so they could be in the light. The bigger one started to bubble up quite nicely but when the lights turned off it moved back into the shade and has remained there ever since(the lights are on right now). The smaller nem followed the bigger one and hid as well. They're both open and their mouths are closed but they look a little brown which leads me to my major concern. I have a cheap China fixture. This is it: https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-.../dp/B00UMXAR5S I'm at 40% blue, 20% white and the fixture is approx. 18 inches above the water. So it shouldn't be too strong but the fact that they're hiding makes me wonder whether it's the spectrum or quality of the spectrum, not the intensity. My water parameters: ph 8.2 Alk around 8.3dkh Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 0 -2.5ppm (I'm still using the API test kit and it's yellow but not bright yellow so I guess it's not really 0 but def. below 5ppm) Phosphate 0.1 - 0.25 (this is high I know but I don't think that's why they're hiding) I have two powerheads, one Korralia Nano pointed at the surface and one EcoTech Mp10 on the opposite site in reef crest mode (approx 20 -30%). It's not a lot of flow. It's a 40g roughly 7 months old by the way. I perform bi-weekly water changes with Instant Ocean. Otherwise I have one hammer, daisy polyps, star polyps, a blue mushroom and blue xenia. They're all doing fine except for the fact that they are a little dull looking. This could be due to the high phosphates or the light fixture. Actually, I'm almost certain it's the light. All my fish and snails are doing fine as well. I don't think there is something in the water that aggravates the nems. It must be either the light or the phosphates but I don't see why the phosphates would prompt them to hide. Has anyone ever had nems that were hiding for more than 1-2 weeks? I'm really concerned that they might not adjust to the light and die in the shade. I keep reading that BTAs like A LOT of light and they NEED a lot of light to survive. If anyone knows what to do let me know! Thanks in advance!