Two weeks ago I transferred my live rock and my BTAs from 2 other tanks into this one. I also moved my 2 clownfish, snails and a tuxedo urchin in here too. After a week of acclimating the BTAs to the new light, I think they are doing really well. Surprisingly they have not moved much at all. I bought a rainbow BTA and put it at the top of the rock work 2 weeks ago too. It hasn't moved but it's stretching up so I might increase my Kessil A80 intensity to 80% at peak photo period interval. I have 2 A80s on this tank and this BTA is about 5 inches below the light.
The Fluval mini skimmer is working well now, pulling dar, yellow skimmate from the tank. I'm just using the stock filter sponge, not using the little bags of carbon and bio ceramics that came with it. I have plenty of live rock for biological filtration. I did put a larger bag of carbon below the sponge in the middle section. I also put some phosphate reducing filter pads in the 3rd section. After 2 weeks, Hanna checker shows 0.13 ppm phosphate so I need add more phosphate reducer to get below 0.03. My API shows yellow, so low nitrate. I use IO reef crystal salt. Surprisingly, after 2 weeks my KH has not decreased much. My API tester says 8 dKH, was 9. Not surprisingly my Ca has not changed. Still at 480 ppm. My plan is 20% monthly WC and it's been 2 weeks so I'll add alk today to increase it to 9.
I've had these BTAs for 1 to 2 years, except the new rainbow, and never fed them. But since they're in a bigger tank, I've decided to start feeding them on a weekly basis to promote faster growth. With additional feeding I expect higher nitrate and phosphate, so I'll have to monitor and address as needed. I'm hoping the feedings and more light will promote deeper color and longer tentacles. I like the bubbles but also like the long bubbleless tentacles. Any ideas to achieve that?
I'm going to feed them slices of scallops as I think the pieces are 100% digestival compared to shrimp. I've heard pellets are available too. Any recs?
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