Anemone Needs Light?

[dankolle]

So, I have had this anemone since April. It has been in the same place since I got him. Everything appears right and he hosts clowns during the night. What I'm worried about is the amount of light he is receiving. It's under 175watt MH almost directly above him. Exactly 2 feet from bulb glass to the anemone.

I am sure it's not my water, temp is solid at 78 - 80 and all levels are perfect. I get very minor algae buildup about once a week, but very minor. Good flow, and he seems happy. He gets fed twice a week with the rest of the fish and corals. All my other polyps, ricordea, and mushrooms are producing off-spring. Light is the only thing I can think of...

In the store he was under 250watt MH almost the same distance, but maybe 8" less water at the store. Should I purchase more lighting for him? I am open to getting a 250 watt if that would help things. I just want him back to his bubbly self!

Current Conditions:

IMAG0275 by x2boarder, on Flickr

 

[Marines_Wife]

Anemone's are very difficult to keep, depending on what kind it is others will be able to help you out with what it needs.

 

[dankolle]

It's a standard BTA

 

[Eissie]

Nems are weird. You said he has been there since you got him? If so then he is happy. If a nem dosen't like where he is he will detach and move to a better spot. What is your water flow in the are he is in? Because i know most nems really dont like a lot of flow.

 

[reeftanker84]

BTAs require the most light of almost any nem,he looks like hes awfull white though,you might go for a 250w 20k light

 

[dankolle]

There is one 850GPH korillia blowing over him 1' away, but not directly on him. He has his foot up under the rock stack and has a full rock face guarding him from any direct flow.

I know I am going to spark a huge thread here, but I was thinking about getting a PAR38 LED builb to stoplight him instead of flooding that side of the tank. Thoughts?

Here is a shots for perspective...maybe!


IMAG0281 by x2boarder, on Flickr

 

[little_fish]

He looks really rough, no nem should be that white. Did you buy him that way or has be been slowly losing color? I would keep up the feeding and try and get him some more light, that is really low on the lighting scale for nems

 

[dankolle]

I bought him this way about 5 months ago. The LFS said it was a special nem that was white...he got it in a shipment with an RBTA. I asked him about it being bleached and he said it wasn't and that was how he was going to look.

Should I get the 250w MH (or higher?) or do the LED spotlight do you think?

 

[little_fish]

I think you will be better off with the 250 W metal halide personally. Also no nem should be white, even the whiter ones are actually more of a tan color. But that is really common line of BS used to sell nems

 

[dankolle]

So it's bleached then? What should I do besides feedings and more light?

 

[Eissie]

What exactly are you feeding?

 

[dankolle]

Brine / Mysis and occasional silver side (my LFS is petsmart so they change their stock randomly)

 

[Eissie]

Ah. Sounds like a pretty diverse diet. I have not been able to get to my lfs (1 hour away) I have been feeding reef bugs. Seems to be doing pretty well with it all so far.

 

[little_fish]

keep your water quality as perfect as possible. It should being to recover some color, but its a long process. Totally bleached nems are lacking the symbiotic algae that they get most of their food from

 

[dankolle]

I have a special place for anemones after I killed one on accident during a major tank move...so I really want to do anything I can to keep this one happy!

 

[Eissie]

Well for now i would say get the lights. I wouldnt do the leds just because they are low output. And keep us posted! And best of luck to you!

 

[dankolle]

Should I get 400 watts while I am at it or is that over kill?

 

[Waddi]

Well i have 350w on my 32, but thats including my T5HO.

 

[dankolle]

Over the weekend I did an upgrade to my lights because the anemone was starting to climb up the rock closer to the lights. I brought the lights down closer to the aquarium and am getting another 220 watts installed hopefully this next weekend. The upgrades I did already affected the anemone as he is balling up and moved back down the rock to his original space. The other creatures in the tank are loving the brighter lights! I can't wait for the additional 220 watts, it's going to be amazing!

 

[BL1]

Becareful adding so much light so quickly, your anemone is really bleached and adding so much to it so quickly could kill it. I know you said it was climbing the rocks for more light but, 175w of MH on a 55 is more than enough light for a BTA, so again be careful you don't add too much too quick.