Anemone looking sick but not sure what’s wrong

[jmag101]

I’ve had my bubble tip anemone in my tank since the beginning of September. He was fine for weeks then about early October he moved to the inner side of the large rock I have in the tank and hasn’t really opened up since. He looks deflated and dark in color. Often he is completely shriveled up to the point where it is hard to see him and now it looks like his foot isn’t fully attached. I’m not sure what’s wrong. Salinity is 1.024, temp is 78 and the rest of the levels look great.

 

[MamaMolo]

What’s your flow like and do you know what your par is?

 

[Jekyl]

Please give a list of current parameters, tank age, and lighting being used. Without the details, we can't help you.

 

[jmag101]

What’s your flow like and do you know what your par is?

480 gph my pump is adjustable but I currently have it on max. My knowledge on par is very small the light I have on the tank is the standard light the camp with it.

 

[jmag101]

Please give a list of current parameters, tank age, and lighting being used. Without the details, we can't help you.

I posted a pic below of the ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. I just have the standard api testing kit. The tank is a little over 5 months old. The lighting details I posted in the comment above they are just the standard ones that came with the fluval 13 gal evo tank. I have them on a 12 hour timer.

 

[dedragon]

Please give a list of current parameters, tank age, and lighting being used. Without the details, we can't help you.

This ^

 

[dedragon]

I posted a pic below of the ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. I just have the standard api testing kit. The tank is a little over 5 months old. The lighting details I posted in the comment above they are just the standard ones that came with the fluval 13 gal evo tank. I have them on a 12 hour timer.

it is both inadequate lighting and flow. Upgrading the stock light to a smatfarm, ai prime or noopsyche should help (just a few low priced options) as well as getting a powerhead in there to change up the flow patterns.
The tank most likely is too young and small to support an anemone as well. Tank maturity is key for anemones, so the tank should be around 9 months before attempting host anemones. I also wouldnt do a bubble tip in this size tank as it can quickly grow, split and kill other corals nearby.
Ik this is gonna suck but the best thing you can do is get rid of those api test kits and get higher quality kits like salifert, red sea pro, or hanna checkers. If you want to keep corals and anemones it is best to have kits for pH, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, and alkalinity at the minimum. I dont find a point of having nitrite or ammonia after the cycling period is done

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

480 gph my pump is adjustable but I currently have it on max. My knowledge on par is very small the light I have on the tank is the standard light the camp with it.

How many gallons is your tank? One pump of 480 gph is very insufficient, unless its a 5 gallon tank.....

The flow should be a very minimum of 10-20 x turnover (my tanks are about 40 x turnover), so take your tank size gallons and multiply by 10 or 20, that is the minimum gph to have.

 

[Jekyl]

it is both inadequate lighting and flow. Upgrading the stock light to a smatfarm, ai prime or noopsyche should help (just a few low priced options) as well as getting a powerhead in there to change up the flow patterns.
The tank most likely is too young and small to support an anemone as well. Tank maturity is key for anemones, so the tank should be around 9 months before attempting host anemones. I also wouldnt do a bubble tip in this size tank as it can quickly grow, split and kill other corals nearby.
Ik this is gonna suck but the best thing you can do is get rid of those api test kits and get higher quality kits like salifert, red sea pro, or hanna checkers. If you want to keep corals and anemones it is best to have kits for pH, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, and alkalinity at the minimum. I dont find a point of having nitrite or ammonia after the cycling period is done

I agree with this. Lighting probably insufficient while API tests aren't the best and you don't have an alkalinity or phosphate reading at all. Tank age is also a large factor.

 

[jmag101]

it is both inadequate lighting and flow. Upgrading the stock light to a smatfarm, ai prime or noopsyche should help (just a few low priced options) as well as getting a powerhead in there to change up the flow patterns.
The tank most likely is too young and small to support an anemone as well. Tank maturity is key for anemones, so the tank should be around 9 months before attempting host anemones. I also wouldnt do a bubble tip in this size tank as it can quickly grow, split and kill other corals nearby.
Ik this is gonna suck but the best thing you can do is get rid of those api test kits and get higher quality kits like salifert, red sea pro, or hanna checkers. If you want to keep corals and anemones it is best to have kits for pH, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, and alkalinity at the minimum. I dont find a point of having nitrite or ammonia after the cycling period is done

it is both inadequate lighting and flow. Upgrading the stock light to a smatfarm, ai prime or noopsyche should help (just a few low priced options) as well as getting a powerhead in there to change up the flow patterns.
The tank most likely is too young and small to support an anemone as well. Tank maturity is key for anemones, so the tank should be around 9 months before attempting host anemones. I also wouldnt do a bubble tip in this size tank as it can quickly grow, split and kill other corals nearby.
Ik this is gonna suck but the best thing you can do is get rid of those api test kits and get higher quality kits like salifert, red sea pro, or hanna checkers. If you want to keep corals and anemones it is best to have kits for pH, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, and alkalinity at the minimum. I dont find a point of having nitrite or ammonia after the cycling period is done

Perfect thanks for the advice! As for buying the lighting and the testing kits I was curious if you know of any deals? I am a broke college student who would love to save money where ever I can but I know that saltwater tanks are just expensive to have and this is just a cost I need to bite the bullet on. Also for future reference what anemones would be compatible for my tank or is it just best to not add them with my tank only being 13 gallons?

 

[jmag101]

How many gallons is your tank? One pump of 480 gph is very insufficient, unless its a 5 gallon tank.....

The flow should be a very minimum of 10-20 x turnover (my tanks are about 40 x turnover), so take your tank size gallons and multiply by 10 or 20, that is the minimum gph to have.

My tank is an all in one 13.5 gallon

 

[dedragon]

Best to stick with minimaxi or rock anemones for this sized tank.
For cheapest equipment I would stick with the smatfarms led plus some salifert or red sea pro test kits, but idk any sales going on right now with black friday over. Jebao works for a cheap powerhead but a lot of times the controller can break. Here are some links to get started, but you can always post a new thread to ask any questions about the quality of equipment before buying, people will answer here 99% of the time
This is a super expensive hobby 100%

 

[MamaMolo]

I second dedragon recommendations on lighting and flow. I put anenome in my tank on month 4-5 so it’s doable But my tank is 160 gallon. Looks like that’s also a hydnophora in the back ground that looks retracted. That also needs 200-250 par and med flow. I would check with your local reefers and see if anyone is selling Hanna checkers For testing. You should be testing alk, ca, mg, phosphate and nitrate at least weekly. You have a small tank so weekly small water changes is probably all you need other than getting better light and flow.

 

[Fishkins88]

How many gallons is your tank? One pump of 480 gph is very insufficient, unless its a 5 gallon tank.....

The flow should be a very minimum of 10-20 x turnover (my tanks are about 40 x turnover), so take your tank size gallons and multiply by 10 or 20, that is the minimum gph to have.

do you mean 100 or 200 x turnover?10 x 5 gallons is 50 gallons per hour. I am just trying to get this right as I am choosing pumps for a 29 gallon. I think I need 2900 gallons per hour to reach 100 x

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

for a 29 gallon. I think I need 2900 gallons per hour to reach 100 x

For 29 gallon, need at least 290 gph to reach minimum 10x.

But always go more. Consider that within a few days, slime builds up on machines. So its safe to assume that powerheads never work at the full advertised capacity.

 

[Fishkins88]

For 29 gallon, need at least 290 gph to reach minimum 10x.

But always go more. Consider that within a few days, slime builds up on machines. So its safe to assume that powerheads never work at the full advertised capacity.

I'm tracking with this. Thanks.