Help me with my bubble tip!

firecop951 · Mar 21, 2016

So my Uniquarium 55R is 3.5 months old. Cycled great and my water levels have and are great got this little beauty and it has done great the past 2 weeks. moved a few time and found its happy spot. Woke up this morning and it was out and happy. It usually is out in the morning and has nothing to do with the day time than comes out in the evening and does work during feeding time. I have direct fed it 2 times since I had it and did work on a 1/8 piece of shrimp and than a small piece of halibut. it was closed for much longer today and than when it opened up it looked like the left half of it was some what bleached. I have a Orbit pro and have it set at 80% blue and 25% white for the peak setting. Has done great till today. Did a 5% water change yesterday and all levels where perfect other than MG was at 1600ppm> what is going on with my baby girl?? Please help!!!

sbash · Mar 21, 2016

Despite all your levels being perfect, your tank is still very young. In the first year, there are many shifts in chemistry while the tank established, for example, around this time, your dry rocks and sand are going to start to leach phosphates (potentially immeasurable amounts). This is why you see the phases of the tanks, diatom blooms, hair algae blooms, etc.

Anyway, all that to say, your tank is very young and probably not as stable as it appears to be. Your anemone is still open, which is a good sign. I find mine respond better to mysis or enriched brine shrimp, over large pieces of fish or shrimp. Give it a dose of mysis every couple days with a turkey baster. This should encourage a more natural method for it to 'filter feed'. The cubes I get last three or four feedings.

Sometimes, my anemones (I have five RBTAs) go into a reclusive mode for a few days and close up a bit (like yours, or more so). This seems to be normal.

firecop951 · Mar 21, 2016

Completely understand my tank is still super young. Fortunately I am super OCD with checking the water chem and weekly 5% water changes cuz I love the hobby and care about my set up and all that calls it there home. Just concerned about the bleach look on the left side of it. Seems to be happy sometimes and not so happy other times. I understand its part of the hobby just wasn't sure if it was a sign of something I wasn't seeing. Thanks for your info means a lot!!

jamie callard · Mar 21, 2016

If its not happy it will move its self. Don't react over something for one day. And you can test but still May not see numbers change if it is being used in a bad way. Thst is why some life is recommended later in the hobby

firecop951 · Mar 22, 2016

Thanks for your info Jamie! I can guarantee I am using the best test kits and have two diff that I reference. Which I invested the money to make sure things were right. There has been some super cool changes as it went thru its cycle and is still finding its happy spot. Completely understand that some animals are for more mature tanks, but have also read the opposite with responsible on the ball tank owners. I have taken some chances but if any of my pets start to get unhealthy or don't look good I do have a fellow Fireman that has been in the hobby for many years that I can give them to..