RBTA Moving After 5 Months

cmcimino · Jul 19, 2017

Hello, I have an RBTA that's been in the tank for 5 months. It has pretty much stayed put the whole time I have had it, but it suddenly has started to move around. It wouldn't worry me if I had a large tank, but it's in a 28 gallon nanocube with a decent amount of corals and I don't want it to hurt anything. This week I switched from filtered sea water to making my own salt water with RODI water and Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. I did my first 5 gallon water change on Monday and it started moving Tuesday. Could the new water cause this or is it just a coincidence? The RBTA looks healthy, just moving round.

primo21 · Jul 19, 2017

what were your parameters pre/post changing to the salt mix? most likely not a coincidence.

cmcimino · Jul 19, 2017

I haven't checked yet. I am assuming not much changed as far as Alk, Ca, and Mag. The only reason I switched water sources was due to high phosphates (.1 or higher) in my sea water.

vic67 · Jul 19, 2017

I'm thinking it's a coincidence. I have a few BTAs clumped together in the same area and once in a while one of them will move and then move back a week or so later. No rhyme or reason with the BTAs. lol

Scurvy · Jul 19, 2017

Nems moving and stinging a coral in passing mostly isnt a big deal. At least it hasnt been for me. If it settles next to something or hangs out for a few days on top of one with prolonged contact then I'd intervene.

SashimiTurtle · Jul 19, 2017

Be careful with the black bucket. Check alk before you do a water change. That black bucket mixes at around 11.5-12dKH. I killed some SPS with it. I use blue bucket now. I wish I could get sea water, but I'm 2.5 hours away from the coast. Hmm that gets me thinking. I could get one of those truck bed water bladders for up north, drive down to Myrtle Beach and fill up the back of the F250 at the beach house and drive back. I'd have to do some filtering when I got home but... wheels turning.

cmcimino · Jul 19, 2017

Robin Haselden said:
Be careful with the black bucket. Check alk before you do a water change. That black bucket mixes at around 11.5-12dKH. I killed some SPS with it. I use blue bucket now. I wish I could get sea water, but I'm 2.5 hours away from the coast. Hmm that gets me thinking. I could get one of those truck bed water bladders for up north, drive down to Myrtle Beach and fill up the back of the F250 at the beach house and drive back. I'd have to do some filtering when I got home but... wheels turning.

I get my filtered sea water from Wrightsville Beach, NC. It's nice for filling up a tank but not worth it in the long run. Excess nitrates and phosphates, and too many unknowns.

SashimiTurtle · Jul 19, 2017

cmcimino said:
I get my filtered sea water from Wrightsville Beach, NC. It's nice for filling up a tank but not worth it in the long run. Excess nitrates and phosphates, and too many unknowns.

Cool, that's not too far from where my dad has a house in Cherry Grove, SC. Northern most beach in SC.

Yea I was thinking there would be quite a few unknowns. Lots of crabbers in Cherry Grove, high potential for gas and oil in the water. There's also a lot of sediment in that area, the Little River runs right thru there on the way out to the jettys and Cherry Grove is built on top of a salt marsh. But the idea of clean NSW... one can dream of an unlimited supply.