Rbta not doing well

[JKDMan]

The picture above is a rbta I got recently (3 weeks) ago. It was looking like this for about 1.5 weeks during day time, and it would deflate and shrink after lights off...

The picture above is what it's been looking like for the last 1.5 weeks all the time basically. Except for here and there where it will puff up, although not to the extent of the top photo... I'm trying to figure out what's going on with it.. tank info as follows... been up and running 11 months, sg. 1.024..ph.8.2.. zero ammonia & nitrate. Not sure about po4 as part of test kit missing. (All api tests) temp..78f.. it's in a75 gal std dimension... lighting is a finnex marine se and two kessil a150 ocean blue.. i don't currently have any powerheads in tank.. what I have is too powerful I think?? (tunze streams 6100) flow is all from return pump 650 gph ehiem. It's placed in a high flow corner on a rock on the substrate.

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[sfin52]

I'm assuming you ment nitrite.
Whats nitrate 0 is not ideal 10-20 is good
Whats your alk and calcium

What do you have for fish?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Possibly getting too much light? Any corals in there? How are they?

 

[JKDMan]

I'm assuming you ment nitrite.
Whats nitrate 0 is not ideal 10-20 is good
Whats your alk and calcium

What do you have for fish?

I don't test for nitrite generally.. I'll check nitrate again tonight, but it was not detectable by the api kit a couple days ago... fish are a small yellow tank, a pair of frostbite clowns a coral beauty and a six line wrasse

 

[JKDMan]

I'm assuming you ment nitrite.
Whats nitrate 0 is not ideal 10-20 is good
Whats your alk and calcium

What do you have for fish?

I don't test for nitrite generally.. I'll check nitrate again tonight, but it was not detectable by the api kit a couple..idk about alk and Ca

Possibly getting too much light? Any corals in there? How are they?

All corals are looking good. I have some zoos and gsp and xenia

 

[naterealbig]

I'm assuming you ment nitrite.
Whats nitrate 0 is not ideal 10-20 is good
Whats your alk and calcium

What do you have for fish?

+1 Alkalinity and calcium levels matter with nems (mostly Alk). Is your SG reading with a calibrated refractometer?

 

[JKDMan]

+1 Alkalinity and calcium levels matter with nems (mostly Alk). Is your SG reading with a calibrated refractometer?

Yes to calibrated refractometer.. what levels to look for in alk and Ca?

 

[naterealbig]

Good range for alkalinity is roughly 7.5-10.5 dKH, with the most important part being keeping it steady. Calcium being much less impactful is good ~ 300-450 ppm. If you don't have an Alk test kit, Salifert makes a reliable, cheaper option. Hanna tester if you want gold standard, at a higher price point.

 

[JKDMan]

Good range for alkalinity is roughly 7.5-10.5 dKH, with the most important part being keeping it steady. Calcium being much less impactful is good ~ 300-450 ppm. If you don't have an Alk test kit, Salifert makes a reliable, cheaper option. Hanna tester if you want gold standard, at a higher price point.

I'll test tonight. I got a salifert

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I doubt cal/Alk is your issue here unless it is way out of wack. You mentioned high flow, much flow is the nem getting? What about light? Possibly getting too much or too little? Has it moved around the tank at all?

#reefsquad @OrionN any input?

 

[JKDMan]

I doubt cal/Alk is your issue here unless it is way out of wack. You mentioned high flow, much flow is the nem getting? What about light? Possibly getting too much or too little? Has it moved around the tank at all?

#reefsquad @OrionN any input?

I'm only using my return pump for flow currently, about 650gph.. the high flow I mentioned was some tunze 6100 streams I took out a few months ago. I felt they were to much for the 75 gal... they were in my 200 gal. The nem is placed in a higher flow corner of my tank, but it's not a ton... idk of its too much or little light..a chart I looked at said my lights have about 500 par, at about 8 inches from water surface, my tank is 24 in deep, nem is maybe 4 in off bottom ,,so maybe too little? How much light do they need?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

About 250-350 par from what I've read. Par charts from lighting manufacturers are a joke though. Everybody says their lights put out 10,000,000,000 par at 32' depth

Honestly if it wasn't getting the right flow or lighting I would think it would go for a walk... Has it?

 

[AndyR83]

Do you have an auto top off system? I find nems can be sensitive to fluctuations in salinity, as may be seen in a system without an ATO.

Assuming that isn’t an issue and your water parameters are all good as discussed, the next thing I’d do is treat for a possible bacterial infection. The ideal way to do this is with Cipro, which can be purchased as either 250mg or 500mg tablets from a variety of online sources (just be certain to buy a brand that’s intended for fish; a prescription is required otherwise.) Administer in a small treatment/hospital tank, 250mg daily for 7 consecutive days, with a 100% water change daily.

 

[JKDMan]

About 250-350 par from what I've read. Par charts from lighting manufacturers are a joke though. Everybody says their lights put out 10,000,000,000 par at 32' depth

Honestly if it wasn't getting the right flow or lighting I would think it would go for a walk... Has it?

No it isn't moved, which i figured it would if it was unhappy. I'll move it up and see if it likes more light And flow

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

Do you have an auto top off system? I find nems can be sensitive to fluctuations in salinity, as may be seen in a system without an ATO.

Assuming that isn’t an issue and your water parameters are all good as discussed, the next thing I’d do is treat for a possible bacterial infection. The ideal way to do this is with Cipro, which can be purchased as either 250mg or 500mg tablets from a variety of online sources (just be certain to buy a brand that’s intended for fish; a prescription is required otherwise.) Administer in a small treatment/hospital tank, 250mg daily for 7 consecutive days, with a 100% water change daily.

I agree with this, treatment is likely needed. Especially if it has looked like the second pic for approx a week and a half....shrunk and mouth open.

Also, if your nitrates are truly zero it could be starving. Have you ever fed it directly?

 

[JKDMan]

Do you have an auto top off system? I find nems can be sensitive to fluctuations in salinity, as may be seen in a system without an ATO.

Assuming that isn’t an issue and your water parameters are all good as discussed, the next thing I’d do is treat for a possible bacterial infection. The ideal way to do this is with Cipro, which can be purchased as either 250mg or 500mg tablets from a variety of online sources (just be certain to buy a brand that’s intended for fish; a prescription is required otherwise.) Administer in a small treatment/hospital tank, 250mg daily for 7 consecutive days, with a 100% water change daily.

I have an auto, no qt tank

 

[JKDMan]

I agree with this, treatment is likely needed. Especially if it has looked like the second pic for approx a week and a half....shrunk and mouth open.

Also, if your nitrates are truly zero it could be starving. Have you ever fed it directly?

I have fed it, a week ago ish.. some mysid

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

I have fed it, a week ago ish.. some mysid

If your timeline is correct, it shrunk up after feeding it?

How much did you feed it?

Have you seen it expel anything?

 

[JKDMan]

If your timeline is correct, it shrunk up after feeding it?

How much did you feed it?

Have you seen it expel anything?

Just a couple mysis shrimp, the nem is small, though, in the top picture Its about the size of a quarter., it's spit out a couple tiny nuggets of brown, I only saw it do it twice

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

Just a couple mysis shrimp, the nem is small, though, in the top picture Its about the size of a quarter., it's spit out a couple tiny nuggets of brown, I only saw it do it twice

My vote is bacterial and needs treatment.

you can try the more light and flow thing but typically a nem will move if it doesnt like those things to find what it does like.