Urgent!!! Nems never has done this

UCedumacasion · Sep 15, 2017

How long has your alkalinity been that high? I've found nems don't really like it that high

albyone · Sep 16, 2017

UCedumacasion said:
How long has your alkalinity been that high? I've found nems don't really like it that high

I have always had it this high. I will try to take it to 9 in a couple days and see how it pans out

Amoo · Sep 17, 2017

11 is around the typical dKH of IO salt, I wouldn't worry about it personally. Sorry I tagged into this thread but missed the alert for it somehow? Either way every time I have seen someone say they have the light you do, I see a Nem that look like yours. Simply not a good light for Nems regardless of tank size

Amoo · Sep 17, 2017

I guess that doesn't help you out a whole lot since it seems you're probably newer to the hobby so aren't really sure what you need and all of the advertising said that was a good light.

Assuming you have a standard 29G tank, 30Lx12Dx18H the cheapest light you would get away with if you're dead set on having nems but are clearly on a budget would be the Black Box style LEDs BRS just did a video on:

Personally I would throw a few more $$$ at it and upgrade to a safer and more well known black box in the $150 range and get a Superlux from Reefbreeders or whatever the comparable light is from SB Lights. Hang it 16 inches above your tank for decent spread, start with your blues at 35 and your whites at 15 and work your way up from there. Ideally you want to keep BTAs somewhere in the 200 +/- 50 PAR range. Sadly PAR and spectrum are not the same thing and even if your light was capable of producing even the bare minimum 150ish PAR the spectrum is complete trash for Nems.

Hope that helps a little bit, but I don't think your Nems are struggling because of not enough light, I think they're struggling because of not enough of the right kind of light. You would honestly be better off with multiple PAR38 bulbs hanging on your tank then that light.

albyone · Sep 17, 2017

Amoo said:
I guess that doesn't help you out a whole lot since it seems you're probably newer to the hobby so aren't really sure what you need and all of the advertising said that was a good light.

Assuming you have a standard 29G tank, 30Lx12Dx18H the cheapest light you would get away with if you're dead set on having nems but are clearly on a budget would be the Black Box style LEDs BRS just did a video on:

Personally I would throw a few more $$$ at it and upgrade to a safer and more well known black box in the $150 range and get a Superlux from Reefbreeders or whatever the comparable light is from SB Lights. Hang it 16 inches above your tank for decent spread, start with your blues at 35 and your whites at 15 and work your way up from there. Ideally you want to keep BTAs somewhere in the 200 +/- 50 PAR range. Sadly PAR and spectrum are not the same thing and even if your light was capable of producing even the bare minimum 150ish PAR the spectrum is complete trash for Nems.

Hope that helps a little bit, but I don't think your Nems are struggling because of not enough light, I think they're struggling because of not enough of the right kind of light. You would honestly be better off with multiple PAR38 bulbs hanging on your tank then that light.

I thought that being just that the thing looked hungry I found a site where orbit pro lists their par readings.. http://current-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Orbit-PAR-Measurements-1.pdf
I still wanted a better light ... always need a better light... but I set this tank up around September of last year I beleive. I was waiting on the better light until I upgrade to a bigger tank hopefully in December. But I turned my whites intensity up 10%... I also fed some shrimp it took right too it... still not perfect but I am hoping I see recovery. I just never kept the skunk shrimp from stealing the nems food until today... I always said if it's hungry it will eat faster. But my shrimp will be eating drop it's food and go eat the nems food. I'm starting to wonder if skunk shrimps do more harm than good

albyone · Sep 18, 2017

Sorry for my poor punctuation. I get so into the hobby I forget how hard it can be to read my posts.

Amoo · Sep 18, 2017

Yes I'm aware of their par numbers, that is with both channels maxed at 100% and a majority of that would be coming from the whites which you are barely running. If you had a PAR meter you would see for yourself that your Nems are probably getting something like 50PAR if you're lucky depending on how deep they are under the water...

albyone · Sep 18, 2017

Amoo said:
Yes I'm aware of their par numbers, that is with both channels maxed at 100% and a majority of that would be coming from the whites which you are barely running. If you had a PAR meter you would see for yourself that your Nems are probably getting something like 50PAR if you're lucky depending on how deep they are under the water...

I see what your saying.. I ordered this light for my tank https://www.amazon.com/Lightimetunn...op?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref_=ya_st_dp_summary so I can get the par I need with keeping the cool blue color. My nems hides from the white lights and this current light does not achieve that mix. Thank you for our help

Amoo · Sep 18, 2017

Good luck, start SLOW

I actually just read this on the R2R article section and came back to post it for you:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-s...k-lighting-a-semi-scientific-documentary.368/

cj in sac ca · Sep 19, 2017

Following

albyone · Sep 19, 2017

Amoo said:
Good luck, start SLOW

I actually just read this on the R2R article section and came back to post it for you:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-s...k-lighting-a-semi-scientific-documentary.368/

Is that the right link?

albyone · Sep 19, 2017

albyone said:
Is that the right link?

I am excited for my new light to get here tomorrow... I did a small water change and never put the light back to its original rest. And my anems mouth got huge then I moved the light back. And went to get my phone for a pic... note the light is turned to max output. And the thing looked great...

... Amoo it is definitely a lighting issue. Can I give you extra trophies for your answer? I hate it when I get a answer that is from a guy that would be doing more damage to the specimen if they had it just wanted to add the 2 cents... you gave me the most educated advice I have gotten on this site and you didn't call me a idiot at the first sign of me questioning the light. Much respect earned too you mr amoo. So since it's about the same topic... what par do you recommend for a tridacnid maxima clam?

Amoo · Sep 19, 2017

You're welcome, I just try to help. Honestly I thought about ordering a clam today, but I decided against it. I never had owned one simply because I don't feel I've done the proper research. Off the top of my head and as an educated guess I would start it around 250PAR, but it's likely to move from that anyways so I honestly can not answer your question in good faith, sorry.

Yuki Rihwa · Sep 20, 2017

LOL Speaking about Tridacna Maxima, I was researching/reading to see if I can keep one under T5 light system

and the result seem it would be OK under T5.

Watevadog5 · Sep 20, 2017

Doesnt seem like a lighting issue at all. I kept nems under Chinese black boxes without issue. Nems, just like almost everything in this hobby can be temperamental. With that being said it will generally take a day or two for the nem to find itself a new place to call home and boom, he's back to normal I'm willing to bet

Amoo · Sep 20, 2017

Watevadog5 said:
Doesnt seem like a lighting issue at all. I kept nems under Chinese black boxes without issue. Nems, just like almost everything in this hobby can be temperamental. With that being said it will generally take a day or two for the nem to find itself a new place to call home and boom, he's back to normal I'm willing to bet

I think you either failed to read the whole thread or misunderstood part of it. I recommended he get something like a black box because what he was using is a light that is just flat out not powerful enough...