Why are my anemones so small?

[Midasblen]

I got a rbta about 7 months ago and it has been doing well till recently. It used to be huge a take up a large part of my tank. Then it split after about 4 months of having it in my tank. The spilt anemones have both been doing well till a month ago when they both moved to different places in my tank. They both open up but not as much as they used to. The larger one also lets go of the rock sometimes just to fall on the sand and crawl back up to the same rock. Any ideas why my anemones and not as open as they used to be?

 

[Jekyl]

I got a rbta about 7 months ago and it has been doing well till recently. It used to be huge a take up a large part of my tank. Then it split after about 4 months of having it in my tank. The spilt anemones have both been doing well till a month ago when they both moved to different places in my tank. They both open up but not as much as they used to. The larger one also lets go of the rock sometimes just to fall on the sand and crawl back up to the same rock. Any ideas why my anemones and not as open as they used to be?

Parameters and lighting? Full tank shot in white light may help also.

 

[Midasblen]

Parameters and lighting? Full tank shot in white light may help also.

My parameters are
Alk:10.9
Calcium:500
Magnesium:1500+
Phosphate:0
Ph:8.2
Nitrate0-5ppm
Salinity:1.024-1.025

For my light I have a AI hydra 32 hd running for10 hrs a day
UV:65%
V:65%
Ry:65%
B:65%
G:10%
DR:10%
ML60%
CW:10%

Can't take a picture of the tank right now, but should be able to at some point today.

 

[Dolphins18]

I got a rbta about 7 months ago and it has been doing well till recently. It used to be huge a take up a large part of my tank. Then it split after about 4 months of having it in my tank. The spilt anemones have both been doing well till a month ago when they both moved to different places in my tank. They both open up but not as much as they used to. The larger one also lets go of the rock sometimes just to fall on the sand and crawl back up to the same rock. Any ideas why my anemones and not as open as they used to be?

Photos please. Falling off the rock is not a good sign.
How much light do they have?

 

[Midasblen]

Photos please. Falling off the rock is not a good sign.
How much light do they have?

My tank lights just turned on not too long ago btw. One is at the top of the middle back of my tank that gets good light and the other is in the more shady spots.

 

[Midasblen]

Photos please. Falling off the rock is not a good sign.
How much light do they have?

 

[Jekyl]

Missed other post (edit)

 

[Dolphins18]

Thank you for the photo. I can see they are definitely a bit small. Can you let me know what you are using to light the tank?
Edit sorry I missed the lighting post.
Are your Phosphates completely 0? I always keep some phos in my tanks with nems, but the creatures are extremely hardy once acclimated to tank life (and it sounds like yours were if they were extended for several months prior to this)
Do you run carbon? Or are you possibly aware of any chemical changes in your tank? (dosing something new, medication for algae/fish etc)

 

[Jekyl]

My parameters are
Alk:10.9
Calcium:500
Magnesium:1500+
Phosphate:0
Ph:8.2
Nitrate0-5ppm
Salinity:1.024-1.025

For my light I have a AI hydra 32 hd running for10 hrs a day
UV:65%
V:65%
Ry:65%
B:65%
G:10%
DR:10%
ML60%
CW:10%

Can't take a picture of the tank right now, but should be able to at some point today.

Alk, cal and mag are all a little high while nitrate is a little low. I have my tank running at 8.5, 420, 1370 and 10-15 respectively.

 

[Jekyl]

Lighting someone else will have to chime in. I've never used that one.

 

[Midasblen]

Alk, cal and mag are all a little high while nitrate is a little low. I have my tank running at 8.5, 420, 1370 and 10-15 respectively.

I tried looking on r2r about this and I thought that maybe the reason was that my nitrates where to low, but they have been that low for the time I had my anemones when they were doing good. My alk has been high for a while too. I want to get it down to 8.5-9 ish. The cal and mag have always been really high for me.

 

[Jekyl]

I tried looking on r2r about this and I thought that maybe the reason was that my nitrates where to low, but they have been that low for the time I had my anemones when they were doing good. My alk has been high for a while too. I want to get it down to 8.5-9 ish. The cal and mag have always been really high for me.

I would try and only raise the nitrates. Mine seem to prefer a little bit dirtier water. Get them up around 10 and leave for a few weeks. Only change one thing at a time or you won't be able to see what works and what didn't.

 

[Midasblen]

I would try and only raise the nitrates. Mine seem to prefer a little bit dirtier water. Get them up around 10 and leave for a few weeks. Only change one thing at a time or you won't be able to see what works and what didn't.

What product do you recommend to raise my nitrates.

 

[Dolphins18]

If you can get your po4 up a little as well, mine generally like that. When mine initially started spawning sexually instead of splitting, they were in very high po4 water.

 

[Jekyl]

What product do you recommend to raise my nitrates.

Feeding more or less nutrient reduction will get your nitrate and phosphate up. Both are what corals/anemone need as food.

 

[Midasblen]

Feeding more or less nutrient reduction will get your nitrate and phosphate up. Both are what corals/anemone need as food.

So would I just feed more and turn off my protein skimmer to increase the nitrates and phosphates?

 

[Dolphins18]

So would I just feed more and turn off my protein skimmer to increase the nitrates and phosphates?

Yes that should help! Maybe some cleaners (snails etc) for some of the algae as the algae is consuming both the phos and nitrates.

 

[Jekyl]

So would I just feed more and turn off my protein skimmer to increase the nitrates and phosphates?

I would never turn it off. If in sump you can let it drain back into the sump or just tune it to skim dryer. Always keep it on for gas exchange.

 

[Midasblen]

I am a bit worried because today they both seem to be completely closed up. I have read that when they die they dissolve and that could cause spikes in ammonia and nitrates and release toxins that could kill your tank. I just really want to make sure the tank does not die and I don't know if its too late for the nems.

 

[Jekyl]

I am a bit worried because today they both seem to be completely closed up. I have read that when they die they dissolve and that could cause spikes in ammonia and nitrates and release toxins that could kill your tank. I just really want to make sure the tank does not die and I don't know if its too late for the nems.

Closing up happens all the time. Disintegrating is when you need to worry.