Bta. First post please need advice!

[Adrenalize]

I've had my green bubble tip for about three months now but it has done nothing but decrease in the appearance of healthyness. My black clown has just started to host so I'm super excited! I can take a pic when my lights are on but as is it is just a small blob And the tentacles are just shrinking (by looking at it it's just a small pink bead about half the size of when I got it) somedays it looks like its dead for a couple hours then sprouts back to life. I was told that since I've had my lights for over 7 months that it may be time to replace the bulbs I do not know specifications other than that they are t5 with one blue acintic. It's a 29 gal with a pair of clowns an engineer goby a dragon goby and a purple pseudochromis. I know this may be a bit heavy on population but they've all been in there for about seven months and aside from the pseudo and the dragon goby not getting along they are all healthy and I have a 55 that just started to cycle that I'm going to transfer both gobys into so I do not need a lecture on that. Please any advice on how to nurture my Bta will be greatly appreciated! I feed it about twice a week but it mostly will catch food and just let it go a few minutes later :/

 

[AquaRick]

What's your lighting? You mentioned T5s with one actinic? How many bulbs are in your fixture?

 

[Adrenalize]

There's two bulbs one is the blue and one just white. I got it from aquatraders.com I believe the white is a 12000k but I honestly do not know. There's a possibility that I accidentally got the one that is suggested for plants unfortunately fresh water plants so I feel it may not be what I intended to get if so then it would be 6500k. I was so excited to get it at such a great price that I saw it was for plants (in my mind coral and such) and I went with it. Regardless I bought new bulbs for it but they were wider than the ones in the fixture and all the lights I can find are all the same size

 

[Adrenalize]

 

[AquaRick]

Unfortunately, that BTA is awfully bleached. These inverts require a high amount of lighting. A 2 bulb T5 fixture just isn't enough for them. Even a 4 bulb fixture is questionable.

 

[Adrenalize]

Ok thanks for the quick reply. I actually just switched my lights back to the original one I got from my buddy who I got the tank from. It's two bulbs but each bulb is like two next to each other one is a "dual blue" 65 watt and the other is a 10,000k 65 watt. Do you think this may help? It's been on for about twenty minutes and It seems like the tentacles are already making a better reach, as you can see it was just very flat before. If it continues to change ill take more pics tomorrow after its been on for a few hours

 

[uh.oh...]

if the bulbs you're describing are compact fluorescent, have a U shape to them, then no, they're actually less effective than t5s. Try to put both fixtures on your tank, if they'll fit.

 

[Adrenalize]

Not sure if that tells you anything but that's what they look like. I don't believe they are U shaped

 

[bavass]

yep that power compact you need a lot more light than that. I have a BTA in 55g with 6 54w T5HO's on it. The other thing is when I started researching bta's onething that was said was they need to be put in a tank no less than 1 year old. The older the tank the more balanced it has a tendancy to be.

 

[Adrenalize]

Ahh no . I would use both ballasts but I need the other for my fresh water. Thanks for the help everyone! The apparent salt water expert at my lfs told me the t5 would be enough last time I take his advice I guess. I will not make another purchase without consulting with people on this forum. but I won't forget rule #1; patience, patience, patience.

 

[bavass]

T5's are enough you just need more of them