Bubble tip anemone puffy mouth possible kH issue?

[PurebloodFerret]

Okay so we've had this anemone for a week and he hasn't been the happiest. I assumed this was because of the heat wave we have been suffering because my other anemone has been pretty sad as well. We bought a chiller yesterday though so for the last 24 hours the temperature has been a steady 24 degrees Celsius. Everything in the tank seems to be coming good, and the anemones tentacles are less shrivelled, but he still has this really puffy, opening mouth and I've read puffy means hungry but open means dying? I don't now where the line is here. Please help





Parameters:
pH - 8.2
Temp - 24.9 degrees Celsius
Nitrates - <10ppm
Nitrites - 0
Ammonia -0
Calcium - 400
kH - high.

Our kH was off the charts, we only just bought a test kit for calcium and kH today, and we're wondering how it's so high (we put 16 drops in the test before it went yellow, but it went lime green about 14 drops in). Could this be affecting our anemones? We used conditioned tap water and rain water when we can collect it for our topping up which we think we have hard water here. Also my other half has been dosing a lot of pH buffer to try and stabilise the pH (I have since told him to stop unless it goes under 8 due to natural diurnal changes affecting pH)
Other than water changes, how else can we drop the kH especially if our water is hard?

I'm also a little concerned about the black bits on his tentacles, spades anyone know what this is?
Sorry if this is a long winded post were just worried about our little guys.

 

[PurebloodFerret]

Oh sorry I forgot salinity is at 1.026

 

[PurebloodFerret]

Also this is the chart we are going by for our kH
Brand is API and it's brand new only just opened

 

[mr_X]

Adding calcium should make the alk drop. Treated tap water and even rain water may be your problem however. You have no idea what's in it. 76 degrees is fine to keep your tank at. How hot was it prior to the chiller?
That anemone is very bleached. It's not in the best shape. There is nothing that an anemone does that shows you when it's hungry. What lighting are you running and what size tank is this? How long has the tank been running?

 

[PurebloodFerret]

It was very hot, the tank was hitting about 30 degrees C. He's only been in there for a week though could he bleach that quickly? The tank has been running since mid October. I have seen on here that anemones shouldn't be put into systems younger than 8 months, but again, it seems our lfs doesn't care about integrity and longevity of what they sell, so I'm hoping he pulls through now that the chiller is in and comes good.
I didn't know that about the calcium, thanks, cuz were on the low end of the recommended amount so a little more won't hurt

 

[PurebloodFerret]

Oh and I just checked, we have two fluorescent bulbs, one blue one white, 30W each, and our tank is 150L, 91x40x45 (LxWxD)

 

[PurebloodFerret]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/151185963892

This is what I was looking at getting for lighting upgrade, is this strong enough/too strong? How many watts should it be for my depth of tank?

 

[mr_X]

That fixture you linked will work well. You may have some shading at the outer edges but if you hang it a little higher, it will light the full span. Start that fixture at about 25-30% though....and work it up over a period of weeks. Very potent.

 

[PurebloodFerret]

Okay, thanks, will do. He's looking happier now, I think, though he's still pretty white.

Will he regain his color at all?
I also have a cabbage brain coral that when we purchased him (same time as the anemone) his middle was brilliant blue, but he has not shown that coloration since being in the tank. If he's expelled his blue zoas/algae will he ever go blue or are they gone for good? he was so vibrant in the store

 

[mr_X]

That anemone looks terrible. Please get that new fixture ASAP. Yes, corals can color back up under the right scenario.

 

[PurebloodFerret]

Thought id update and let you know x that I've had the new light since Friday (it's Tuesday here) and mr bta is looking a lot happier!! Thanks for your help

No blue light, you can't see it too well in the pics but he's definitely got his green tinge back

With blue light on

 

[mr_X]

It will take a lot longer than a few days. I would be feeding it a couple times a week with a tiny piece of meaty food. Maybe pea sized.

 

[PurebloodFerret]

I feed him a small to medium size piece of super krill every third day or so

 

[mr_X]

Take the shell off and cut it in half, judging by the clown next to it.

 

[PurebloodFerret]

So the clown doesn't eat it before it digests it you mean? He doesn't seem to like the super krill and leaves it alone, but I'll do those anyway, I'm assuming that's to help with digestion, cheers

 

[mr_X]

yes, not for the clown, but for the ease of digestion.