my anemones wont stop splitting

[julian]

Hello all I'm getting worried about my bta's. lets start from the beginning. I set up a 60g tank about 3 months ago. using 2 rows of marineland's 36" LED lighting with a power compact. I have app 100 lbs of live rock and a nice 6' sand bed. I did a cycle with nothing but rock and sand over a period of 4 to 5 weeks. I always wanted a clown with a bta, since our first tanks over 5 years ago. anyway, we had a very bad storm in the area and my LFS lost all power and a/c for 4 days and lost almost everything they had, on day 3 I went into the store and my heart broke, anyway I took home a gold striped maroon with his bta host and a much smaller bta on the same rock. I thought I lost the small one, he stayed in hiding for 4 days and then emerged from his hole in the rock and is doing great, very fat arms, and getting bigger every week.
well, 2 weeks ago the larger bta split, I was scared, but all went well. so over the past 2 weeks he has split 2 more times. I now have 5 bta's on the same rock and the one gold striped clown. I monitor my water 2 times a week and do my partial water changes every saturday. my last chemical test show nitrite- 0 ppm ammonia .25 nitrate 40 and ph 8.4

I have lots of snails, crabs, and even 4 small sea urchin's. I havent lost anything in the tank but 1 snail, and I got him out the day after he was pulled from his shell.
Im scared im doing something wrong...any advice would be helpful. thanks

 

[thincat]

What is the wattage of your light fixture?

 

[julian]

each strip has 16-1w clear LED'S. and 8-1w blue LED'S. and 2 12' compact fluorescent.
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[Hinds04]

lol a 6 foot sand bed, I have never heard of this. Wouldn't mind having one though

 

[thincat]

I'm sure you ment 6" sand and 12" compact. Keep us posted as to the growth of your animals LED's are hot but Plasma is not to far behind. Sp who knows where reef lighting will be headed. I would really like to see LED's work because heat is the main draw back to MH and Plasma lighting.

 

[Hinds04]

just givin ya a hard time. It is weird that it is splitting so much

 

[mr_X]

if they are staying colorful and open i would say it's not a light issue. maroon clowns are pretty rough with anemones and i wouldn't be surprised that it was simply the maroon beating it up a little too much.
how big is the clown?

 

[cmor1701d]

Those LEDs are no where near enough light. My LED units have a 120 - 1w LEDs to cover a 2' x 2' area.

The constant splitting is generally a sign that the anem is not happy with the condititons. It's self preservation.

Ammonia of any reading is BAD! Nitrate at 40 is fine for FO or FOWLR, but not acceptable when you start a reef. You want NO3 to be under 10.

 

[julian]

The conditions at the LFS were too upsetting for me to walk out without trying to save some of his animals. most of his tanks were dead, the water temp in the tank this BTA and clown were in was over 100 deg. I revisited the store today, with a sample of my virgin water and tank water. my water source could be the issue, im using well water and the nitrate in it alone is 20, so I ordered a DI\RO filter today. the color of my BTA'S are white as snow at this time, and have been this way since I got them home 3 weeks ago. and yes, I have a 6" bed not a 6' bed of sand, my bad. I also picked up some calcium supplement for my rocks and strontium, magnesium, and iodine. I guess its now a waiting game to see if things survive. thanks for the input from everyone.

 

[Aquarium1]

The thing about saving an animal from an lfs is that most likely, they're just going to restock it, and, unfortunately, you can't save them all. Also, you should only dose supplements that you have the equipment to test. You need to know what your strontium, calcium, magnesium and iodine are right now before you add supplements.

 

[mr_X]

don't add the calcium. you will effect the alk. just do regular water changes(weekly) and get some stronger lighting.
acclimate the tank to the stronger lighting. not with shorter photo periods, but with a slow increase in intensity. many use a series of window screens, removing one each week until (3) they are gone.

 

[cabezon]

If you anywhere near Tampa FL I will buy a couple anems from you.

 

[cmor1701d]

It seems that you do not yet have your own test kits. They are a necessity. Get some quality liquid test kits a/o Salifert/LaMotte kits and a refractometer for SG.

My basic SW rules.
Rule # 1. Nothing Good ever happens Fast in a salt water aquarium
Rule # 2. Don't add anything (supplements/chemicals/minerals)you don't test for first.
Rule # 3. PWC (Partial Water Changes) are your friend, and cure many ills.
Rule # 4. QT EVERYTHING before adding it to your tank (mandarins excepted, corals should be dipped)
Rule # 5. Use only RO or RODI water (either buy it or make it)
Rule # 6. All animal species live longer on a 30% reduced caloric intake. Only feed every other day at most (fish species dependant)
Rule # 7. Hyposalinity is the best, safest, and most effective treatment for marine Ich (IMHO)
Rule # 8. A Refractometer is a MUST HAVE, not a luxury.
Rule # 9. Anemones will never live anywhere near their normal (aprox 30 years) lifespan in a home aquarium. Leave them in the ocean.