Please help with my nem.

[Reefing_addiction]

@OrionN @footgal It just occurred to me that this all happened when I switched from store bought salt water to making my own. I buy my rodi water from the same fish store I had been purchasing my saltwater. The only thing that is truly different in the tank is the new salt.

the other thing I’ve recently read about is the black sand. My tank is a mix of black and white sand and it is magnetic. I wonder if that’s an issue?

after having my LFS check my water my nitrates are 50 even though I just did a water change ( I clean my refugium that’s where all the water came from and because it is a gravity feed as I stirred the sand none of the water actually went back into the tank)

I am going to go to petco and buy salt. My new concern is going to be with the drop in alkalinity with the new salt. I am currently running Red Sea pro.

but it’s the only thing that has really changed in the tank.

 

[Phil D.]

I run Red Sea Pro and my nems are very happy with it, they split like crazy and I have to keep selling them.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I run Red Sea Pro and my nems are very happy with it, they split like crazy and I have to keep selling them.

It’s the only change that has occurred since my nem started looking not so well

 

[OrionN]

I think something continue to injure your anemone. It does not seem to be any animal so it must be the water. I never use Red Sea Pro. I too cheap. I get either IO or Reef Crystal for my salt which ever cheaper. I have Ca reactor so I don't worry much about Ca and Alkalinity.

I am not sure what to tell you. I think the Nitrate of 50 is kinda high but BTA should do OK with it. The problem is with other micro-nutrient/toxin in the water. Iron which is what make the black sand magnetized may be a problem. I am not sure, Iron isn't really toxic for the animals, but depends on how much Iron.

How are your other non fish doing in your tank?

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I think something continue to injure your anemone. It does not seem to be any animal so it must be the water. I never use Red Sea Pro. I too cheap. I get either IO or Reef Crystal for my salt which ever cheaper. I have Ca reactor so I don't worry much about Ca and Alkalinity.

I am not sure what to tell you. I think the Nitrate of 50 is kinda high but BTA should do OK with it. The problem is with other micro-nutrient/toxin in the water. Iron which is what make the black sand magnetized may be a problem. I am not sure, Iron isn't really toxic for the animals, but depends on how much Iron.

How are your other non fish doing in your tank?

Everything else in my tank is great. Clowns and mandarin. New growth on my chalice(he is the size of a piece of pizza), hammer is doing great, along with all my Zoas. Everything is growing. I see new polyps on a few of my zoas. And I found two polyps of GSP growing on one of my Zoa colonies.

EDIT: there was a brittle starfish that came in on a frag, I haven’t seen him since he was put into the tank

I’m thinking about switching salts again. I have been thinking about it for since I remembered that right before things began I started making my own salt and maybe it will be for the best (cheaper in the long run!) I can dose for calcium if it comes down to it.

I guess I just have to let this play out as it will.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Just don’t change too much too fast okay? He will get better he just needs time. Pray he does not bleach.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

@footgal @OrionN

So I decided to not do a wc Sunday
Here are pics from this morning

 

[OrionN]

In the last few pictures today, the anemone looks good. How do you do your water change?
1. How much water change, percentage wise, when you do change?
2. How quick do you use the water from mix to use?
3. Do you make sure the salinity and temperature is about the same?

 

[Reefing_addiction]

In the last few pictures today, the anemone looks good. How do you do your water change?
1. How much water change, percentage wise, when you do change?
2. How quick do you use the water from mix to use?
3. Do you make sure the salinity and temperature is about the same?

I mix my own water in a food safe bucket. I let it mix till clear. I use to pumps in the bucket to mix. Probably takes about an hour sometimes longer if I have to add salt to bring the salinity up. Water is room temp, around 77. I always make sure salinity is the same. I change around 15% of the water.

my last water change I strictly removed water from my fuge and added back to fuge.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

In the last few pictures today, the anemone looks good. How do you do your water change?
1. How much water change, percentage wise, when you do change?
2. How quick do you use the water from mix to use?
3. Do you make sure the salinity and temperature is about the same?

I’m having a nitrate and small phosphate issue. I’m thinking about trying Nopox as microbacter7 hasn’t made any change

 

[Cell]

It's looking way better now. No mesenterial filaments and better extension of tentacles. Good job!

 

[Reefing_addiction]

In the last few pictures today, the anemone looks good. How do you do your water change?
1. How much water change, percentage wise, when you do change?
2. How quick do you use the water from mix to use?
3. Do you make sure the salinity and temperature is about the same?

i use rodi water from lfs

 

[Tired]

When you say you have a nitrate and phosphate issue, what are those numbers? Oftentimes reef life is perfectly happy with one or both of those being "high". If not, larger or more water changes are usually a better fix than anything else.

 

[OrionN]

I always leave freshly mixed salt water for 24 hrs before use it. No one ever adequately explained to me why freshly mixed salt water is toxic to the animals other than there are new ions in the fresh water mixed that need to be chelated and detoxified. This may be a problem for you. Try to leave water for 24 hrs, or at least several hours before use. 15% isn't a lot so less sensitive animals just get irritated transiently while more sensitive animals may get injured.
At least not change water seem to help improve your anemone, then I would hold off change with freshly made salt water for a while. Mix them today and change it tomorrow.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I always leave freshly mixed salt water for 24 hrs before use it. No one ever adequately explained to me why freshly mixed salt water is toxic to the animals other than there are new ions in the fresh water mixed that need to be chelated and detoxified. This may be a problem for you. Try to leave water for 24 hrs, or at least several hours before use. 15% isn't a lot so less sensitive animals just get irritated transiently while more sensitive animals may get injured.
At least not change water seem to help improve your anemone, then I would hold off change with freshly made salt water for a while. Mix them today and change it tomorrow.

Never even thought about this!!!! It always gives me anxiety to know that I don’t have any backup salt water so I always keep like 10 gallons mixed on hand. Nice catch!

 

[Reefing_addiction]

When you say you have a nitrate and phosphate issue, what are those numbers? Oftentimes reef life is perfectly happy with one or both of those being "high". If not, larger or more water changes are usually a better fix than anything else.

Phosphate jumped to like 1 and nitrates went from 25 to 50. It doesn’t seem to matter if I do weekly wc or wc every few days my nitrates are around 25. But the jump to 50 bothers me. I only feed fish 2-3 times a week. I broadcast and spot feed corals 1 a week. And until my nem starting looking not so hot I was feeding him once a week

I’m also reading up on vodka dosing. I

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I always leave freshly mixed salt water for 24 hrs before use it. No one ever adequately explained to me why freshly mixed salt water is toxic to the animals other than there are new ions in the fresh water mixed that need to be chelated and detoxified. This may be a problem for you. Try to leave water for 24 hrs, or at least several hours before use. 15% isn't a lot so less sensitive animals just get irritated transiently while more sensitive animals may get injured.
At least not change water seem to help improve your anemone, then I would hold off change with freshly made salt water for a while. Mix them today and change it tomorrow.

I will definitely try this!

 

[Reefing_addiction]

So yesterday when I left for work he looked fine, last night when I got home he looked not good. Mouth open filaments out. I did my water change (with water mixed the night before) and just let him be.
When doing my water change last night, I cleaned out the middle chamber where my bio filter media is located. It was filthy. There was a ton of detritus.

I was sure I’d wake up this morning and find him dead. But nope. He looked normal again. Open and extended (not fully). No filaments.
I’m very confused.
I’m going to see how he looks this afternoon. If he is still open I may just let him back into my tank.

 

[lapin]

So he recovers in the dark and has an issue in the light. Strange. Normally they can move if they dont like light or flow. Perhaps some sort of bacteria is growing in the light and irritates it.

 

[OrionN]

Good luck