RBTA and SG levels

[johnehr]

I bought a small RBTA and have a question... I do about 2 gallons of top off on my 60 gallon tank (10 gallon sump + 10 gallon fuge) every night. My RBTA also swells up each night. I assumed that it was because of the change in lighting... I just read something about changes in salinity can destroy anemones very easily. Am I adding this water way too quickly and harming my anemone? If so, I better get some kind of top off setup...

 

[randythereefer]

tagging along. Good question.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

no worries... while it's true that many (non-intertidal) inverts, and anemones no less so, are sensitive to rapid change in salinity, a properly conducted water change is no harm. If you have taken the time to adjust pH, temperature and salinity to match the system water (as we should always), then the point is of no concern.

The more water changes the better IMO.

I have the habit of doing 75-100% weekly water changes on my marine aquaria under 50 gallons in size. I feel it is better for water quality, animal health/growth and mineral supplementation (in balance) overall. I've been doing this for over 10 years... a good habit and throwback from my earliest dicsus hatchery and coral farming years

kindly,

Anthony (on the road home... be back Sunday )

 

[johnehr]

I was wondering more about the impact of top off instead of water changes.

As the water evaporates, the specific gravity of the tank raises. When I put in the 1.5 (or so) gallons of top off its going to lower the specific gravity a little. Through osmosis I believe that more water will enter the anemone. If too much enters the anemone, it will die.

I was curious about how sensitive anemones were. Could someone's top off harm an anemone? (I do not have an automatic top off system to keep the level the same...)

 

[Anthony Calfo]

never let your evaporation stray so far that the addition of freshwater affects SG by more than .001- .002

But daily evap top off done faithfully is no stress at all my friend.

 

[mattseattle]

the way i top off is half a gallon in the morning and half or so gallon in the evening. i'm sure you are adding the top off to the sump.

i don't think anemones are as sensitive as people make you believe they are. mine has been stuck in the powerhead twice, left out of water for a while, jetted with powerheads tons of times to get it to move, rock fallen on it and the sucker is still alive and growing at an alarming rate. then again i wouldn't use my example as the standard

 

[johnehr]

So a little bit of nightly swelling is common in BTAs?

 

[wrightme43]

In my experince anemone do very strange things. Swell up, strech out, shrink down, look like they are dying when they poop, and used to just worry me to death. I think lots are killed with kindness trying to dose this and that, change this and that to make them happier. IMHO Stability in temp, salinity, and lighting are very important along with frequent water changes to keep params from going out of spec. IMO the most important and most neglected thing in reefkeeping if frequent water changes, if you do lots of good sized changes with rodi water you will have sucess, neglect that and life can get miserable. I know there are tanks out there that have not had a partial in years. I can only share what has worked for me. If you are worried about adding that much water at once you could do like Matt sugested or get a dripper jug and drip you make up rodi water during the day and kalkwasser at night. that would put 2 gallons in a day over a long period of time making for a very stable system. JMHO Steve

 

[mattseattle]

i'll agree with Steve....anemones do weird things. Mine will stretch way out. I mean like a foot and a half. Sometimes it shrinks way up but that is rare.

Trying feeding it and see how it handles food.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

indeed... "swelling" of polyps and tentacles is very comon among cnidarians, and when done at night - it is usually a feeding strategy (increasing surface area/mucus net, etc to capture more plankton, etc.)

Anthony