[dantj99]

Okay, so I got a BTA for my clowns. The first few days it looked great, now it is stringy and kind of shriveled up. Is there any type of additives that I need to add for him to be happy and bubbly?

Let me know what you think, and thanks.

Dan

 

[greenb]

No additives needed. Just good water, good lighting, and good water flow.


Can you give us the run down on your setup?

 

[dantj99]

Okay, checked my PH, and it was Low. Could that be it?

Did a water change a few days ago, and everything else checked out fine.

 

[greenb]

I guess I should've ask this. How long has it been shriveled up? BTAs do that every so often. Have you fed it?

What kinda of lighting do you have?

To answer your question about the ph. It could be effecting the BTA. Slowly raise it to be between 8.0 - 8.3.

 

[dantj99]

I feed it today, it was shrivelled up when I woke up this morning. I have a PC One Day and One Atinic. Also, two 175 watt, 10k Metal Halids. It looked good the last few days. I think it was the PH, it was down to 7.5. Don't know how, I usally keep a good eye on that.

 

[greenb]

Ok,, if it was that low I'd say that is most likely the problem. Remember,, slowly bring it up.

 

[dantj99]

Okay, thanks. I thought that might be it, I just tested it this morning.

Dan

 

[Newts]

Also always do your test at the same time of the day, every day you test. Things like PH will be lower in the morning before lights come on or early in the light cycle then at the end of light cycle, so you want to be sure you are testing at the same time of your light cycle each time.

 

[liquidskys]

learn something new everyday..
I had no clue that the lightcycle effected the PH throughout the day..

 

[greenb]

I believe it has more to do with the corals and fish using up more oxygen when the lights come on. So the PH rises during that period and drops when the lights go out.

 

[Newts]

It has more to do with the algae using the carbin dioxide when lights are on and then with lights off the carbin dioxides rises and and lowers PH. I think that's how it works anyway. Someone else could probably explain it better.

 

[greenb]

There is less photosynthesis going on as you cut back on the lights. This lowers the amount of CO2 being removed, so their is less of a fluctuation. If the plants and corals are taking in less CO2 during the day they are also giving off less during the night so their is lees of a flux. With no screen there will be more CO2 up-take, higher pH during the day and at night a lower pH as the plants are giving off more CO2, form the "work" done during the day.

 

[gtptom]

bta

dont worry i have 220w of vho & 500 watts of mh on my 55 and my rose looks like crap, it looked good when i first got it and for the last six months its been downhill. my water is usually perfect and it still looks like crap. I feel your pain.

 

[DLBerlin]

" i have 220w of vho & 500 watts of mh on my 55 "

Maybe thats why it looks like crap!!
Thats alot of light-I've got 330w VHO & 500w MH on my 180 and I can grow sps just fine with that!

 

[gtptom]

bta

NEVER HAVE ENOUGH on my 100 long im puttin a 400mh in middle and 2 250s for the ends what do ya think btw because i have just switched from pc actinic to vho i have seen a noticible difference. if it helps

 

[DLBerlin]

I got started before the PC craze-never really figured they were that great. I do have one on my fuge. The t-5's sound pretty good though. You must have alot more money than me to throw at your electric bill. I'll take the money and throw it on corals. They grow very well with what I have for lights.

 

[gtptom]

bta

believe it or not my electric bill is not that bad

 

[DLBerlin]

Wish mine wasn't
with 2 tanks and 3 computers and my daughter who has to have the tv and her stereo on all the time its ridiculous

 

[gtptom]

bta

mine is like 90 a month for everything in a 1800sq ft house