RBTA, how much light?

RiaanP

RiaanP

Moderator
Joined
11 Aug 2008
Posts
26,760
Reaction score
2,452
Location
Centurion
This is my first proper anemone. I got different rock anemones, especially Natal Rock Anemones (small dark green) and a few others.

Anyway I got a Rose Bubble Tip Anemone on Saterday. It used to be under a 150W MH. That bothered me as I'm only on 4 T5 tubes. 2*10000L, 1*20000K and 1*Actinic. Tank is 450 deep.

Luckily I got it still attached to the rock it was anchored on. I put the rock long way up, between my other rocks. And the RBTA keep on moving around. And I keep on moving the rock so that I can see him and he is exposed to the light. Eventually Monday I gave up and let the RBTA decide where he wants to be.

Well this morning he is way down. Around 370-400 deep in the water. Where there are almost no water movement. Tentacles are barely moving. Fully opened up, feeding time tonight, last time he ate was Friday night. And he looks happy.

So what is a RBTA requirement in respect to
  • Lightning.
  • Water movement.
 
I have found from personal experience that they dont like too much light and will close up under hectic lighting. I have also found them to be the more well behaved anemone not moving around a lot. They dont like a lot of flow and prefer flow similar to that for LPS corals. Just a nice to and fro movement with the odd blast will keep them happy
 
RBTA's (like many corals), can adapt to higher lighting, or to lower lightning. My GBTA was under actinics only, in the LFS tank (for little bit more than a week, since they received the shipment).

I have 150 watt metal halides in my tank, and the BTA was "much smaller" than when in the LFS tank. Also - I have a LOT LOT more water flow in my tank, than what the LFS had.

Now - about 2 weeks later, the BTA is opening up far more than what it was in the tank at the LFS...... And it has grown about 2cm in total as well.
 
Thanks Frans

Yes I did some time last week on that website. This is the anemone that Jaco Schoeman sold on behalf of his father. Did phone his father up again, and he also said that it prefered low flow and it was not directly under the 150MH. His MH is also angle like yours. And the RBTA was not under the center of the light.

http://www.marineaquariumsa.com/vbclassified/uploaded/85rcqwk81.jpg

So there goes another rule:
Anemones need bright light, like in MH.

OK agreed total wattage of 4 T5 = 216W, but that is over 1.2 meter. Where a MH is concentrated to a smaller area.
 
RiaanP said:
So there goes another rule:
Anemones need bright light, like in MH.
Click to expand...
No no, definitely not, be careful with that, RBTA and GBTA are known to be tolerant of lower light (as in a few T5's), whereas other anemone's such as H. crispa, ritteri, carpet etc. are all much more light demanding anemone's. The depth of the tank also plays a big part in which lighting is needed for different types of anemone's.
 
RiaanP said:
So there goes another rule:
Anemones need bright light, like in MH.
Click to expand...

:nono: easy now

dont generalise boet....only BUBBLE TIPS dont need extreme light.....others like magnifica need as much as sps so the rule still applies except that BTA's can be treated like LPS.:)

AND BESIDE WHO SAID T5 ISNT EXTREME??? lol ok 4x t5 isnt but hey 8x t5 is as much as most mh....
 
So there goes another rule:
Anemones need bright light, like in MH.
Click to expand...

ok, let me clarify.

rule is (was) : Anemone needs bright light.
This is a generalise rule. And nope that is not true for all. First have to find out the type of anemone.

So the rule re-written
Most Anemones need bright light, except Bubble Tips.

A question, Sand Anemones, what is their light requirement? Obviously the sand they occur naturally is below low level mark. Or am I wrong?

Falcon, I'm glad I do not have to replace my T5's.
 
I have my BTA under 1X39w (white) 4x24W (2 white, 2 blue) and tank is 60cm deep. BTA is around halfway down. It was initially right at the bottom but walked up halfway and wedged itself between two rocks with not much flow. Hasnt moved in 6 months, and has increased over 4 times in size. I do feed a 1cm cube every two/three weeks.
I would like to dispel the belief that clowns don't need an anemone though. I had my maroon clown for over a year, and he didnt increase in size at all. He just kept getting hammered by my 4stripe damsel, however after introducing the anemone, he has now more than doubled in size and the damsel is too afraid to approach him. This without increasing feeding. His fins size and colours has also shown great improvement!
 
Ik im going to bringing up a really really really old thread but it relates to my current situation... :m85:
So i read this and most of this is with T5s and oldish bulbs:m13:

I want to get a rbta, im a little confused as most of the things on the Internet contradict each other, some say high light, low flow. Then they say medium light, medium flow... Then u get the guys who basically run a phone light and no flow...

What is the recommended watts for a rbta.
And what is the recommended flow for a rbta... I have a 270l tank and 2x 8000 litre wm... I have a marine spec 100watt led light, my lps is doing well with the light, and i have seen my lfs with the exact same tank and lightning with a bta in it, but i want to do this the right way and for a healthy nem..
 
In my experience BTAs are a lot more tolerant of all sorts of different lighting and flow conditions than others make out. As a rule of thumb I find under higher light (300 PAR plus) they colour up better than in lower light. Obviously it’s important to know what lighting they’ve come from and acclimate then properly. I find that medium flow suits them best too, being somewhere between LPS and SPS flow rates.
 
Hi Riaan P
I trust u well and excited and the same time with your new arrival .I have had a RBTA for a good few years i say about 7 years . From my experience they don't like alot of flow and they like the light but not.to.much. I have 4 T5 s 2 blue and 2 white .
My reef is 700 deep .I feed her every week some.prawn . I.say they are moody lol.she doesn't move around, the only time she was wen i first got her, now she is in 1 place. She does not.hide but does not like alot of water flow Ps she has split often thou , even thou my water parameters are in place .Ps they do deflate niw and then but that's just to pass waste lol.
I have a pair of designer clowns hosting, so the most fascinating fhink u will see is when u want to feed the nennie , I drop a piece of.prawn in the reef and my female clown grabs the prawn and takes it down to the nennie to eat
I am sure u find much entertainment and with yr new arrival
Ps Riaan P remember each reef aquarium has its own personality and hence no 2 reefs are the same.
I am excited to hear your feed back on yr neenie
Good luck Riaan P
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom