need opinion on my lighting for a BTA

[trailer36]

Hey all,

 

I am planning on getting a BTA for my 20H nano. I currently have a 20" 96w PC over the tank and everything is thriving, even montipora digitatas. I have read on this site some recommend at least 4 w per gallon which this will cover but i just want to be sure. I would like to get some of your opinions, especially those who keep BTA's. All tank params are very good and nitrates are consistently at 0-2 ppm. I do 20% water changes once a week.

 

Thanks

[hollister_08]

Hey all,

 

I am planning on getting a BTA for my 20H nano. I currently have a 20" 96w PC over the tank and everything is thriving, even montipora digitatas. I have read on this site some recommend at least 4 w per gallon which this will cover but i just want to be sure. I would like to get some of your opinions, especially those who keep BTA's. All tank params are very good and nitrates are consistently at 0-2 ppm. I do 20% water changes once a week.

 

Thanks

 

That sounds great for a BTA.... aslong as you keep your params up!!

[Imaexpat2]

Agreed! That sounds just fine as I have pulled this off in a simular tank with the same lighting and got a few splits/clones out if it to boot.

 

Do yourself a favor and ditch the Watts per a Gallon rule. That was a good rule of thumb back in the day when the dinosaures were still running around and ramming was still considered a technique in Naval Warfare. In todays world we have made horrendous techical advances, we know a lot more about husbandry than we did back then and this rule fails to take too many factors into consideration to be relied upon for success in a saltwater aquarium. There is much more to the equations that watts per a gallon. Just something to keep in the back of your mind...

[trailer36]

and ramming was still considered a technique in Naval Warfare.

 

 

Thanks guys. This could be the funniest quote I have ever read online. And I have read a lot!! Good work.

[Gvtv44]

I know this goes against whats posted above, but... can I keep a BTA in a BC 14 w/ 48 watts of lighting? (1: Actinic and 1: 10k bulb)? It works out to roughly 3.4 w/g, but with displacement, it should be well over 4.

Thanks!

[Imaexpat2]

Glad you enjoyed the quick one liner, it was just the old salt in me comming out again, retired from the navy after 21 years, as such I have had a lot of practice at being a smart A$$ at times.

 

Forgive my ignorance Im not sure what a BC-14 is, but I will assume its a 14 gallon tank and unless its very shallow I wouldnt recommend an anemone under that modest amount of lighting, although it might be doable. Anemones are pretty light demanding and tough critters to keep long term under anything less than outstanding circumstances. While it might live there is a huge difference between surviving and thriving.

 

The other aspect that you have to consider is an anemones size. A healthy BTA can easily under good light grow to the size of a dinner plate! When in Nanos the nano almost invaribly becomes a species tank or everthing else in the tank will eventually get stung by it. Anemones like to move around a bit too from time to time although there are tricks you can use to minimize this in the aquarium. That being said with a nanos small size they will usually sooner or later find a water up take to a filter or power head and this rarely ends pretty and often results in "Anemone Puree" in your tank. Anyone keeping an anemone in these small tanks should definitely put sponges over all intakes to protect an way ward anemome when its on a "walk about". Dont under estimate the stinging power of one either as they can really smoke check a tank full of corals in a heart beat. Even with intense light it will need to be fed a couple of times a week too. Then there is the issue of maintaining water quality as these guys are mostly composed of water and swings in water parameters will definitely effect them in a major way. If you got the desire and the will to provide adequately for them, they can be kept in a nano reef for sure.

 

Not trying to beat you down just trying to help you out a bit. We have all seen too many "911 help my anemone" threads, its not a good thread to read if I dont have too.

[Imaexpat2]

Okay I located a BC-14 and while its a cool tank it seems like its measurements would make keeping anything short of a small anemone for very long tough unless it was the only thing in there.

[Wonder Boy]

Agreed! That sounds just fine as I have pulled this off in a simular tank with the same lighting and got a few splits/clones out if it to boot.

 

Do yourself a favor and ditch the Watts per a Gallon rule. That was a good rule of thumb back in the day when the dinosaures were still running around and ramming was still considered a technique in Naval Warfare. In todays world we have made horrendous techical advances, we know a lot more about husbandry than we did back then and this rule fails to take too many factors into consideration to be relied upon for success in a saltwater aquarium. There is much more to the equations that watts per a gallon. Just something to keep in the back of your mind...

 

Dang times have changed ... it was only two years ago that, that was all ppl could talk about... the dinos and iron-sides I mean

[Gvtv44]

Thanks for the info. I think I may add a very small BTA on its own little island- if all my parameters are PERFECT. I am yet to add rock or sand, so that will be in a long while... Thanks!