Help with Anemone!

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I feel like an idiot. I woke up this morning with 3 dead fish. :,( what the heck am I doing wrong???

pH is 8.2
NO3- is 0-.25
NO2- is 0
Ammonia is 0-.25

Salt content is a little low reading of 1.020 but I've been gradually adding throughout the day through the filter.
What else should I be doing?
 
Also. Salinity shouldn't be raised more than .002 a day thru water changes not adding salt directly to the tank
 
your going through exactly what i did. i have a thirty and i rushed fish and nems in before letting it properly cycle, got by on one T8 light, and went through ur same problem. once the tank properly cycles and u get adequate light, u should have as many problems. i only have 4 fish in my 30....2 clowns, watchman goby and red spotted blenny. also have 3 nems and lots of coral.

how many fish u have in that 20g? i would say 2 or 3 max so ur not fighting high trate trite and ammonia levels. i lost 2 nems and 5 fish my first attempt. had them all in before 2 months of cycling was up. LFS store gave me best advise. just let it chill and cycle done rush.

i highly recommend doing research, getting books or magazines and reading about saltwater aquaria. most books are consistant, at ur LFS, they r salesman and everyone u go to will tell u something different.

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all these books from used book store. sounds like ur very serious about getting this tank turned around. i highly suggest starting with research. rushing in is a recipe for disaster.
 
Worst thing you can do is come here for advise and then trust your salesman. Dont listen to someone trying to sell you stuff. They prey on and take advantage of new people very easily. Of course hes gonna say all kinds of yeah that will be fine, or thats perfect. hes gonna sell you the light, wait for your nem to either die or suffer, then hes gonna sell you another light and probably another nem. Now hes got 3 new fish to sell you along with god knows what else. Its the easiest scam in the book and people fall for it hook line and sinker everytime.

Stop listening to fish stores, they in no way shape or form are trying to solve your problem or help you.

3 fish 20g max. So soon and fast = bad. Nem so soon = bad. Insufficient light = bad. Ammonia = bad. You can see how a fish store pushes this stuff at you in order to cause problems. Remember many people in a fish store have never owned a saltwater tank= fact. Ive heard so much BS from any fish store ive ever been too its amazing. Trusting your fish store is your first and biggest problem.

Sorry about the losses. Just do your own research and ask millions of question but dont ask someone who is trying to make money off you because you will never get a straight answer. Most of us are happy to answer anything you ask.
 
I appreciate that. I am easy to get one over on. That I am aware of. I will be sure to research my stuff before hand from now on. What do you recommend as a proper refugium for a 20 gallon nano reef? I'm looking for soft corals and fish and nems.
 
For a 20g you dont need a big refugium, in fact you dont need a refugium at all. But a simple hang on the back filter can be used as a refugium will some live rock rubble and macro algae. If you plan a sump then you can build a small refugium area in the sump.
 
The guy was telling me about a refugium for $150. I have a basic Aqueon 20 gallon filter right now. But he said that wouldn't be enough to feed the corals and everything I want to eventually invest in.
 
Yeah stop listening to him, a refugium has absolutely nothing to do with feeding corals.

I refugium is used for 2 things, macro algae that absorbs some nitrates and phosphates naturally as it grows. Some also use a substrate. The other use is as a refuge for copepods that some fish require as a staple food.

A refugium is not needed. Again the guy is trying to get $150 off you.
 
Agreed. They just want money off of you. If you want a Refugium you can make one out of a 10 gallon tank. The benifit for you is also added water volume.
 
Jlsardina said:
Agreed. They just want money off of you. If you want a Refugium you can make one out of a 10 gallon tank. The benifit for you is also added water volume.

Yeah forgot about added volume.
 
I'm late to this thread but wanted to join the party! lol

i agree with the others, your LFS is not looking out for your or your fishes best interest. The internet has a ton of great information if you look hard enough plus there is this site where all the people wanna do is help and not make a buck off ya. :) i have found this forum to be a major god send, I don't know where I would be if I hadnt found the people here.

I would pass on teh $150 refugium no doubt. With a tank that small i dont think youll see appreciable benefits anyways, other than getting the added water volume which is a great thing. :)

I would return that 2 bulb light if you can and look into a fishneedit.com fixture. I have the four bulb light and it does a fine job on my tank. It's also a bit cheaper than the 2 bulb light you ordered and has FOUR bulbs so you can keep nems if you like.
 
Just to ringing in here, but didn't he state earlier in the thread that he wanted to add more corals at a later time? If that's the case, why would't anyone suggest a mh pennant light? I've seen many small reef tanks and bio cubes run a mh or even pc lights. Just from my experience I did well with pc's in my 55g tank.
 
Duddits said:
Just to ringing in here, but didn't he state earlier in the thread that he wanted to add more corals at a later time? If that's the case, why would't anyone suggest a mh pennant light? I've seen many small reef tanks and bio cubes run a mh or even pc lights. Just from my experience I did well with pc's in my 55g tank.

Heat is major problem for a halide over a small tank such as a 20long with lots more surface area and the fact that he/she stated no intent on hard corals or clams. T5's are cooler and more efficient than PC's.

I run a 29g with a 150w halide and the heat is a major concern, i dont have to use a chiller but i do have to have the air on constantly along paying attention to how hot the tank gets. Only alternative to metal halides in my opinion are LED's. Which is my next upgrade.
 
Schism said:
Heat is major problem for a halide over a small tank such as a 20long with lots more surface area and the fact that he/she stated no intent on hard corals or clams. T5's are cooler and more efficient than PC's.

I run a 29g with a 150w halide and the heat is a major concern, i dont have to use a chiller but i do have to have the air on constantly along paying attention to how hot the tank gets. Only alternative to metal halides in my opinion are LED's. Which is my next upgrade.

This is why I love this forum. I learn a lot on here. Thanks for the info
 
So should I not be picking up this 2 bulb and just order a 4 online? And what Is up with my anemone?
 
So should I not pick up this two bulb and just order a four bulb online? Also what is up with my anemone? My goby had sores on his mouth a couple days and I gave me melafix and he is better but my anemone looks like this:


He's just chillin on his side
 

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Yes i suggest if you want to keep nems to get a 4 bulb T5HO. I currently have a 4 bulb over a 20long and its perfect for my nem.
 
Schism said:
Yes i suggest if you want to keep nems to get a 4 bulb T5HO. I currently have a 4 bulb over a 20long and its perfect for my nem.

+1. 2 bulbs is not enough
 
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