Hey saltwater / anenome experts...please help!!!

[toddles]

Hey saltwater / anenome experts...please help!!!



I am VERY new to the saltwater hobby and want to get some quick answers from someone in English… I’m sure the answers are already posted on here, but I don’t understand all the acronyms, etc…



I have a 75 gallon acrylic tank with 2 hoods on top… Each hood has one light bulb in it.



It WAS a fish only tank…. With substrate, 6 or 7 pieces of dead coral, and fish…. We bought it used…



2 percula clown fish, 1 lemon damsel, 1 bluejaw trigger, and 1 hermit crab.



My wife just bought me a Long Tentacle Anemone for my birthday. The guy at the local fish store told her they are very easy to keep and that they do not really need any special lighting. It is pretty big with a large orange base…. Its beautiful. I have been enamored with them forever, but always thought they were hard to keep… She surprised me, and as soon as she presented me with it, I called the fish store, and the guy told me the same thing he had told her…. Easy to keep…. No special lighting…. Clowns will love it…. Drip water to acclimate…. Etc…. etc….



I dripped water from my tank into its bag for about 2 hours (to get him acclimated to the new water), and then dropped him into my tank TONIGHT… she looks great in there… hopefully will find a spot and attach soon…



I then jumped on the web to learn all I can about these guys… I really hope my clowns take to her, but first things first, I really hope I can keep her happy and flourishing.



My tank looks good after doing a bunch of water tests, but my salinity may be too low??? (at about 1.017 right now)….. also, I am worried about my lighting… I am attaching 3 pictures… one of the sticker within my hood(s) showing specs for lighting it will accept….. second, a picture of the writing on one of the bulbs housed in my hood(s)…. And third, a picture of the anemone…



Please let me know what I need to do to keep her alive and well…. I hope I don’t have to spend a fortune on new hoods, bulbs, etc, but give it to me straight…



ALSO, assuming I needed to raise the salinity or upgrade my lighting…. How quickly do I need to do it??? Is she in danger of a quick death???



And finally…. Should I move her towards the side of the tank (not really much to latch on to where she fell)??? And how many hours a day do I want to leave my tank lights on???

If I need new lighting... can someone please RECOMMEND an exact wattage / type of light for this type of thing... no acronyms please!

I hope that is all….



Thanks so much!

Todd

 

[Mutz]

Your salinity should be around 1.024 or 1.025. When I first started out my salinity was around 1.022. I raised it slowly over a series of 3-4 water changes in a few weeks. Most inverts are very sensitive to rapid water quality changes. Maybe you can take it back to the LFS where you bought it and have them hold it for you until you get your tank conditions where they should be.

Anemonae's are very difficult to keep and do not have a very high survival rate in tanks. It's imperative that your water be perfect. Also, anemonae's require being in a well established tank...one that has been running for a year or so.

Good luck.

 

[cj10488]

In my opinion I would raise the salinity about .001 per 5 days by doing 10% water changes with higher salinity than normal water like in your case change 10% of your water with water that has a slinity value of 1.020 it should bring it up slowly.. check it a few hours after you change the water.. When you get to 1.020 make the water with a higher salinity of lets say 1.022 and do weekly water changes until you get to 1.022 and so on until you get to approx 1.025.. With lighting you will definetly want something better.. I would suggest around 3-5watts per gallon.. I like to stay at least 5 per gal... I would say if you really want something that is going to be nice get 2 175watt metal halide pendants with 2 VHO 48" bulbs would suffice.. Check www.hellolights.com they should be able to work something out for you.. the lighting above would be enough light for a 75gal aquarium maybe even too much.. The advisors on this forum are very inteligent and I would take their advice as well.. www.hellolights.com should be able to help you get setup with the exact light setup that owuld be good with your tank and needs.. they are extremely smart as well..

HTH,
James

 

[kidafius]

The guy at the local fish store told her they are very easy to keep and that they do not really need any special lighting

He's a liar. They absolutely must have good lighting, and there is just no way of keeping him alive without spending half a months rent of some good lights (depending on where you live ).

I would suggest around 3-5watts per gallon.. I like to stay at least 5 per gal... I would say if you really want something that is going to be nice get 2 175watt metal halide pendants with 2 VHO 48" bulbs would suffice

I agree. 4x96 w PC at the very least. But, MH should be used in conjunction with depth, not watts/gallon. For your tank, 175 would be fine, but 250 would give you room to upgrade the tank later. Rule of thumb is 1 MH fixture per 2 feet of tank.

Should I move her towards the side of the tank (not really much to latch on to where she fell)??? And how many hours a day do I want to leave my tank lights on???

No, she'll be fine. I think BTAs prefer their foot in a sandbed over rock, but I can't really back that up. Either way, it will move itself around. My carpet anenome moved about 21 inches two nights ago.

As far as lighting, you must remember that these are natural ocean creatures. Their natural environment gives them between 12 and 14 hour photoperiod. Generally in aquaria, however, most people leave their lights on 12 hours max., because it is a good average photoperiod and any longer might give those unwanted algaes and diatoms extra time to grow. HTH.

 

[toddles]

OK.. I spoke to someone at hellolights and they recommended this light fixture....

The Coralife Aqualight 4x65 light fixture... it comes with (2) Coralife 10,000K lights and (2) Coralife Actinic lamps....

Do you think this would be a good lighting system for my tank?? Would it be sufficient to keep my long tentacle anenome happy??

ALSO - I have no live rock.. just crushed coral substrate and dead corals... Do you think I should be adding live rock to my tank little by little??

Thanks again... please - any suggestions are wonderful.... Todd

 

[cj10488]

If you add LR to your tank you should do it all at once... check www.liverocks.com they have Awesome rock and lots of livestuff on it.. you would want atleast 115lbs but I'd reccommend 150lbs.. I have 100lbs in my 55gal... The lighting should work good however if you just going to go with 4x65.. There is www.petsupplyliquidator.com they have an ultra reef 47" 6x55 watt hood fixture with bulbs for 325.00 plus shipping.. Make sure you as for the stands.. they are like 30.00 extra.. I have pictures of the hood from www.petsupplyliquidators.com if you like.. Customer service at petsupplyliquidators is not really all there but the product is good.. The bulbs you suggested are a good choice...

BTW that lighting they suggested would be on the low side.... your looking for close to 5watts per gallon.. 75 x 5 =375

HTH,
James

 

[BillyZ]

I'll agree that 4x65 might be a little low, but I'll let those with more anenome experience comment more on the lights. I have two 2x65 on my 55 gallon and I consider myself on the low to moderate light scale.

I disagree on adding all the LR at once. This is an established tank so you don't want to kick off another cycle. If you are going to switch to a reef style of tank and want to add 150 lbs or rock then you should consider finding a way to cure all of your LR OUTSIDE of your display tank then adding it somewhat slowly to your display tank once it is well cured.

if you just want to add some LR to your FO system for looks then if you get good cured LR from a LFS, you could probably add a few fair sized pieces to your system without much worry.

Adding a sudden increase of demand on the filtration system is not good when there are current inhabitants involved.

JMO.

also, what kind of substrate do you have? if you want to start keeping anenomes and other inverts you need to be on top of your nitrate levels and keep them as near to zero as possible. Crushed coral doesn't do a lot towards removing nitrates. if you really want to get going with inverts you need to find ways to increase your systems ability to remove nitrates. Changing from CC to sand as a substrate can help this.

 

[cj10488]

I must say that I agree about the LR.. Im sorry I forgot that this tank was already established..

James

 

[steve-s]

Actually for a 75 gal tank which would most likely be 24"(?) depth, I would suggest a 4x96w PC light. It will save you on the bulb replacement costs, although either recommendation is a similar amount of light. Macrodactyla Doreensis is a higher light demanding animal and should be given as much consideration for lighting as possible.

Cheers
Steve

 

[toddles]

I'm backpedaling here and looking for new advice....

Everything I read is pointing to the fact that long tentacle anenomes are very difficult to keep... or all anenomes for that matter are very difficult to keep...

I AM willing to purchase new lighting if it will benefit my tanks beauty and its inhabitants... however, I have no live rock... I have a crushed coral substrate floor... I have 6 pieces or so of dead coral for decorations, and I have my fish....

I think I am going to take the anenome back to the fishstore and ask for a refund...

I believe I AM going to order some new lights however... probably either a 4x65w power compact lighting or a 4x96w power compact lighting kit. I am hearing that the lighting will make my tank look MUCH better no matter what I have in it...

Once I get these lights, and once I get my salinity up, are there any recommendations for corals / inverts that are EASIER to take care of? or do you think I should give the anenome a shot? I am worried because I am so new to the hobby, and I just read an article saying 45% of all anenomes kept by those with less than 2 years experience in the hobby were dead within 3 months.... Uggh... not good results... Let me know any recommendations... I'd love to get something that my 2 clownfish are going to take to... so far they haven't gone near the long tentacle anenome..

For my lighting, I have a canopy on my tank which is only 3 - 4 inches deep... should I try to get a "retrofit" set and fit it into the canopy, or should I get a 48" hood and lay it directly on top of the acrylic tank (there really is no room to add legs and prop it up higher inside the canopy)... I am looking at the Coralife Aqualight 4x65w possibly... it would fit perfectly... just don't know if being right on top of the acrylic will cause problems... OH, and my tank is an acrylic 75 gallon - 48 long x 18 deep x 20 tall.... Should I get the 4x96w or the 4x65w... the retrofit, or the hood.... HELP!!!

What lights should I get... and what corals / inverts might be good for breaking me in... and should I be adding live rock before I even think corals / inverts, or is live rock not a necessity...

I love this hobby, but its hard to find good advice.. most of these kids working in the fish stores will tell you anything you want to hear..

HELP!! I'm a mess!!

Thanks much!
Todd

 

[tkos]

Good idea taking the anemone back to the store. Corals are much better choice, though the hard ones still need lots of light so do go with the lighting upgrade. Anemones can live to a hundred years or more in the wild and tend to die in 6months to a year in most tanks. Not a great trade off IMO.

 

[aldo]

Tood
The prows have given you good advice, what they diden't teach you PATIENCE !!!!!!
something they taught me at the very start----- your going too fast.

1 get the right equipment, skimmer ,PH , lights good for the type of tank you want to have FO or and reef tank.
2 get your LR in, get the tank running check your # for a few weeks then and only then you may be ready ?????? for a few fish maby.
3 Forget CORALS- ANEMONES etc.
4 When things are right and now know a little more and read a book about all this------ a lot of weeks later of course.
you could start with a POLYP or a MUSHROOM.

SORRY to RAIN on your parade. Haste is $ waste.

I thank stresco- steve-s and others who taught me well and i am doing well.

aldo green as a lime.