Have you seen an anemone do this?

[jlehring]

It seems to be hanging on by its body half way up the glass of the tank. It's only been in there since Friday and I know they move. But halfway up the tank and barely hanging on?!?!?

Please let me know your thoughts.

 

[Dimdim]

Looks like you need more light

 

[Convict2161]

I have to agree here. It may trying to get more light by getting closer. Is it white? Bleached? I'm not a nem expert but it may be a lighting issue. How old is the tank and what's your parameters?

 

[jlehring]

During the day i have 2 65 watt 10kk lights by coral light. and at night i run the actinic lights (2 65 watt). The picture was taken with the actinic lights.

Water parameters are:
0ppm nitrates
.25ppm phosphates
Calcium is at 400
Carbonate is at 196.9ppm KH
Salinity is 1.026
Tanks has been running for 6-7 months.

Since I have posted this picture the nem has went back to the bottom and settled in the corner where its been since i put him the tank. Maybe he just went out for a stroll. Tomorrow is a feeding day so i guess i will see how he reacts to the frozen krill. He is a Condy anemone and they are supposed to move around alot.

 

[Dimdim]

Yeah i got the exact same looking nem for 20 bucks they Are stressed as they arent supposed to be white, but good feedings and stable params and strong light will bring its natural colour back like mine

 

[Sniperhank]

Several issues here. First, actinic lights aren't moonlighting. You are basically ensuring the sun never sets. You should run those lights all at the same time to get close to the lighting you need to support an anemone. I wouldn't personally try to keep an anemone under less than 6 t5ho bulbs.

Secondly, anemone shouldn't move around if they are happy. Whoever told you condys move around alot is t very informed on what they do. Anemone move until they find a beneficial spot for them. It becomes difficult at times because they don't have a brain, so they can find a nice spot totally in the shade and kill themselves without even knowing it.

Condy are more available than other anemone and cheaper because of that. They come from the Caribbean. They aren't any more hardy than the rest though. They need near perfect parameters along with high lighting. The phosphates could be an issue. Started typing this on my phone and can't refer back to other parameters, but the .25 phosphate is considered high for sensitive creature like an anemone.

Trying not to sound like a Debbie downer, but anemones can be a struggle even with proper conditions at times. I had a gbta and Rbta in my reef. The Rbta did great while the gbta just never came around. Trades him off and is doing well in a friends tank. Hit or miss sometimes as well. Hope the info helps, feel free to ask any questions and ill help out as much as I can.

 

[Sniperhank]

Oh, forgot the feeding bit. Don't feed your anemone. They use light. If it is light starved it could end up using more energy to consume the food than it will actually get from the food. Feeding anemone is hit or miss as well, so not suggested.

 

[Dimdim]

Several issues here. First, actinic lights aren't moonlighting. You are basically ensuring the sun never sets. You should run those lights all at the same time to get close to the lighting you need to support an anemone. I wouldn't personally try to keep an anemone under less than 6 t5ho bulbs.

Secondly, anemone shouldn't move around if they are happy. Whoever told you condys move around alot is t very informed on what they do. Anemone move until they find a beneficial spot for them. It becomes difficult at times because they don't have a brain, so they can find a nice spot totally in the shade and kill themselves without even knowing it.

Condy are more available than other anemone and cheaper because of that. They come from the Caribbean. They aren't any more hardy than the rest though. They need near perfect parameters along with high lighting. The phosphates could be an issue. Started typing this on my phone and can't refer back to other parameters, but the .25 phosphate is considered high for sensitive creature like an anemone.

Trying not to sound like a Debbie downer, but anemones can be a struggle even with proper conditions at times. I had a gbta and Rbta in my reef. The Rbta did great while the gbta just never came around. Trades him off and is doing well in a friends tank. Hit or miss sometimes as well. Hope the info helps, feel free to ask any questions and ill help out as much as I can.

+1 i have an amount of phosphates, my condy is getting its zoo algae back and colouring up, ive heard some inverts utilize phosphates for energy, ex pulsing xenia, and my level is below .25 my condy is under a 6 bulb t5 and already grown in two months, and as for the lights hank is right, actinics arent moonlights, run all 4 bulbs during the day and blackness at nght if you do t have moonlights, your nem WILL be happier if you do this, you wont be aplitting up your total light power for days 10k and nights actinics, they are all supposed to be on for a minimum of 6 hrs A day

 

[jlehring]

Great! Appreciate the help. I use the actinic lights as kind of dusk lighting but I will change that and run them with daylight lights.. I do go dark for about 9-10 hours.

What's best idea for lowering my phosphates?

I bought 2 anemones one has planted it's foot and seems to being doing great.

Again, I appreciate the advice. Experience is the best teacher!

 

[Dimdim]

Use phos ban in a hob filter between two carbon pads, or i just picked up a new api product called phos zorb. It was 13 bucks for a pouch that lasts two months. Just goes in a hob filter, or run GFO or phospban in a phosban reactor

 

[mr_X]

What size tank is this? Those power compacts don't penetrate the water very well I'm afraid. Yes, definitely run all the lights at once. You can shut the daylights off an hour before the actinic lamp, and turn it on an hour after the actinics, for your morning evening transition, but leave them on throughout the day.

 

[Sniperhank]

You can have a low phosphate level by starting with ro/di water. It'll have 0 phosphates. Then simply feed lightly and rarely, I feed twice a week. Then with a nice strong flow the food shouldn't settle and can be removed via fitlration, skimming or whatever way you choose.

You can use products like phosban and Gfo to reduce phosphates, but yours aren't out of control to make me think you need to go that far. I run Gfo on my tank via a reactor, but my phosphate issues were high and ongoing. Using Gfo I have been able to keep the phosphates at .03.

 

[Dimdim]

Is it true that ro di water is so unstable that a liquid test of the water for phosphates could cause a false high reading?

 

[Sniperhank]

Untrue. The ions are unstable and make us so you shouldn't drink it, but that is all I've ever read about. I've never had any issues with false readings from my ro/di.

 

[mr_X]

I have heard this as well, but then why do they use reverse osmosis to purify many brands of drinking water? It says so right on the bottle.

 

[Sniperhank]

I believe that the ions later stabilize either over time or during the bottling process. I don't drink bottled water so I never cared to look into it any further than a quick thought about it.

 

[Dimdim]

I did some research and in fact ro do water will grab onto any molecular structure or compound it comes in contact with in order to try to get back to what it once was... Thus causing a false reading on ro di, every search i run, no one uses liquid tests on ro di, they say the test for ro di is a tds meter as it wont add any molecular or ionized compounda back into the water

 

[Dimdim]

Just thought id ask to see what you guys thought about it. Cause i tested my mixed saltwater and it was way lower then the ro di by itself, just wondering if my ro di is adding phosphates... My phosphates in the tap water i have are seriously between .09 and .04 which i thought was incredible

 

[mr_X]

Zero TDS is Zero TDS.

 

[Sniperhank]

There shouldn't be anything in the ro/di. It strips all dissolved solids out of the water. If it is t, the. A filter or resin might need changed. In terms of the salt mix lowering the reading, sounds more like an issue with the testing or reading.