6 months, necessary?

[Maxi]

Is the 6 month time limit to add an anemone really necessary?

I went on the nano forum, and saw that a reefer added an RBTA the first few days of setting up his tank. Not the first time I've seen this either.

I know how to keep a tank stable, is that what the 6 month is really about? Just keeping your tank under control with the readings?

 

[Toddrtrex]

If this is for your 3 gallon nano in your "current tanks", don't think you should be keeping a hosting anemone in that anyways, they will all get way to big for it.

Now for the question about 6 months... When I recommend waiting there are two reasons, letting the tank settle, and more importantly ( IMO ) giving the person time to get used to the tank, how to maintain it, learn how to realize something is wrong before it becomes an issue. A lot can go wrong during the first 6 months in a new tank ( with a new reefer ) that is not the time to try anemone.

Now if the person in question is a seasoned reefer, and has kept anemones before ( alive for 3+ years ), then that is different, I would say a month or two after the tank was set up.

 

[2dawghouse]

I agree with Todd, 3 gals....not suitable for any nem. And for the people putting a nem in their tanks after the first few days, one of two things happened.

1) the tank cycled with the nem in there and it died.
2) they moved seasoned rock, sand, filter over from another tank, and still the tank cycled (alittle), with the nem in there and it either died as well, or was stressed completely and it took forever to recover.

Todd very much correct about the 6 months and all the reasons behind it, DONT put to much in what people say about successfully keeping a nem in their tanks after a couple of days of setting it up.

"I know how to keep a tank stable, is that what the 6 month is really about? Just keeping your tank under control with the readings?"

Unless you are running a reef tank (adding calcium, iodine, alk, etc.) or doing water changes, your tank should control itself for the most part. If you are having to control the tank other than temp. (and that is at a min), then your tank isnt ready.

 

[Maxi]

I didn't include much detail, sorry. No way this is going a 3gallon tank.

Its going in my new nano. 26g bowfront.

 

[jubjub]

i would wait atleast 4 months, thats how long i waited and this is my first tank...do your research just make sure the tank is stable before for that time before you add it....but do some reading first make sure you know what your getting before you even go out. and if you want clowns to host get the right kind

 

[davocean]

I see people all the time push it, set up, throw in nem clowns right away, and then less than a month later a new thread, "whats wrong w/ my nem", or "see, month old tank and my nems already split" not realizing they most likely split because they are stressed to near death.
I personally wouldn't do a nem in a 26g either unless it's small nem, temporary, or a specimen tank.
You'll have almost no room for corals as they grow and sting what they touch.

 

[2dawghouse]

Maxi, how much experience do you have with nems? What type of lighting, filtration, skimmer, equipment do you have? Nems are very particular about their surroundings, most wont tolerate anyting short of perfection (water flow, lighting, etc.)

Now I have seen nems in smaller than a 26 before, but a 26g is going to be tight, limit you to tank mates, and almost make this tank a species tank.

 

[Maxi]

Well, this is going to be my first anemone if possible. I will have a 24" tek light with individual reflectors, filtration will be..

whisper filter in sump with carbon
sump will be 10 gallons making it a 36g system.
skimmer is yet to be bought, my lfs still has my tank for drilling, they are extremely knowledgeable, they are like a living reefcentral. www.seainthecity.com

I will also have a koralia 2, and return for flow. The return pump will be a mag 5.

 

[2dawghouse]

Well I dont see a problem with your system except size. Definately get a good skimmer, will help you maintain tank conditions. TEK lighting, would that be the 4 lamp version? Are you going to make this a species tank/better yet do you intend? Flow wise is hard to tell without the full arraignment.

Live rock and sand, are you getting cured or precured? Tankmates?

Of course you can do what you want to, I only ask to help you by: suggesting what you might want to try as far as species, problems you may encounter, and best way for you to go about your setup.

 

[elegance coral]

I've been to your LFS, and they have a very good reputation in this area, but it's best to keep in mind that they are a business. Their job is to get your money. The advice you get on RC does not have ulterior motives.
I don't think I would run the koralia 2 until after the anemone was well settled in. Even then it is questionable in a tank that size.
I think I'm pretty good at keeping an aquarium stable. I can't remember how many I have set up in my time. I have 6 going right now. One thing I've never been able to do is set up a brand new tank and have it truly stable within 6 months. There are far more things going on in our aquariums than we have the ability to monitor. Just because our test kits don't show a problem doesn't mean we don't have one. The mortality rate in young tanks is much higher than it is for well established tanks. Fish are even more susceptible to infections and parasites in a young tank. Even if all tests come back fine.
There are those rare cases where an anemone may survive in a young tank under certain conditions. That doesn't outweigh the vast majority that parish, though. Anemones and young tanks are a bad combination. Especially small young tanks.

 

[Lucky Strike]

+1
well said.

 

[Maxi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12994736#post12994736 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2dawghouse
Well I dont see a problem with your system except size. Definately get a good skimmer, will help you maintain tank conditions. TEK lighting, would that be the 4 lamp version? Are you going to make this a species tank/better yet do you intend? Flow wise is hard to tell without the full arraignment.

Live rock and sand, are you getting cured or precured? Tankmates?

Of course you can do what you want to, I only ask to help you by: suggesting what you might want to try as far as species, problems you may encounter, and best way for you to go about your setup.

Yes, that would be the 4 lamp version.
What skimmer should I get? I looked into the coralife super skimmer, but I'm still thinking.

I don't plan on making this a species tank.. I want it more of a mixed reef with sps, lps, softies, zoas.

But I definitely want clownfish..

Maybe the anemone isn't such a good idea if I think about it for a moment.. I mean it DOES move.. lol. But it is pretty..

I am getting aragonite live sand, and all the crushed coral from my 1 year old nano is going in here.. which is like a cup and a half or two. Also everything in the nano is going in there once everythings ready to be added.
About 30lbs of live sand and 35 of live rock

Is live rock better uncured, or cured?

I plan on getting a midas 100% sure
2 true perculas 100% sure
.001% sure on the anemone (as of now) lol
and a pistol shrimp with a tiny goby to move the sand. (95% sure)


This reefers tank inspired me a lot...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1009275

 

[mhills16]

when i first started i had a 20 gallon nano, or was it 26 gallon, i dont remember, but, i thought the same thing and put one in right away and yeah it did well for 2 days, then the third day it completely crashed and that thing died pretty fast. just wait. not worth losing the money.

 

[2dawghouse]

A 26g tank with a nem would become a species tank! The tank you posted to I dont think he has a nem in it, and I dont think he could have one without lossing half his stock.

Precured live rock will cycle a tank and referring back to the original post "6 months, necessary?" Yeah it would be necessary with precured, now cured rock will still cycle a tank but not to the extent precured would.

Skimmer is your choice, but with your sump I would do a aqua-c urchin or similar.

Goby+nem=dinner for the nem. They like to perch on everything and in a 26g space will be tight.
Your lighting is good to go.

But yes when you setup your tank, either go oneway or another (corals or nems) and you need to wait 6 months.

 

[davocean]

Frogspawn or hammer is a good alternative to nems for your clowns.
Skimmer depends on budget and what you can fit.
I personally would only add about 1/2 cup of your crushed coral, or maybe better some LS from someones established tank.

 

[Maxi]

I guess I'll go with no anemone.

What is a good coral a clown can host in?

Will a frogspawn work?

 

[Maxi]

woops, already got answered.

 

[E.J. Coral]

I have been keeping anemones for quite a while, and can honestly say that I have never waited 6 months. In fact I usually wait less than two weeks. How long you wait is very tank dependant. Starting with uncured live rock, you may need to wait 6+ months. With fresh cured live rock, you may only need to wait 3 months. With cooked dead rock or established rock with no die off, you can add an anemone as soon as the temp is stable, IME. Stability is less about numbers than it is about fluctuating fauna populations and die off, IMO.

 

[E.J. Coral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12996232#post12996232 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2dawghouse
A 26g tank with a nem would become a species tank! The tank you posted to I dont think he has a nem in it, and I dont think he could have one without lossing half his stock.

Precured live rock will cycle a tank and referring back to the original post "6 months, necessary?" Yeah it would be necessary with precured, now cured rock will still cycle a tank but not to the extent precured would.

Skimmer is your choice, but with your sump I would do a aqua-c urchin or similar.

Goby+nem=dinner for the nem. They like to perch on everything and in a 26g space will be tight.
Your lighting is good to go.

But yes when you setup your tank, either go oneway or another (corals or nems) and you need to wait 6 months.

My two clown gobies have been with my 18" gigantea carpet for a while now. They perch on everything BUT my anemone.

 

[garygb]

Maxi, if you want an anemone, I see no reason you can't keep one in a 26 gallon, with a few of caveats: it's a specimen tank, i.e., only one species of anemone and no other cnidaria; 2) you allow the tank ample time to become stable (a couple of months minimum); you keep a species of anemone (in this case a BTA) that is both hardy and suited to that size tank.

If you want to have a clown or a pair of clowns and an anemone, you tank would be fine for that. A large BTA with a maroon (or a tomato or clarki, whichever you prefer) would make a handsome display and be consistent with what you might find on a reef in nature.

As others have stated, a good protein skimmer along with the equipment you've already mentioned, will go a long way toward keeping the water quality up to par. You will also want to do small weekly or every other week water changes. Do you research by reading the faqs on this forum and go to Karen's Rose anemones site and read that and you should be good to go.