ADVICE NEEDED...tank restart

[Ladipyg]

No, my tanks are all gone...but a friend has asked for advice and I know this is the place to go.
Doc has a 75 gallon tank in his office that has been without livestock for about 9 months...he kept the live rock in it, kept the skimmer and W/D filter and heater going. There was some algae growth, but nothing major. First time I saw it I was shocked as it had turned in a mysis/pod breeding station, they were everywhere. Now he want to turn this tank into a speciality tank, just 2 carpet anenomes and 2 pairs of clowns. He already has the clarkii pair, open to suggestions for the second pair.
Big question is....the algae has been cleaned off, the live rock cleaned off in a bucket of water from the tank and a 75% water change was done. The sand bed was only stirred up for the first inch or so. It's been 5 days now and there has been no spike in ammonia from messing with the tank. The filter was left undisturbed. Would this constitute a "stable" enough tank for him to put the carpets into? Until the species for the 2nd pair is decided it will be 2 carpets and 1 pair of clarkii clowns. Lighting is 2-250 MH lights and 4-65 watt PC's.

Thanks in advance for the help...I love coming to RC...I MISS my tanks...

 

[jjjimmy]

I personally would not advise putting 2 pairs of clowns in that size tank. even though they would have their own anemone's, I think that you would still be creating a war zone. Besides that, there is now way to tell for sure if a pair of clowns is going to take to whatever anemone is available to them. It seems to be rather hit or miss and if one pair does not pair up with one of the anemone's you will definitely have problems.

JMO

Jimmy

 

[Ladipyg]

Thanks Jim, the clarkii are alread happily playing in their anenome in a QT tank...so it will be 1 pair of clowns and 2 carpets. Question still is would the tank be considered stable if there was just some algae scraped off and a water change done? Thanks, Nina

 

[TheGent]

If he's intent on keeping two pairs, and just those 4 fish, I would think that you could seperate the tank with some drilled out acrylic or something similar (egg crate?) and just ust some of the rocks to hid the barrier. It would seem to me that it would be a waste to have just the 4 fish in a 75 gallon.. but that's just my opinion.

As far as it being stable, I would think it's okay, but I'm far removed from being an anemone expert.

 

[jjjimmy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8559039#post8559039 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ladipyg
Thanks Jim, the clarkii are alread happily playing in their anenome in a QT tank...so it will be 1 pair of clowns and 2 carpets. Question still is would the tank be considered stable if there was just some algae scraped off and a water change done? Thanks, Nina

It should be ok, but I would run a full battery of tests to be sure.

 

[Ladipyg]

I'll run another battery of tests tonight and if it's all good, I'll drip acclimate them and put them in..since there won't be 2 pairs of clowns I'm sure he'll want to add a few other fish or softies from some of his other tanks. When I checked last night there were still loads of pos and mysis making their way around the tank...I'm betting a mandarin would do fine in there...I don't think he could ever catch up with the sheer number of food sources in there and if he did there a 300 gallon he could go into.

 

[jjjimmy]

From what you are saying, a mandarin should have plenty of food however having a carpet anemone myself I have learned the hard way that keeping a "perching" fish with carpet anemones is difficult to do. I have loas many a fish that wanted to stop for a rest on the pretty blue carpet.

 

[jjjimmy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8560412#post8560412 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jjjimmy
From what you are saying, a mandarin should have plenty of food however having a carpet anemone myself I have learned the hard way that keeping a "perching" fish with carpet anemones is difficult to do. I have lost many a fish that wanted to stop for a rest on the pretty blue carpet.

 

[Ladipyg]

Back to 2 clowns and 2 carpets....thanks..;0)