Carbon with multiple species of anemones?

[D-Nak]

For you folks with multiple species of anemones, are you using carbon to deal with allelopathy? Without carbon do you think there would be any chemical warfare?

I have gigantea and magnifica anemones in a multi-tank system and wonder if there is any allelopathy. My magnifica is the largest anemone and never shows any stress, while the gigantea in the other tank (connected via a central sump) are smaller and have recently showed some stress (partial deflation, mouth opened larger than usual, but not gaping). I also realized that I hadn't changed my carbon in a while, so I wonder if there was a correlation.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

For you folks with multiple species of anemones, are you using carbon to deal with allelopathy? Without carbon do you think there would be any chemical warfare?

I have gigantea and magnifica anemones in a multi-tank system and wonder if there is any allelopathy. My magnifica is the largest anemone and never shows any stress, while the gigantea in the other tank (connected via a central sump) are smaller and have recently showed some stress (partial deflation, mouth opened larger than usual, but not gaping). I also realized that I hadn't changed my carbon in a while, so I wonder if there was a correlation.

When I had my gig and a couple of RBTAs, @Clorox recommended that I run carbon. One day after running carbon my gigs and RBTAs opened up nicer and bigger than before carbon.

 

[daveM100]

I have bta's, lta's, a ritteri, haddon's, and a sebae in my tank. All I run is chemi pure.

 

[ThRoewer]

I guess carbon may then also be a good idea with corals and anemones, right?

 

[jeemann99]

1 Mag, 3 Gigs, 1 Haddoni, 6 BTA's (various species), Rock nems, no carbon. All good

 

[D-Nak]

When I had my gig and a couple of RBTAs, @Clorox recommended that I run carbon. One day after running carbon my gigs and RBTAs opened up nicer and bigger than before carbon.

All of my nems seem to do better when I use carbon, but I can't prove that it's more than a conincidence.

I have bta's, lta's, a ritteri, haddon's, and a sebae in my tank. All I run is chemi pure.

Since Chemipure is carbon with resins, I would expect similar results with just carbon.

I guess carbon may then also be a good idea with corals and anemones, right?

Probably -- I'd be interested to read a study discussing allelopathy between anemones and corals.

1 Mag, 3 Gigs, 1 Haddoni, 6 BTA's (various species), Rock nems, no carbon. All good

How large is your tank, and how often do you do water changes?

 

[kwsjimmy]

mix nems

mix nems

I'm going to agree my nems do better with carbon. Looking at ORP as well it seams carbon defiantly helps with water quality a long with a good skimmer

 

[addictedreefer]

Personally, I suspect the whole allelopathy thing is a bunch of hocus pocus. As is evident on the reef and our systems, different types of anemones and corals are able to coexist as long as they do not touch. That is the key IMO -- physical contact. As long as a nem or coral is not in danger of being overgrown or shaded out, it couldn't care less that there is another anemone or coral 3 inches away. Once there is contact, however, the fight is on.

 

[ThRoewer]

How about adding ozone to the mix?

 

[jeemann99]

My System:
- 36x36x36 Cube
- ASM G3 modded skimmer inside of sump with only liverock
- Every 6 week water changes 30% (Reef Crystals)

Some of my nems touch eachother (Gig and RBTA) (Gig and Mag)

 

[jeemann99]

Here are mine. They do touch often

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Not running carbon works for anemones. In my case it worked too. However, I noticed an improvement after adding carbon. You can try replacing carbon and see what happens to your anemones. If they do not respond in a positive way then it may not matter as much as it did for my anemones in a 40 gal tank.

 

[addictedreefer]

Should note that when some mention anecdotal improvement after adding carbon, there is no way to tell whether it's due to reduced allelopathy or simply the many other documented benefits of carbon.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Should note that when some mention anecdotal improvement after adding carbon, there is no way to tell whether it's due to reduced allelopathy or simply the many other documented benefits of carbon.

Good point. The two are definitely distinguishable Wish anemones could use emojis to communicate us how they feel. :lmao:

 

[jeemann99]

I have noticed that the dirtier my water the more my Nems are open and full. When my tank had PERFECT water quality my Nems seemed less happy

 

[taylor t]

I don't use carbon, but it's not because I think it's better or worse. It's purely because I'm too busy/lazy. I need to do more water changes too, I don't do nearly enough.

 

[OrionN]

My anemone all doing well with Carbon. I change water often 50 gal weekly in a 450 gal system so I decided to stop using carbon and phosphate binder. My anemone still doing well but I started to have cyano in my sand and rock so I run carbon and phosphate binder again. The anemones are all doing well and cyano is going away.
I have Magnifica, Gigantea and Haddoni in my tank, plus Maxi-Mini, and quite a few "Bornerman anemones"