How sensitive are anemones to nitrates?
- Thread starter cabrego
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ctenophors rule
New member
i wouldn't advise it.
my homes had a rbta ina tank with 15 nitrate, and it was doing horribly, would never listen to me, any way long story short, he moved, i got stuck with it, it never recovered.
also, make sure that if you decide to get an anemone, and you haven't any experience with them, that you buy aquacultured, at least that way if it dies, the earth only looses one, not 20+.
besidese, reefs are being over cultured for anemones anyway.
my homes had a rbta ina tank with 15 nitrate, and it was doing horribly, would never listen to me, any way long story short, he moved, i got stuck with it, it never recovered.
also, make sure that if you decide to get an anemone, and you haven't any experience with them, that you buy aquacultured, at least that way if it dies, the earth only looses one, not 20+.
besidese, reefs are being over cultured for anemones anyway.
Toddrtrex
Premium Member
I am not sure what the threshold is for nitrates and anemones, because I am lucky enough not to have any.
However, not too long ago I had to have some back surgeries, and couldn't do my normal weekly water changes. While I didn't get around to testing the nitrates, I know that my anemones (( Haddonis )) didn't look all that great. Got some help and did a couple of water changes, and they looked great again.
However, not too long ago I had to have some back surgeries, and couldn't do my normal weekly water changes. While I didn't get around to testing the nitrates, I know that my anemones (( Haddonis )) didn't look all that great. Got some help and did a couple of water changes, and they looked great again.
elegance coral
They call me EC
Healthy, well established anemones can withstand some nitrate from time to time. Newly imported anemones aren't going to be able to deal with the stress nearly as well. I would concentrate on getting the nitrates under control before getting an anemone.
What do you mean by under control? They are not increasing, they just seem to sit around 20 no matter what I do. Obviously, zero nitrates is what everyone wants, but sometimes it is not realistic.
It sounds like, anemones are like most marine life and not overly sensitive to nitrates.
I set up my tank months ago and during the process I lost quite a few chromis and could never find them. I think this is what started my nitrate spike. During this time I was running the system bare bottom and without a fuge and a skimmer that really wasnt pulling much out. The nitrates spiked into the reds.
Since then I have done several large water changes added a fuge with a 4" sandbed and the nitrates have been dropping and are around 20. I have also started vodka dosing about 2 weeks ago. I am sure the nitrates will go down eventually because the cheato is growing like crazy and I am vodka dosing.
I just want to get some information about anemones to see what everyone's experience is.
Of course the ideal situation is that all your parameters are perfect..or is it?
If a fish or any kind of marine species for that matter is moved from 20 ppm of nitrates into a tank with zero nitrates (all other things being equal). Does the organism become stressed because of the change in environment? Or is it an instant relief? I am not a fish so I don't know...
Since then I have done several large water changes added a fuge with a 4" sandbed and the nitrates have been dropping and are around 20. I have also started vodka dosing about 2 weeks ago. I am sure the nitrates will go down eventually because the cheato is growing like crazy and I am vodka dosing.
I just want to get some information about anemones to see what everyone's experience is.
Of course the ideal situation is that all your parameters are perfect..or is it?
If a fish or any kind of marine species for that matter is moved from 20 ppm of nitrates into a tank with zero nitrates (all other things being equal). Does the organism become stressed because of the change in environment? Or is it an instant relief? I am not a fish so I don't know...
I might get bashed for saying this but w/e ...I have a long tentacle anemone in my 75g tank and my nitrates are around 60...give or take they might drop whenever i feel like doing water changes which is every blue moon lol. All my other corals do really good also. My anemone is happy and healthy and about 9 inches around when fully expanded.
Toddrtrex
Premium Member
Nothing too special, just do weekly water changes. I have an average sized skimmer (( ASM 1 GX on my 33, 58 and 75 )).
My 58 has a decent bio-load, a pair of pink skunks, soon to be a pair of Potters (( had the pair before )), and a golden algae blenny. Have a shallow sandbed, about 2.5 inches, that I vacuum with the weekly, 5 gallons, water changes.
I feed about twice a day --- while some of the food comes in "flats" I would say it is two cubes a day, with some spectrum pellets thrown in too.
fishkid6692
New member
i used to have a LOT of trouble with my nitrates. i couldn't get them below 20-30. i don't know why but i just stopped having problems with them. i don't do weekly water changes. i do monthly. i have a fuge, dsb, phosban reactor, and a deltec mce300 on my 34g solana. my nitrates stay at 0.i have 2 rbtas. i never had much success with nems when i had nitrates over 5.
I don't want my post to be a word of encouragement, but I mines in Nitrate ranging from 40 to 60 and seems to be fine. Matter of fact, it just split again last night (and I don't believe it split cause of stress or because it's about to die).
This RBTA is about 9 months old and was bought from another local reefer, so this might also explain it too. It was one of his many anemome that splitted. So being aquaculture does have it's benefit of being a stronger. I started with one and now have 3.
I would say if you do get one, make sure it's from another reefer or you know for sure it was a split from an 'tank rasied' anenome since you'll have a better chance with it.
P.S. My little collection of SPS frags that was growing did all died cause of my nitrates going up above 20 though. I'll just stick to the nem/softies/LPS/and clams I have.
This RBTA is about 9 months old and was bought from another local reefer, so this might also explain it too. It was one of his many anemome that splitted. So being aquaculture does have it's benefit of being a stronger. I started with one and now have 3.
I would say if you do get one, make sure it's from another reefer or you know for sure it was a split from an 'tank rasied' anenome since you'll have a better chance with it.
P.S. My little collection of SPS frags that was growing did all died cause of my nitrates going up above 20 though. I'll just stick to the nem/softies/LPS/and clams I have.
zachfishman
Active member
The bubble-tips in one of our client tanks don't mind high trates. NO3 is over 100 (kit only goes to 100ppm, so I don't know the actual concentration). They look no different than when they were in their previous display with nitrates <20ppm. They haven't yet reproduced like they did in the past, but this could also be a difference in lighting (they used to be ~12" from a 400w Radium, now they're 12-18" from a 250w).
After we get the nutrients under control, it'll be interesting to see if there's an appreciable change.
After we get the nutrients under control, it'll be interesting to see if there's an appreciable change.
Better to have lower nitrates than not; but I do not think, within reason, they are the reef-keeping bugaboo that they have been made out to be. I have run tank successfully with nitrates at 20, and have crappy tanks with nitrates at 0. I think nitrates are the blame-de-jour for lots of things that have nothing to do with nitrates.
My current tank, an overstocked 90, gets fed heavily and had been running nitrate levels at about 20. Recent addition of an ATS has reduced that to about 10, but in neither case did the nitrate level seem to affect the health of my LPS or SPS corals, and my Magnifica anemone is large and getting larger.
The problem with these anemones is shipping and acclimation - once you get past that, they are quite hardy IME.
My current tank, an overstocked 90, gets fed heavily and had been running nitrate levels at about 20. Recent addition of an ATS has reduced that to about 10, but in neither case did the nitrate level seem to affect the health of my LPS or SPS corals, and my Magnifica anemone is large and getting larger.
The problem with these anemones is shipping and acclimation - once you get past that, they are quite hardy IME.
OrionN
Moved on
Nitrates is just one of the polutant in our tank, the easiest one to control. If you cannot control nitrates, chances are the other polutants are not in control either.
I never have problem with the condition of my tank. Never have any measurable nitrate in my tank so I don't have the experience to answer your question. Like Todd, my anemone appreciate water change, but nitrates have alway been non detectable with our test kits
I never have problem with the condition of my tank. Never have any measurable nitrate in my tank so I don't have the experience to answer your question. Like Todd, my anemone appreciate water change, but nitrates have alway been non detectable with our test kits
MBC2012
life gets better daily
IMHO - numbers are relative. The most important issues always is stability and consistency.
My numbers at times stock others but I have a very happy mixed reef tank with lots of LPS growth and fat fish and four nems
That being said I know my limits and would never try to grow SPS!
My numbers at times stock others but I have a very happy mixed reef tank with lots of LPS growth and fat fish and four nems
That being said I know my limits and would never try to grow SPS!
