I am going to be looking for a RBTA. My tank is cycled. My calcium is 500+ every time i test. Alk is 8.7-8.9. I'm starting to get coraline algae growth. Is there anything else i should be looking at before i purchase a RBTA. Secondly, anyone have a RBTA that would be willing to sell in the near future?
nem advice
- Thread starter SgtKing
- Start date
blanden.adam
Team RC
Hey, RBTA's are excellent starter anemone's for those looking to get into the hosting anemone game, but I have a few recommendations for you and a few corrections to some of the misconceptions that your original posts seems to contain.
1) Your tank is cycled, EXCELLENT! Time to start adding livestock (properly quarantined of course), but when a tank is "cycled" is not necessarily when it's ready to receive an anemone. Even after your tank has finished the initial cycle, it has not really come to a biological steady-state yet -- things still vary wildly for the first few months of a tank's existence as things continue to die/grow on the live rock, the bacteria get used to the new bioload, and you as an aquarist get to know your system better. The generally accepted wisdom is that you should wait at least 6 months into a tank's existence before adding an anemone, and I would recommend you follow that wisdom.
2) You are testing your parameters, also EXCELLENT! Testing is one of the most important things you can do to maintain the health of a reef aquarium. Your calcium is a little on the high side, (for my money, up to 500 ppm is reasonable, but once you start going over that you should throttle it back a bit), and your alkalinity is right within range. BUT, anemones don't care much about these parameters
. Alkalinity is important because it helps maintain a stable pH, and keeping parameters stable is important to maintaining a stable reef ecosystem, but anemone's do not use calcium and alkalinity as stony corals do to build their skeletons.
3) You haven't mentioned much about your system, but I would definitely research the RBTA's lighting and space requirements before making a purchase. As with all livestock, you want to be prepared to care for it long term before you buy it.
So, I suppose the advice I would give is slow down, get some fish (and quarantine them of course), after a few months start adding some easy to keep corals if you so desire, and after a few more months perhaps some harder to keep corals. And then, after you hit the 6 month mark, add your anemone. I personally love mine and can't imagine the reef without it, but taking it slow and doing all of the proper research, prep work, and allowing your tank to mature sufficiently will greatly increase your chance of success.
1) Your tank is cycled, EXCELLENT! Time to start adding livestock (properly quarantined of course), but when a tank is "cycled" is not necessarily when it's ready to receive an anemone. Even after your tank has finished the initial cycle, it has not really come to a biological steady-state yet -- things still vary wildly for the first few months of a tank's existence as things continue to die/grow on the live rock, the bacteria get used to the new bioload, and you as an aquarist get to know your system better. The generally accepted wisdom is that you should wait at least 6 months into a tank's existence before adding an anemone, and I would recommend you follow that wisdom.
2) You are testing your parameters, also EXCELLENT! Testing is one of the most important things you can do to maintain the health of a reef aquarium. Your calcium is a little on the high side, (for my money, up to 500 ppm is reasonable, but once you start going over that you should throttle it back a bit), and your alkalinity is right within range. BUT, anemones don't care much about these parameters
. Alkalinity is important because it helps maintain a stable pH, and keeping parameters stable is important to maintaining a stable reef ecosystem, but anemone's do not use calcium and alkalinity as stony corals do to build their skeletons.3) You haven't mentioned much about your system, but I would definitely research the RBTA's lighting and space requirements before making a purchase. As with all livestock, you want to be prepared to care for it long term before you buy it.
So, I suppose the advice I would give is slow down, get some fish (and quarantine them of course), after a few months start adding some easy to keep corals if you so desire, and after a few more months perhaps some harder to keep corals. And then, after you hit the 6 month mark, add your anemone. I personally love mine and can't imagine the reef without it, but taking it slow and doing all of the proper research, prep work, and allowing your tank to mature sufficiently will greatly increase your chance of success.
Full specs-
2 green chromis
1 monti
1 meat coral
4 snails
3 hermits
I test for the big 3(ammonia,nitrate,nitrites) about once a week (i have ARC do it when i buy RO). I also have them test for phosphates and salinity.
Calcium and alk is done 2-3 times a week.
Tank is a 29g Biocube with HQI pendant. Been up and running since about march.
2 green chromis
1 monti
1 meat coral
4 snails
3 hermits
I test for the big 3(ammonia,nitrate,nitrites) about once a week (i have ARC do it when i buy RO). I also have them test for phosphates and salinity.
Calcium and alk is done 2-3 times a week.
Tank is a 29g Biocube with HQI pendant. Been up and running since about march.
block head
New member
In your case i'd prioritize. A nem and a clown pair will work. The unavoidable parameter swings will be a pita. If u are content with a species tank , it should be successful . If you try to have a mixed reef i' d expect heavy loses.
