tap water and anemones

[breakout]

Hey:

I was reading Joyce Wilkerson's Clown fishes and Anemones and her section about anemones is interesting because, those who kept them over 24 months were, by an overwhelming majority using tap water. Her thesis is that all the minerals in the tap water is necessary for maintaining healthy anemones. What's your take on this?

:blown:

 

[UWUALineman]

Tap water can create a lot of negatives in a tank, and feel that it should be avoided if possible. That being said, there is a local reefer who has two LTA's in his 72 that are doing absolutely amazing with no treatment of any kind to the water, although large outbreaks of algae.
When was this book written, and when did RO/DI became a big player and the saltwater hobby?

 

[rkelman]

I have 5 anemone's in my Reef and I'm using tap.. (i'm on a well so no chemicals)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I was just rereading Joyce's book yesterday and saw that part. IMO, it is outdated data on anemone keeping. We have much better success today than was the case when that data was collected, at least in well established tanks with several species when originally obtained from a high quality supplier, and tap water is not a common thread to success among them.

There is just too much variability and risk in using tap water to make it a recommended method, IMO. That obviously does not mean it cannot work, as evidenced by the previous post, but it is clearly not "necessary".

 

[rkelman]

I agree. I think in many ways you are better off with well water rather than a municipal supply due to the chemicals added. There are drawbacks to well water also. I haven't had algae problems but I can imagine it could be an issue in some area's due to the amount of nutrients in the water. The only downside I've had is high KH. RODI would be great but I need a booster pump to make it work and I don't have a great quantity of water so even a 1-1 system isn't really an option.

 

[breakout]

hmmm

hmmm

Hello,

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I'll stick with de-i water that I'm using from my lfs. I'll just supplement with something.

 

[davocean]

No need to supplement w/ anything IMO.
The salt mix should contain all you need for a nem.
My last 2 nems I had over 5.5 years, and only lost those when they sold w/ my last system, not from lack of health by any means.