55semireef
Moved On
Anemones do require intense lighting but factors such as flow, water quality, stablility, predation and lots of dissolved oxygen also play a big role.
But one of the most important things is to buy a healthy anemone in the first place. Your really chancing it if there is something wrong with the anemone to begin with. I just recently bought a Heteractis Malu thats about 5 inches in diameter and when I bought it was not sticky and did not eat and was and still is bleached. But it still had a tight mouth and it was inflated. Fortunately, it attached that very night on the sandbed, inflated even more, is accepting food (sticky) and is starting to slowly get a darker color referring to the increase in zooxanthellae algae. My male Clarkii also hosts it.
Back to lighting:
The reason why lighting has such a big role because the zooxanthellae algae photosynthesizes and as a result produces nutrients for themselves, and any leftover nutrients goes toward the anemome. So if you have strong lighting, there will be more left over nutrients to go to the anemone thus the anemones becomes healthier, and grows faster. However, if you have inaquedate lighting, there will be little or no nutrients left over which equals a less healthier anemone, slower growth and will require additional feedings. Supplementary feedings is not always enough.
Just my .02
