About the 6 months rule for anemones.

[WhitePanther93]

When some one says your tank should be 6 months to a year before getting an anemone.

my anemone:

day 2(?)

>2 weeks later:

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

The 6 month thing is total BS. Stability is what you need for anemones, not some magical period of time. I personally think that people touting the 6 month rule are just being lazy. Apparently it's easier to say "you have to wait at least 6 months to keep an anemone" than to explain what a balanced/stable aquarium is.

 

[Rtaylor]

6 months is a guideline as it typically takes someone brand new to reefing at least that long to become proficient enough to maintain relatively stable parameters. Obviously, some people will be quicker, some slower. Also, if starting from 100% dry rock, it will take at least that long to develop a reasonable level of microfauna and biodiversity which lead to a healthier tank.

 

[Reef.]

When some one says your tank should be 6 months to a year before getting an anemone.

my anemone:

day 2(?)

>2 weeks later:

Not sure of your point?

So you have kept a nem alive for 2 days?

 

[Rick's Reviews]

So

The 6 month thing is total BS. Stability is what you need for anemones, not some magical period of time. I personally think that people touting the 6 month rule are just being lazy. Apparently it's easier to say "you have to wait at least 6 months to keep an anemone" than to explain what a balanced/stable aquarium is.

Reaction score +1

 

[Miami Reef]

Not sure of your point?

So you have kept a nem alive for 2 days?

2 weeks actually. ;Smilie

 

[Reef.]

2 weeks actually. ;Smilie

sorry saw 2 days on the first pic…that changes my point totally

 

[WhitePanther93]

6 months is a guideline as it typically takes someone brand new to reefing at least that long to become proficient enough to maintain relatively stable parameters. Obviously, some people will be quicker, some slower. Also, if starting from 100% dry rock, it will take at least that long to develop a reasonable level of microfauna and biodiversity which lead to a healthier tank.

To be honest this is my first attempt at a reef tank. Though I’ve got years of experience with planted freshwater aquariums it that’s any consolation.
It’s more or less the same in concept:
Keep your parameters in check, and research whatever you want to put in your tank. The main difference is probably the cost, equipment (depending on what you do in your tank) and flow is way more important in reefing. Okay maybe the amount of research going in might be a lot more then fresh water.

 

[Reef.]

To be honest this is my first attempt at a reef tank. Though I’ve got years of experience with planted freshwater aquariums it that’s any consolation.

Nems can look wonderful one day and the next look half dead.

To be fair your tank looks like it has an algae issue, not trying to be nasty here but you really need to come back in a couple of years and then maybe pat yourself on the back, nems can live longer than we can.

The “rule” is a general guideline and for most people it’s a good rule, some ignore it and have success some don’t, if you know the rule you can then at least decide if you are experienced enough to disregard it.

 

[Rtaylor]

To be honest this is my first attempt at a reef tank. Though I’ve got years of experience with planted freshwater aquariums it that’s any consolation.

Idk how much that translates as I’ve never done freshwater. So, you might be totally fine, there are a ton of factors that go into it. People have successfully kept anemones from day 1 of their reef keeping. The guideline is meant to increase survival rates overall amongst all newbies. It’s not intended to be an indictment or punishment for people. Generally speaking, an anemone is more likely to survive in a tank that’s at least 6 months old. You could probably say that about any livestock as people become less prone to ‘easy’ mistakes as they gain experience. Anemones tend to be less forgiving than most fish, hence, the guideline becomes more relevant.

not to mention, most anemones that do die take longer than 2 weeks to do so.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Maybe

When some one says your tank should be 6 months to a year before getting an anemone.

my anemone:

day 2(?)

>2 weeks later:

Maybe this guideline is a general rule from experience? Maybe your anemone will survive in upcoming months? Who knows, I'm sure the advice given is in general and helpfull as possible given the circumstances? I appreciate all advice given especially from years past... Great read if you want to learn,
Good luck in your adventure as an hobbiest but please do not insult valuable advice given to us all

 

[WhitePanther93]

Nems can look wonderful one day and the next look half dead.

To be fair your tank looks like it has an algae issue, not trying to be nasty here but you really need to come back in a couple of years and then maybe pat yourself on the back, nems can live longer than we can.

The “rule” is a general guideline and for most people it’s a good rule, some ignore it and have success some don’t, if you know the rule you can then at least decide if you are experienced enough to disregard it.

Wasn’t really patting myself on the back. This whole post was meant to be more of a joke to have fun with. And yeah I know I have an algae issue. I had an under powered return pump that didn’t allow for my filter sock to get its full use and the nutrients got away from me. It’s gotten better though .

 

[WhitePanther93]

Maybe

Maybe this guideline is a general rule from experience? Maybe your anemone will survive in upcoming months? Who knows, I'm sure the advice given is in general and helpfull as possible given the circumstances? I appreciate all advice given especially from years past... Great read if you want to learn,
Good luck in your adventure as an hobbiest but please do not insult valuable advice given to us all

Dude this post was joke. Yah know hence the meme? It wasn’t really meant to insult anything. If anything it was to show that my nem has managed to look better despite me making a rookie mistake.

 

[Miami Reef]

I do think that OP’s tank is having an algae bloom right now. It doesn’t sound extremely stable right now.

It this was me I’d make sure my phosphates are 0.03ppm-0.12ppm and nitrates 5ppm-10ppm.

Also keep herbivores (snails etc). 15%-20% water changes weekly too. Add some established live rocks if you can.

It’s not about the tank being mature at 6 months. It’s the reefer that needs to be “mature” from experience before they can keep stable parameters for delicate organisms.

Here’s what a newbie starter pack looks like:

High nutrients
Lack of filter/husbandry schedule
Low quality lighting and flow
Inability to notice livestock from slowly declining
Infrequent parameter testing

Having a mature tank prevents anemones from dying needlessly from the newbie learning curve.

 

[Miami Reef]

P.S I’m not saying OP is bad. The anemone looks good! I’m writing this for people who want to buy their first anemone.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

To be honest this is my first attempt at a reef tank. Though I’ve got years of experience with planted freshwater aquariums it that’s any consolation.
It’s more or less the same in concept:
Keep your parameters in check, and research whatever you want to put in your tank. The main difference is probably the cost, equipment (depending on what you do in your tank) and flow is way more important in reefing. Okay maybe the amount of research going in might be a lot more then fresh water.

Looks like you’re doing well with your nem. I have both planted FW and SW and I can tell you SW is alot harder IMO. Planted FW is so great because the plants take care of most of your issues. I rarely mess with my FW shrimp tank. There’s so many reactions and things that can go wrong with SW it’s crazy. But once you put enough add ons on any tank the amount of work you have to do it drops dramatically.

 

[WhitePanther93]

Looks like you’re doing well with your nem. I have both planted FW and SW and I can tell you SW is alot harder IMO. Planted FW is so great because the plants take care of most of your issues. I rarely mess with my FW shrimp tank. There’s so many reactions and things that can go wrong with SW it’s crazy. But once you put enough add ons on any tank the amount of work you have to do it drops dramatically.

You’re absolutely correct. But I feel as long as you do enough research for SW and actually follow what you research, you should be fine. I was planing on waiting the full 6 weeks, but to be honest world wide coral sales are like crack, and I couldn’t help myself. And the result was me buying a rainbow bubble tip anemone a bit ahead of schedule.

 

[WhitePanther93]

I do think that OP’s tank is having an algae bloom right now. It doesn’t sound extremely stable right now.

It this was me I’d make sure my phosphates are 0.03ppm-0.12ppm and nitrates 5ppm-10ppm.

Also keep herbivores (snails etc). 15%-20% water changes weekly too. Add some established live rocks if you can.

It’s not about the tank being mature at 6 months. It’s the reefer that needs to be “mature” from experience before they can keep stable parameters for delicate organisms.

Here’s what a newbie starter pack looks like:

High nutrients
Lack of filter/husbandry schedule
Low quality lighting and flow
Inability to notice livestock from slowly declining
Infrequent parameter testing

Having a mature tank prevents anemones from dying needlessly from the newbie learning curve.

Yeah my nitrates are a bit high at the moment. Last time I tested, phosphates were at .08 and nitrates were 20. I’ve been on a 2 day schedule for my filter sock. Was on a 3 day but someone recommended a 2 day till I get my nutrients in check.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

You’re absolutely correct. But I feel as long as you do enough research for SW and actually follow what you research, you should be fine. I was planing on waiting the full 6 weeks, but to be honest world wide coral sales are like crack, and I couldn’t help myself. And the result was me buying a rainbow bubble tip anemone a bit ahead of schedule.

I mean as long as your tank is stable it shouldn’t matter. Nems aren’t as hard to keep alive as people say in my experience. My dad “gave” (forced) this dude to me when I’d only been reefing about a month (only thing I had up this point was my engineer goby). He was like the size of a quarter. When he died (heater malfunction) the tentacles were over a ft long (and because it was in a nanocube they were constantly in the filter intake at the top). Not a BTA (it was a curlyque) but it took a beating and kept on growing.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Yeah my nitrates are a bit high at the moment. Last time I tested, phosphates were at .08 and nitrates were 20. I’ve been on a 2 day schedule for my filter sock.

20 is not that high. Mine go up into the 40s with no I’ll effects on corals.