Anenome help

sunken3

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Your advice is greatly appreciated, so far everyone has suggested a 5-10 gal water change. So that is on the docket to set up immediately. I will get the water ready tomorrow morning and change the water every 24 hrs @ 5 gal per change.

I will drop the feeding routine down from 3x per day to 1x per day, to assist with lowering the ammonia level.

The nitrate issue is with the base water I’m using (tap water). Will switch completely to RODI.

What salinity level do you recommend. 1.025+ ?

I lowered the temp, 79-80 degrees F.

Any suggestions on a light system to purchase? Someone did say that anenomes require 200+ par. The lfs said that the CoraLife seascape would be more than sufficient, but at this stage I’m looking for a new supplier. So far their knowledge regarding anenomes has been sub par, and will likely cost me the inhabitants life unfortunately. I will do what i can to support the creature. Hoping it will be enough.
ouch - tap water is another issue all together... i wouldn't recommend any water changes using tap. either get the rodi or pick up pre-made salt water at an LFS. tap has all sorts of unknown contaminants (chemicals and minerals).. including chlorine, chloromines, ammonia, nitrate, phosphate.. etc. also, if you add it to a salt mix you can end up with way more minerals than you should have (salt mixes assume you are using a zero TDS rodi water).

1.025 salinity is fine.. (1.024-1.026).. try not to go lower, definitely dont go higher.

your feedings (unless tiny are also going to be an issue).. I feed once a day.. 3x is ok, but maybe a pellet or 2 per fish.. (or mysis)
 

sunken3

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Also, i was able to bring the ammonia down to .15 with a detox chem
that is an emergency stop gap.. not a good method of control.

i am sorry - i feel bad. i think you read the wrong books and got the wrong info on this hobby... this forum is a great place to start, but you are starting from a really bad (tough) point.
 

CanuckReefer

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The other inhabitants seem to be fine, I’ve read numerous articles, forums and such on what to watch for in regards to stress, or struggling aqua life. I am very aware that my expertise level is basically 0 at this stage so i will defer to all experienced reef aquarists suggestions.

As i replied to @Specific Ocean, returning any of the inhabitants is not possible. So my only option is to attempt to support the marine life as best as i can. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.
This forum will get ya there in time... it may be a rough ride to start here, but in time the ship will right itself. Just don't give up like too many do...ride the wave.
 
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fugetaboutit05

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are you saying just a pump? or a canister filter?
ouch - tap water is another issue all together... i wouldn't recommend any water changes using tap. either get the rodi or pick up pre-made salt water at an LFS. tap has all sorts of unknown contaminants (chemicals and minerals).. including chlorine, chloromines, ammonia, nitrate, phosphate.. etc. also, if you add it to a salt mix you can end up with way more minerals than you should have (salt mixes assume you are using a zero TDS rodi water).

1.025 salinity is fine.. (1.024-1.026).. try not to go lower, definitely dont go higher.

your feedings (unless tiny are also going to be an issue).. I feed once a day.. 3x is ok, but maybe a pellet or 2 per fish.. (or mysis)
Yea, critical error on my part. I’ll be using RODI from here on out.
The feedings are small, only what the fish can consume, and what i would see the anenome grab. But ill increase the volume about 30% @ 1x daily until things settle down.
 

CanuckReefer

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I’m planning on getting about 20 gal of RODI tomorrow morning and doing a 10gal water change tomorrow and then 2 days after.

The light I’m using is the CoraLife Seascape 54”. The specs say : Avg output @12” (42 avg PAR & 65 peak PAR)

As far as feeding, I’m not using the direct method of using a tube to directly feed it. As i routinely feed the fish ( defrosted mysis, brine, & Krill cubes) the anenome will “grab” the food as it floats by. Being as it bonded with the 2 clowns, i read that they also help feed their host.

Returning the anenome is not an option. I spoke with the LFS where i purchased everything, and they do not accept livestock returns. So i am determined to save it, support it, whatever i can do. Any advice is appreciated.
And as per your LFS, I would assume they knew your tank was in early cycling stages, and sold you the livestock? Along with perhaps your other equipment, unless bought elsewhere or online? If they gave you this bad advice just for a sale that's pretty low brow imo and I would most definitely look elsewhere for your lighting etc. Hopefully there is another in your area.... just my opinion....
 

GoReefin

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5gallon water changes once a day will be good at keeping ahead of the ammonia spike. for lighting you can look into kessel or AI prime. They both offer full spectrum LED's which will be enough for what you have in the tank. I would ramp up lighting slowly over a weeks time.
Just work on getting your water stable and cycled. Hopefully your anemone survives the cycle. I would personally see if someone can house your anemone until you get your tank settled.
 

Specific Ocean

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Looks like we're peeling back the onion here. RO/DI is critical if making your on water from home.

If things don't level out soon, I think your best bet is to find someone who can buy your anemone. You'll take a hit on the price but it gives the anemone a chance of survival.

If it pulls through, I will be amazed.

Can we get a pic of the tank and the anemone?
 

Oldreefer44

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Just to give you a frame of reference. I have been in the hobby for several decades. I started setting up my new 180 gallon tank around the first of November, waited 6 weeks before adding fish, and am still working on reaching water parameter stability. Even then I went very slowly in adding livestock with only a couple of clowns until late December. IMO, all livestock should go back to the LFS. You got very bad advice there. Your tank will go through several phases over the next several months and having to adjust while trying to keep things like an anemone alive will make it that much harder for you. Water stability, IMO, is the number one requirement for success. Right behind that is patience. Next in line is patience and then next in line after that is patience. Nothing good happens fast in our hobby. Good luck.
 

Jilly92

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Tank has been up and running for 4 days. The initial setup was dry substrate and 1 lg live rock and 1 large dry rock.

Feeding has been with the routine fish feeding. Ive seen the anenome grab the food with its tentacles. I haven’t been intentionally feeding with a tube directly above it.

I did add another live rock (10lbs) today to try and assist the bio filter. Also using stability additive over the course of the next several days to also assist in the building of the bio filter.

I brought the temp down to 79-80 degrees as well.
I would get a bottle of beneficial bacteria asap
 

sunken3

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It’s a canister filter with 2 types of bio filtration inside. Also has mechanical filtration elements.

not to be a downer, but canister filters as the only type of filtration will make running your reef much harder. they require a lot of maintenance (i look at them like an enclosed sock filter, and i have to change out my socks every few days) - a sump is much better. either way, a protein skimmer would be a good purchase (HOB in your case).

that said, nothing is impossible - you'll just need to be more diligent and keep a low bio load (meaning very few fish).
 

sunken3

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Just to give you a frame of reference. I have been in the hobby for several decades. I started setting up my new 180 gallon tank around the first of November, waited 6 weeks before adding fish, and am still working on reaching water parameter stability. Even then I went very slowly in adding livestock with only a couple of clowns until late December. IMO, all livestock should go back to the LFS. You got very bad advice there. Your tank will go through several phases over the next several months and having to adjust while trying to keep things like an anemone alive will make it that much harder for you. Water stability, IMO, is the number one requirement for success. Right behind that is patience. Next in line is patience and then next in line after that is patience. Nothing good happens fast in our hobby. Good luck.
the clowns may make it.. not sure on the blenny.. i think the anenome (with white stuff coming out of its mouth) may be a goner already.
 

sunken3

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The white stuff could be something fed in the lfs ?

I haven’t seen pictures of the anemone though .
it could be but not too likely.. anemones seem to spit out their guts when dying... which is usually white. but yes, without a pic its anybody's guess.
 

Jilly92

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not to be a downer, but canister filters as the only type of filtration will make running your reef much harder. they require a lot of maintenance (i look at them like an enclosed sock filter, and i have to change out my socks every few days) - a sump is much better. either way, a protein skimmer would be a good purchase (HOB in your case).

that said, nothing is impossible - you'll just need to be more diligent and keep a low bio load (meaning very few fish).
I disagree. I maintenance mine maybe once a month, and all my parameters are low, too low actually.
 

Jilly92

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there are always exceptions to the rule.. i would guess your stocking levels are also low.
Well before dinos and my fish dying I had 2 blenny, 2 clown, 2 firefish lots of coral. I always have my hands in the tank and try to take out leftover food. When my tank crashed there were so many dead detritus worms so that may be a factor as well
 
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