Got Anemone Too Soon?

Fumbles · Jul 9, 2018

There seems to be a variety of answers on when it is safe to add an anemone to your tank.

One LFS I frequent says my tank needs to be established for at least 6 months. Another LFS told me 2 months. Some on the forums say no less than 1 year.

I bought a BTA at 2 months because a 5 year lfs employee told me it was safe to get one. It moved about 6 inches from where I initially put it and it hasn’t moved since. Seems pretty happy too.

Most wouldn’t say my tank is mature(I’m sure it’s not), but it seems I’m having some success with this premature addition.

I know everyone’s tanks and habits are different, but can there be a definitive answer on when it is safe to add an anemone?

Will 2 months always be safe to add an anemone if weekly 10% water changes are done, feeding is kept in check, temperature and salinity good, occasional parameter checks, and proper lighting is used?

Sorry if this is too open ended, but I feel this reef tank stuff has been coming along a lot easier than most have made it out to be. I’ve been waiting for something terrible to happen, but I must be doing something right if my corals, fish, and now anemone have been happy since day one.

I’m curious to see what anyone has to add or say about this.

Fumbles

Reeferdood · Jul 9, 2018

There is no magic number as to the days after starting up a system. By the looks of the photo I can see coraline beginning to grow and no signs of diatoms. I would say your system is ready and you are doing a great job thus far on your husbandry. However, anemones like a little phosphate and nitrate in the water column so don't go overboard stripping your water too much. what type of tank are you shooting for, mixed, softies, SPS, or LPS? I do a mixed system which is the most difficult and have a RBTA and I keep my nitrates at 10 and phosphate at .10 with no issues.

Fumbles · Jul 9, 2018

Reeferdood said:
There is no magic number as to the days after starting up a system. By the looks of the photo I can see coraline beginning to grow and no signs of diatoms. I would say your system is ready and you are doing a great job thus far on your husbandry. However, anemones like a little phosphate and nitrate in the water column so don't go overboard stripping your water too much. what type of tank are you shooting for, mixed, softies, SPS, or LPS? I do a mixed system which is the most difficult and have a RBTA and I keep my nitrates at 10 and phosphate at .10 with no issues.

Thank you for the reply! My tank is mixed and my only sources of filtration are live rock, protein skimmer, and chaeto. Are you thinking that weekly 10% water changes could be stripping too much nutrients from the tank? The only thing I add to the tank is calcium in small amounts.

Reeferdood · Jul 9, 2018

Are you doing a lot of water changes? The reason I am asking is how are you maintaining alkalinity and other trace elements? Unless you have a MASSIVE refugium the chaeto is likely not stripping much.
On another note, you will have to do more than just an occasional check of your parameters if you really want success keeping everything fat and happy..:D
OOPS, some of that was meant for another post, I deleted it from here... :confused:

Fumbles · Jul 9, 2018

Reeferdood said:
Are you doing a lot of water changes? The reason I am asking is how are you maintaining alkalinity and other trace elements? Unless you have a MASSIVE refugium the chaeto is likely not stripping much. In the original post you were concerned that the levels were too high, I was just implying that they are ok where you currently have them.
On another note, you will have to do more than just an occasional check of your parameters if you really want success keeping everything fat and happy..:D

It’s a 32 biocube with a 20g sump. The chaeto takes up about 1/3 if the sump. I change 5 gallons every week. I agree that I’m not checking parameters enough, so there’s room for improvement.

Edit. I’m not currently doing anything to maintain alkalinity, magnesium, etc. Can you recommend something I should be dosing?

JollyReefer · Jul 13, 2018

I added two BTAs less than two months after finishing my initial nitrogen cycle. I would have added them earlier but my light fixture was on backorder, so I didn't have a light. The BTAs are happy and healthy and haven't moved one centimeter from where I placed them in the tank. From where I sit and from the wee bit of research I've done on the topic, the basic counsel to avoid BTAs for at least the first 6-12 months seems to be directed more to the tank owner's lack of experience than the tank's water quality or immaturity. My water parameters are all within the right range and have been that way since completion of the nitrogen cycle. I've never lost a fish or coral. With the right equipment, controller, and reef-keeping understanding, I think you can make it work straight out of the gate.

JollyReefer · Jul 13, 2018

Also nitrates are at zero and I don't do water changes. Triton method with big fuge.

Fumbles · Jul 15, 2018

Jolly

I have to say that this answers my question perfectly, thank you. Also, I’ve never heard of the Triton Method, I’ll look it up.

Scurvy · Jul 15, 2018

i think it really depends on how the tank is setup. If you start up using dry/dead rock that will need to mature before an Anemone or a lot of corals will be happy. In that case then the 6 month time table is a good reference point. If you started with real live rock or even half live rock, half dry rock then a couple of months can be fine.

There are so many variables in everything we do in this hobby that there’s almost never a clear cut yes/no answer to anything. Timeline questions are the same. Some people can start adding/growing Acropora a month after start up while others can’t keep them at all 2, 3 or 4 years in.