Feeding Sea Anemones??

[mitch]

I have a small bubble tip anemone and a large purple tip anemone. How often should I feed? Also, I just got the purple tip anemone today and it latched on some LR then jumped off and had its tentacles and mouth in the sand. Is this part of it finding its spot in the tank? Thx.

-mitch

 

[Sasquatch]

jumping right in with both feet huh? Anems can take quite a while to settle in, sometimes doing a lot of damage along the way. I hope if your on here tonight you can fill us in on the tank, equipment,test results etc, without these things its going to be very hard to advise you, I guess really we need to know what you know about the hobby too as your tank was moved recently?

 

[mitch]

I have a 55g tank. For equipment I have Aqueon Filter 55, Maxi-Jet 1200 Protein Skimmer, 54 watt lights one actinic blue and one white florescent, a 150 watt heater and a Hydor Koralia Evolution 750gph Circulator. I will do testing now and update you as soon as I get done and I will also post pictures of my tank after that to.

-mitch

 

[Sasquatch]

I have a 55g tank. For equipment I have Aqueon Filter 55, Maxi-Jet 1200 Protein Skimmer, 54 watt lights one actinic blue and one white florescent, a 150 watt heater and a Hydor Koralia Evolution 750gph Circulator. I will do testing now and update you as soon as I get done and I will also post pictures of my tank after that to.

-mitch

great! how many lb's of live rock is there? are the lights T5's (about as big around as a dime?) or bigger? and seriously not enough light for anems specially your new one so you may have to try stacking some rock so it can get higher in the tank, check back with you on the tests!

 

[mitch]

there is about 20-25 lb's or live rock. Yes, the lights are about the size of a dime and 48" long and I was considering on getting better lighting for my tank and now the tests. Calcium: 480-500ppm, Carbonate Hardness: 130ppm KH, Phosphate: 0ppm, Nitrates: 5-6ppm, pH 8.3, Ammonia: 0ppm and nitrite is 0ppm. nitrates are a little high I think.

 

[Sasquatch]

so the T5's are good, a couple more would be mucho better, a bit light on rock (if your going to add more let us know first so we can simplify the problems) params look good for now. What salt mix do you use and how are you preparing it? do you have ro/di?
Has the new nem settled down yet?

 

[mitch]

I use Instant Ocean mix and i prepare it in a big cleaned out trash can. I pour 15g in and add the right amount of salt to it. I have a heater, a circulator , and a bubbler. I test the salinity with my hydrometer and it tested well in 1.025 range. I did a water change 2 days ago and it was my first water change. and i dont have ro/di and the anemone appears to be settled down for now.

 

[Sasquatch]

I use Instant Ocean mix and i prepare it in a big cleaned out trash can. I pour 15g in and add the right amount of salt to it. I have a heater, a circulator , and a bubbler. I test the salinity with my hydrometer and it tested well in 1.025 range. I did a water change 2 days ago and it was my first water change. and i dont have ro/di and the anemone appears to be settled down for now.

ok for now but ignore fish and coral purchases and aim for an ro/di unit, tap water is going to mess you up, next time you mix up water take a reading with your hydrometer then have it tested at your lfs hopefully with a refractometer, this will let you calibrate your hydrometer (buy this next.... refractometer, best $50.00 you can spend on a tank)
Anem, with your lighting your going to have to concentrate on quality food as its not getting its nutrition from the lights, never give anything bigger than the mouth, try and get an oyster or a clam from the store, see if it will take small pieces every couple of days, not too much lol. Good luck and keep posting

 

[mitch]

Thx for the advice! I will start saving up for the ro/di.

 

[Sasquatch]

anytime Mitch, we all learn by asking and answering, its the remembering thats tough