Tee hee- thought that title might catch some attention.
Hi all- I haven't posted in a looong time. I hope everyone is doing well.
Can you help? I want to do 2 things. Get an anemone, and dump by Bio Balls (FINALLY!) Can anyone nurse me along a bit? How to dump- and when?
I posted my specs in the proper forum, but there's a brief rundown at the bottom of this thread-
What I want: I would like to purchase a bulb-tipped anemone from marinedepotlive.com but I am nervous! I am VERY cautious about screwing up this tank since I have a very tight budget to protect it.
I hand feed my colonial anemones and they are doing great from bits of fish food and shrimp, etc. Can bulbs be hand fed rather than rely on my low light for photosynthesis? I have no corals so there isnt that big burst zooplankton- but I can provide that by hand.
But the big questions are:
1. Shall I go cold turkey with the bio balls or phase them out? My LR and LS is old but pretty stable, methinks.
2. Should I expect a big (negative) chemistry change? (Tdwyatt always told me consistency is everything- and I expect my stability is the only thing keeping everything alive since my chemistry kinda sucks)
3. If yes, then should I wait to get the anemone until after chemistry settles from "the dump", or shall I wait to take "the big dump" until after the anemone settles in place and gets stronger?
Trying to increase his chances for survival.
Specs: I have a 95 gal tropical tank (no corals) with a saddleback clown and a damsel. It is an old tank so the nitrates are high- but it is very stable. My Ph never strays from 8.0-8.1. I have a small refugium with madly growing caluerpa and do very regular 2 week changes with pure Ro/Di water. I have relatively low lighting but everything seems fine so far. Lighting is a 4 foot 50/50 actinic and a 4ft actinic. I could turn on 2 more- but used to have lots of
red slime growth and too much heat when I did that (before I bought turbo snails).
Nitrites 0.2, Nitrates 5, Phosphates kind of high at 2.0 but my refugium is working on that- (too many years of bad water and food before I got here!). I am about to replace my pump with a much stronger one, too. Its a Little Giant 1000 gph.
Some of my chemistry isn’t great, but it is very stable. I think my water must be okay because I have had several delicate hitchhikers (from 3 year old or more Fiji live rock and sand) do well in there. A tiny
feather duster worm lived for 2 years in the sand, 15 or so “hitchhiker” colonial anemones are quite thriving, (though I understand they are especially hardy). The aiptasia does fine too- when I have no peppermint shrimp!
I even have a local California bat star (I know its not even the right temperature- but he was a rescue from a curators alcohol jar!) has been in there whole year despite all predictions and growing like mad! He’s hand fed.
To recap: When to dump? And am I ready for bulb tipped anemones?
Thanks so much for your advice!
Leslie G.
