Anemone and refugium questions

[carolynthefairyprincess]

Hello reefers!

I had a couple questions for you guys.

First my tank: 5.5 mo old 55 gallon reef tank with a 40 gal breeder sump complete with protein skimmer and refugium. Nitrates between 0-5, pH 8, ca 460, ammonia 0, nitrites 0.

I wanted to get an anemone for my clownfish and another anemone for the sexy shrimp. I was thinking about getting a BT and a rock flower anemone. I wasn't sure if my tank was large enough to accommodate both of those. I want to get the bubble tip, wait a few months and then get the rock flower anemone. What is the best way to prep the tank so the BT won't get caught in powerheads etc? Detailed instructions would be awesome!

Secondly, I have noticed a lot of algae (not the chaeto, probably diatoms) growing over the substrate in the fuge. Do people usually throw snails or crabs in there? What keeps them from going other places in the sump?

Additionally, I have a pre-pump filter on the return pump, can copepods get through that?

Thanks so much!!

 

[carolynthefairyprincess]

Anyone?

 

[carolynthefairyprincess]

I'm sorry I don't have pretty pictures to entice anyone to respond.

 

[Unknown]

BUMP!
I have the same thing going on in my sump!

 

[pickupman66]

Put a finer mesh around your powerheads. Anemonees will go where they r happy

 

[fishroomlady]

yes, you just need to protect the anemone from powerheads with a covering. Your tank size is large enough to accommodate both the BT and rock flower. You just need to keep your parameters in check for the nems and make sure you have adequate lighting.

You can manually remove the yuckiness on your substrate or you can opt to put in snails and hermits in there as well. I've put both on the sand in my refugium and only the snail (turbo) crawled out of that compartment into the next compartment - wasn't a bad thing, kept eating algae. If you get sand dwelling snails, less likely to have that problem but may not be enough food in there to sustain them long-term.

 

[vic67]

If you're lucky the nems will quickly find a place they're comfortable in and not move at all. Ecotech sells foam coverings for their pumps; you could DIY something for other brands.

 

[carolynthefairyprincess]

Do people usually just remove the gross manually? Or prefer to banish things to it. I have a pair of peppermint shrimp that immediately attacked a hammerhead I put in the tank. I removed it and put it in the sump pending catching the peppermints. Best way to catch them?