Anemone help

[Just Keep Swimming]

Hi all!
Here's my story....
I currently have a 72 gallon reef tank. I've had this set up for about 18 months now. I have had NO luck with the 2 anemones I've tried, rose BTA and a condi. The problem is, not only did I kill the poor things, my clown fish have decided to take up residence in other corals. They have killed a leather finger coral and a brain coral, not sure yet what they will move onto now that my poor brain coral is a goner. The most confusing thing is all my tank parameters are in order, they corals thrive and grow very well. The tank was 7 months old when I tried the first anemone. I have 12000 k lighting from build my led. My only thought was maybe it didn't like my filter. I am upgrading to a new tank next month.... 90 gallon with a sump, bio pellet reactor, oversized protein skimmer, uv light. Also thinking about doing a refuge in it. Any thoughts? Should I wait a few months before trying again? Better lighting maybe?

 

[Tahoe61]

Sorry to hear, that sounds frustrating. What type of anemone or anemones are you trying to keep? What type of clowns and how large are they? Honestly I do not think a 12k is going to cut it long term.

IMO you should wait and upgrade the lighting, it's all about lighting, pristine water quality for anemones. If you have clowns that are too big for the anemone than that is another issue.

 

[Just Keep Swimming]

I got the when I got the tank, so about 18 months ago... They were young then. They are 1.5-2 inches maybe lol.

 

[Just Keep Swimming]

Don't know if this helps but here's a pic, taken just now with my iPad and no flash....

 

[Just Keep Swimming]

Lol good job my daughter did today cleaning the glass!

 

[Tahoe61]

Ok, so much for reading comprehension, missed both types of anemone sorry about that.

A Condi and a BTA should have been ok for months under a 12k, so next comes water quality. When you post "parameters are in order" please provide which parameters you have tested for and those values. Peeps are gonna want to know, for instance, SG, pH, Alkalinity......Nitrates. You provided great detail, just need more specifics for trouble shooting.

While clowns may irritate or stress some corals to death it's somewhat unusual for them to kill off so many coral types. I have had clowns use a brain coral/Trachyphyllia as a host without much stress so I have to wonder is there a water chemistry issue at play here.

 

[Just Keep Swimming]

Calcium 440,
alk 180
phosphate 0
nitrates10
ph 8.1
temp 78.2
ammonia 0
salinity 1.025.
I use reef fusion 1 and 2 a couple time a week, at least.

 

[Tahoe61]

Excellent.

I believe you answered your own question in the 1st post, better lighting. Always make sure you start with a nice colorful healthy specimen. I would avoid Condy's as they may not readily host clowns and they tend to move around more frequently.

 

[Just Keep Swimming]

Lol I'm one of those quirky people that when I say parameters are in order I mean it! Not that anyone here would know that I do actually know what the parameters should be. I'm thinking it might have something to do with not having a sump as well....

 

[Tahoe61]

Well I have kept all kinds of anemones over the years and mostly in tanks without sumps. BTA and Condy's are very forgiving anemones, they'll do fine in a tank without a sump and can take a lot of abuse.

LOL, trust me I can not tell you how many times I have seen "parameters are spot on" only to find out alk was 6 or mag was 1100....sometimes we as hobbyist can not see the forest through the trees. If you have an issue with your tank and post about it everyone and their cousin is going to ask for specific values, we are weird that way.

 

[Just Keep Swimming]

I know lol [emoji225]
It's very frustrating, stupid anemones! Lol I love them and it freaks me out when something dies!
Suggestions for new lights? I won't try again until the new tank has been set up for a few months. ..
Looking into kessil, razor and Radeon, I'd like something that would work with a controller and that is upgradable without having to buy an entire new light.

 

[Tahoe61]

If one can afford it Radion. I run Hydra because I just could not justify the price of Radion. Remember on a 90 you're going to have to have 3 Kessil. I have no experience with Razor, they seem to get the job done though. Radion and Hydra 52 are awesome in that you have a wide range of options regarding intensity, color of lighting, timers, and my favorite the lighting storms and cloud cover. I absolutely love being able to pick up my controller and change %'s and color.

 

[yarddoctor123]

OMG. I just moved my Premnas couple to a 28g cube that my friend gave me. The New tank was "cycled" with 100% water from their previous home in my garage. All the live rock from it and my display Tank. yada yada
Do you think the actinic and 10000K daylight will be enough for an anemone or should I take the GD top off and hang a Kessil over it?

 

[Just Keep Swimming]

I'd wait a few months for the new set up to become well established. I'm not the anemone expert.

I've decided to trick out my tank, bite the bullet and make the investment....
2 radion xr 15 pro lights , 2 Eco tech Vortec mp 40 power heads and an apex controller....
Any suggestions?

 

[yarddoctor123]

I'd wait a few months for the new set up to become well established. I'm not the anemone expert.

I've decided to trick out my tank, bite the bullet and make the investment....
2 radion xr 15 pro lights , 2 Eco tech Vortec mp 40 power heads and an apex controller....
Any suggestions?

The anemone isn't going in till I'm totally satisfied with filtration and lighting[emoji2] I had to mod a protein skimmer from spare parts... the skimmers that are designed for these cubes could never handle even the light bioload that's going in there. Just got clear acrylic tube for the anemone guard.
So what have you decided to do differently with your new "tricked out" tank and the anemone(s)?

 

[Just Keep Swimming]

I'm upgrading the entire tank. In the first post I mentioned the 90 gallon I'm moving things into, sump, protein skimmer, uv light, bio pellet reactor, killer pump. Newest decisions are the new power heads, lights and apex controller.
Once things settle I'm considering some sps corals, a Valentini puffer and trying another anemone. That's why I posted here...

 

[yarddoctor123]

Any updates?