Anemone trouble...

[ReeferPat]

So, quick rundown... Tank is a 40-gallon cube; it has been up for about eight months now. I got a Haitian Pink Tip anemone that was thriving. Unfortunately, my clowns were not interested in the least and it got really big really fast and was stinging corals. Took it back to the store. Yesterday I replaced it with a RBT from a friend and my clowns were in heaven for a day. I was thrilled with how quickly the nem opened up, and how it stayed put. Woke up this morning and he was gone. Sucked himself into the main rock work. I think it happened when the lights came on but I'm not sure (woke up once in the middle of the night and he was still out). I know he will go where he wants to go but is there something I could/should do so he doesn't stay inside the rockwork? Should I let the tank go dark for a day and see if that entices him to come out?

I have a Kessil A360X. Had it for a couple weeks and run it at 30% at the peak, which all corals seem to like the best. Could the problem be that my friend and I are running different lights?

Most importantly, how long should I wait and let the nem do its thing before I start thinking about him maybe dying inside the rocks?

Parameters have been rock solid for several months, maybe with the exception of nitrates, which have always been a little high at about 20ppm, though they have stayed stable.

Temp - 78-79
Salinity - 1.026
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 20
Phosphates - 0.15
PH - 8.3
Alk - 10.2
Calcium - 460
Magnesium - 1320

Likely I was too impatient to get the anemone in there but I couldn't help myself. (And the clowns looked so happy...)

 

[mta_morrow]

Seriously, all you can do is just give it time.

Trying to get the nem out will most likely harm it.

You may need to put your clowns in isolation till the nem comes out and gets comfortable.

 

[ReeferPat]

Seriously, all you can do is just give it time.

Trying to get the nem out will most likely harm it.

You may need to put your clowns in isolation till the nem comes out and gets comfortable.

Thanks for the reply. I was afraid of that. I have an empty 10-gallon tank that I might have to set up as an isolation tank. If I'm able to get one good-size rock out of the main display and use the same tank water, could the small tank be considered "cycled" and safe for the clowns immediately? (I'm guessing not but thought I'd ask and hope for the best.)

 

[ReeferPat]

Thanks for the reply. I was afraid of that. I have an empty 10-gallon tank that I might have to set up as an isolation tank. If I'm able to get one good-size rock out of the main display and use the same tank water, could the small tank be considered "cycled" and safe for the clowns immediately? (I'm guessing not but thought I'd ask and hope for the best.)

Also, will a standard HOB filter be good enough for a while? The 40-gallon is an AIO and I've never tried saltwater before this.

 

[mta_morrow]

Thanks for the reply. I was afraid of that. I have an empty 10-gallon tank that I might have to set up as an isolation tank. If I'm able to get one good-size rock out of the main display and use the same tank water, could the small tank be considered "cycled" and safe for the clowns immediately? (I'm guessing not but thought I'd ask and hope for the best.)

This could work, but feed wisely and monitor daily for ammonia

 

[mta_morrow]

Also, will a standard HOB filter be good enough for a while? The 40-gallon is an AIO and I've never tried saltwater before this.

These options will work, but it will be up to you to monitor closely.

You can use an ammonia badge or preferably test daily and do water changes.

If possible, get some egg crate and isolate them in the existing tank.

This would be the easiest way.

Or get an acclimation box and keep them in the main tank.