At what stage is a tank ready for nems?

[KevPool]

Heya folks.

Just wondering at what point is a good time to add nems? Been reading a lot on nems recently and thought I would ask here. Lots of ppl say after a year some say a few months in, but what's your tell tail sign that your reef is ready for a nem?

 

[mwil79]

I personally don't believe there is a tell tail sign, mature tanks will have an easier time but I believe that to be all because of stability and not having major swings. If you are on top of your parameters and keep a close watch a few months is fine. I've have a BTA since my tank was 3 months old and never had an issue.

 

[alain Bouchard]

when everything goes too well in your tank, your high end sps and lps are thriving, and you are looking for something to give you constant anxiety attack, about whether they will sting your corals to bleaching or nuke your entire tank by dancing in your wavemaker.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Personally I think you should at least wait four months or so before you put them in there.

 

[IKD]

Personally I think you should at least wait four months or so before you put them in there.

I typically look for stable alk/calc and signs of corraline growth on the rocks and walls.

 

[brandon429]

if your rock has coralline that you earned or showed up with, the tank can certainly handle anemones.


this rule makes tank age not matter.


its rock age



even full dry starts can handle them, but coralline is better. as soon as you have passed the cycle is when, and retail feeds make up for lack of live rock, but not as good as actually having live rock with coralline. that last bit of real food web and associated aged chemistry is irreplaceable

 

[Sdot]

I think it depends on the species you want to keep. Bubbletips are much more tolerant to less than ideal conditions than lets say a magnificent anemone, or some of the carpet anemones.