How long until add a RFA?

[yanni]

hey all,

I’m currently about to restart my tank, and my LFS has some RFAs I’d love to purchase. I know they’re relatively hardy, and once my tank cycles again I’ll be adding established bio media and some live rock. How long should I wait to add a RFA, will they be okay once my tank cycles, or should I wait a while longer?

 

[OrionN]

What is a RFA?

 

[olonmv]

If you’re adding live rock, you should be good to go.

 

[olonmv]

What is a RFA?

Rockflower anemone.

 

[yanni]

What is a RFA?

Rock flower anemone!

 

[yanni]

If you’re adding live rock, you should be good to go.

Okay perfect. It’ll be a dry rock start, adding live bio media at start of cycle. And then adding some small live rock once it’s cycled if that makes a difference

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Rock flower anemones are super hardy, but I'd still give about 3-4 months before adding them. By then the uglies should be over if you used live rock.

 

[yanni]

Rock flower anemones are super hardy, but I'd still give about 3-4 months before adding them. By then the uglies should be over if you used live rock.

Ahh see that’s the trouble, in Australia it’s super hard to source RFAs, not native here. Somehow someone got some, and I don’t want to miss out, but also don’t want to risk hurting them

 

[olonmv]

Okay perfect. It’ll be a dry rock start, adding live bio media at start of cycle. And then adding some small live rock once it’s cycled if that makes a difference

If you’re gonna be doin live rock, I’d pass on the dry rock. If you insist on goin with dead rock, I’d wait until live rock is added or at least 6 months of stable parameters before adding the RF.

 

[yanni]

If you’re gonna be doin live rock, I’d pass on the dry rock. If you insist on goin with dead rock, I’d wait until live rock is added or at least 6 months of stable parameters before adding the RF.

Yeah awesome. I’ll probably do a mix of dry and live, wait a month after the cycle, see if I can pay a deposit and get them held for me. I feel like that should be okay, heard they don’t need pristine water conditions so it should be okay. I really appreciate the insight

 

[olonmv]

Yeah awesome. I’ll probably do a mix of dry and live, wait a month after the cycle, see if I can pay a deposit and get them held for me. I feel like that should be okay, heard they don’t need pristine water conditions so it should be okay. I really appreciate the insight

Sounds like a plan. But RF’s don’t need pristine water, Just stable parameters. My tank had gone as high as 40ppm in NO3 and my RF’s didn’t care. I try to keep them between 5-15ppm.

 

[olonmv]

FWIW, if you go with live rock, there’s virtually no waiting period for cycling.

 

[yanni]

Sounds like a plan. But RF’s don’t need pristine water, Just stable parameters. My tank had gone as high as 40ppm in NO3 and my RF’s didn’t care. I try to keep them between 5-15ppm.

That’s fair. Stability is key really with all corals and inverts (excluding some SPS)

 

[yanni]

FWIW, if you go with live rock, there’s virtually no waiting period for cycling.

Only worry is expense, and I’m paranoid after dealing with lobophora and gha outbreaks. On the topic, how long do you recommend waiting for a tube anemone?

 

[olonmv]

Only worry is expense, and I’m paranoid after dealing with lobophora and gha outbreaks. On the topic, how long do you recommend waiting for a tube anemone?

I started my tank completely dry, knowing what I know now, I’d start with as much live rock as I could afford solely because of all the ugly stage battles I went through with dry. I’ve never tried a tube anemone but could only assume that it’ll require the same stability as a RF. I also think that live rock has established enough macro’s to outcompete GHA.

 

[yanni]

I started my tank completely dry, knowing what I know now, I’d start with as much live rock as I could afford solely because of all the ugly stage battles I went through with dry. I’ve never tried a tube anemone but could only assume that it’ll require the same stability as a RF. I also think that live rock has established enough macro’s to outcompete GHA.

Yeah that’s a really good point. I’m doing a minimalist aquascape, mainly for softies, RFAs and a few LPS, so getting live rock should be decently cheap anyways.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Only worry is expense, and I’m paranoid after dealing with lobophora and gha outbreaks. On the topic, how long do you recommend waiting for a tube anemone?

At least 6 months! And they can very aggressive and should be in a large established tank. Not a small nano reef.

 

[yanni]

At least 6 months! And they can very aggressive and should be in a large established tank. Not a small nano reef.

Was thinking a small tube nem, seen some people keep them with success in nanos (20gal). Maybe I shouldn’t get one though

 

[olonmv]

Was thinking a small tube nem, seen some people keep them with success in nanos (20gal). Maybe I shouldn’t get one though

I’ve read about what @AydenLincoln has said about aggressiveness. They stretch up to 8” I believe. In a nano tank that’s usually half the height of the tank. I think they’re pretty but I wouldn’t put one in my nano because I’ve read stories about perfectly healthy strong fish being eaten by them.

 

[yanni]

I’ve read about what @AydenLincoln has said about aggressiveness. They stretch up to 8” I believe. In a nano tank that’s usually half the height of the tank. I think they’re pretty but I wouldn’t put one in my nano because I’ve read stories about perfectly healthy strong fish being eaten by them.

May just leave it. I would never want to risk anything in the tank that could kill anything else. Of course that’s a risk with Everything, but I’d like to not take large avoidable risks. Plus, keeping everything at a healthy and happy capacity, caring for things properly is important.