Setting up the 55 again

[Christian]

Ok I put rocks and and 3 hermits, 2, 3 striped damsels. But it's only been set up for about 2 weeks. I want to keep it a bare bottom tank. With just rocks and fish, corals. Is it good to have a bare bottom tank? I'm going to get new lights. MH when I get the money.but for now I have a t-5ho fixture. With 14,000k and actanic. Bouth 54w. I'm not shure what I want to keep besides anemones and montipora capacornius. Any colorful fish. Any thoughts?

[Timfish]

. . . Is it good to have a bare bottom tank? . . .

You know I don't think it matters I've seen good arguments either way and I've had good success either way and in between. If you go with a deep sand bed I'd put it in the sump so you have a taller "window" in your main tank. If you're going to keep brown or green bubble tips a bank of T5's is all you need.

[Christian]

What do you mean a bank? I might put sand into the tank because I don't have a sump. Just some hang on the side filters for now. I also know that anemones need some sand too.

[Crab Rangoon]

What do you mean a bank? I might put sand into the tank because I don't have a sump. Just some hang on the side filters for now. I also know that anemones need some sand too.

This isn't entirely true - there are plenty of anemones that won't really ever grace the floor of your tank in the first place. Regardless of lighting being a lot or a little - many varieties, especially bubble tips, will wander throughout the tank, and eventually settle somewhere within the top third of your tanks height. The types that are a bit less mobile are carpets and the like, which are typically much larger & certainly heavier - these do prefer a flat solid anchor, like the bottom of your tank, and if you don't have sand, some rubble or smaller liverock skirting their foot will be enough for them to feel save & covered.

[Christian]

So the carpets and other larg ones don't really need sand?

[Crab Rangoon]

That's not what I was trying to get at, no. Carpets are some of the few that will be most insistent on being bottom dwellers, as the floor of the aquarium is one of the only places broad enough for their whole foot to grab hold. Haddoni and Ritteri are the two anemones I typically never suggest people try keeping, as many do not have the lighting ideal for them - with your lighting, I would most suggest sticking to BTA's - as they are commonly available captive bred/raised, and always from locals. Try your hand at that, rather than some a larger, wild caught specimen that may not adapt as readily to your aquarium or it's lighting.

The carpet varieties do not absolutely NEED sand, but they will not stop moving/feel safe & comfy until a good perimeter of their foot has been covered. If I try introducing a carpet to my barebottom tank, I'll be surrounding it with small rocks after it grabs hold of the glass, and hoping for the best regarding it's mobility.

[Christian]

I have two anemones in my 29gallon bio-cube.

[Timfish]

. . . a bank of T5's is all you need.

Sorry for the confusion, You should be able to fit 5 or 6 T5's depending on the fixture or reflectors used.

[Christian]

The only problem is that I can't affored 4 more t5ho's to put on the tank.

[Timfish]

Check here for a cheap T5 fixture:

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/sun-blaze-54w-4ft-t5-fluorescent-strip-light-p-2062.html

$25 for fixture (includes 6500K bulb), $10 for a reflector that clips on to it.

[Christian]

Thank you. That is exactly what I'm looking for.

I Aldo hav a nother question how long do y'all think a Condy will last in the 55gallon tank with the 14,000k light?

[Timfish]

I stopped getting condylactis anemonies. I've had an occasional one live 1-2 years but most didn't live a year and I've never had one reproduce. Cultured Bubbletips are readily available and reproduce.

[Christian]

No I know they won't reprduce but I wanted to know if it would live for a wile. With the 14k light.

[GKarshens]

Christian you really need to do some research outside of asking questions here. There are more resources than you could wrap your head around if you do a google search (I remember someone telling you to do that already). You still don't get the concept that spectrum of light is not near as important as the strength or wattage. 14,000k is the color that's it. PLEASE go read some books or webpages on anemone care. Otherwise you are asking for trouble.

[+KeeperOfTheZoo]

Lets do remember that we're helping out a kid here. I just spent an entire weekend hosting a camp out on my farm for one of our teen groups. Love the kids, but they are KIDS and they don't necessarily go about things the way adults do. The quickest way to get kids (many adults too) to shut down and stop asking questions is with snippy answers.

Yes there are great resources online. There are great resources on this list too and if asking questions and getting interactive feedback is ones preferred method of research there's nothing wrong with that.

I've read a lot about lighting and still find myself with a lot of questions. I'm not sure I would have had the patience or dedication for this hobby when I was a teen.

Christian, do read other resources but don't feel like you can't ask for clarification here.

[Chrispar]

I dont really think there was a snippy answer, Ive seen christian asking the same question in at least 2 different threads that he has started. I think It might have been a response out of reading and answering the same questions multiple times for the same person.

[GKarshens]

I didn't mean to be snippy, but as Chrispar said the same question has been asked multiple times, and once in a thread about starting a business selling these anemones. I just feel it is completely irresponsible, regardless of age, to try to keep an animal that you don't know how to care for. If these were puppies that someone didn't know how to feed or take care of people would be screaming from the roof tops to stop.

Christian I am sorry if I offended you. You seem like a nice person. I just want you to learn what you are doing before buying these animals, not as you go along. For your sake, and theirs.

[+KeeperOfTheZoo]

I know Gabriel and nothing you said was untrue. I just don't want to see Christian's enthusiasm for the hobby or desire to ask questions squealched.

I don't think Christian is being any more irresponsible that a lot of adults in this hobby and he IS asking questions.

I'll stop being a mother hen. For the record, I'm not taking exception to the advice just the strong tone.

And Christian don't take offense to me calling you a 'kid'. I still call my 21 year old brother a kid all the time, drives him crazy!!

[Christian]

Well i'm still a kid so it's ok. I know that the Internet is a good recorce of information. But it's a simple question to know if I can leet the anemone in my other tank with the lights because it keeps moving around my small 29 gallon nano. I have read articuals and books on aquarium lighting I know that you add bouth the wattage of the bulbs and devide by the number of gallons. I know I've asked the question multiple times that's only because I never got a straight anwser about the aneome.

[GKarshens]

The straight answer is you need more light. You would need at least a 150w MH or 4-5 T5 high output bulbs to keep an anemone. Especially the tougher ones like carpets. Just remember the color or spectrum is the k rating. When it comes to having enough light this number doesn't directly relate. The wattage is what you need to look at to know if you have enough. The thing is with anemones is there are other factors that will play are large part in their success other than the light. They need a mature, stable aquarium. I would highly recommend going for a Bubble Tip instead of a carpet. They are much hardier and easier to keep.

Read this article:

Anemones

It is a great overview and good starting point.

[Christian]

Well the 55 has only been set up for 2 weeks so I'm not looking to put one in just yet.but my biocube has been running for 5 almos 6 years.

[Chrispar]

I have a 150w MH on my 29 that was what finally got my Sabea to stay put. So i would try and find and MH fixture for your biocube. Wait a couple of weeks and i might be posting my 150w coralife clipon.

[Christian]

I have a seabea in my bio cube and he stays put. It's just the condy is big and moves around stinging my zoas but I like the colors and size but want to eventuly move him.