FTS 2/23/09:

just set-up... still sandy... I put a frag of pom-pom Xenia and a frag of Galaxia that a fellow reefer gave me that was bleaching... I put it in here to test out the 70W MH...



Right near my closet across the room from my Solana... right under the M. Rubendall print...












Well, it should be said that this tank is hinging on me being able to nurse this Heteractis crispa (Sebae Anemone) that I have back to health. It is bleached right now but eating like a pig. I feed it a chopped up silver-side about 3 to 4 times a week and it's tentacles are still pretty sticky. Mouth is no longer gaping.





But anyways, as you may (or may not) know, H. crispa doesn't usually extend it's tentacles unless a clownfish is actively hosting it. Right now, it's tentacles are not extended but it is in my 34g Solana and I'm terrified that they will (because my perc. clown keeps looking at the nem and checking it out)... So I want to get it out of there ASAP!

I have a BC-14g and a 70W MH laying around... figured it would be a great time to start up a small little tank just for the anemone... and maybe one day a juvenile pair of clowns.

Well, this tank will probably be a temporary housing solution. Its a bit small for a full-grown H. crispa but it should suffice for now.

Equipment:
-Bio-Cube 14g (roughly 9.5 to 10g display)
-Maxi-Jet 900 Modded Return
-Koralia Nano for added flow
-Tunze Osmolator for RO/DI top-off
-JBJ Viper 70W MH Clamp-On Lamp

Stocking:
-H. crispa
-Feather Caulerpa
-Cleaner Shrimp
-small pair of A. percula (maybe... or just a single)

Overview:
A peaceful species tank that with the addition of natural filtration (caulerpa) and weekly waterchanges (5 gallons) should be relatively easy to maintain. A 3.5" course sandbed for the H. crispa to bury it's foot and a few small LR outcroppings. The 70W MH should keep the H. crispa happy with the addition of weekly feedings of chopped up marine fare.

Pictures soon. Just have to buy the pumps and the Osmolator.

Feedback? Suggestions?

Good luck! Can't wait to see pics. Where did you get the second pic, btw?

thanks! I'm going to go buy the pumps and some LS next week so early set-up pics will be up then...

btw... my anemone STUNG THE CRAP OUT OF ME TONIGHT! I was feeding and wasn't paying too close attention to where my fingertips were... and BAM! all around my cuticles on my left hand felt like they were on fire! I hate being sensitive to stings! I have even been zapped by my Frogspawn before!

Man that nem pic is insane.

o ya... I just googled Heteractis crispa and a sleuth of images came up... that one included.

tank set-up and running... threw some Xenia frags in just to see what happens... pics soon

haha tester frags.... All day son.

New FTS soon... more LR, 2 new Onyx Perculas, and some Caulerpa and a red macro algae that came on a rock with lots of cool sponges. Pics soon. Thanks.

This sounds cool, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

so... one helluva weekend... lost both pair of the Onyx clowns to ich... I was bummed because they were doing great and 1 night, BOOM... dead with ich... it happened that fast. On top of that, I lost a Potter's Angel and my Orchid Dottyback in my Solana this weekend also... still don't know what happened to them... I look in the tank and they are laying on the sand... They looked perfectly healthy, just dead. I tested my params and nothing was out of the ordinary and my other fish are fine. Oh well, guess I'm just going to have to wait it out to put more fish in the tank.

Want rock flower nems?

haha... I actually thought about taking the anemone out and plumbing the 14g BC to my 34g Solana sort of as like a... display refugium...

some pictures of the tank: some new and some old.

the 2 clowns RIP:


FTS old:


Red Macroalgae old:


Anemone regaining its color new:


Thanks guys... I am going to be keeping this tank up and running for the time being... I'm thinking about getting some more clowns here soon when the tank has gone through its 45 day ich cycle... immediate plans are going to call for an auto-top off as I am replenishing almost 1 liter of fresh water a day.

so... I've been thinking about restocking... I want some fish I've never kept before... was thinking maybe a Goby and a Cardinal fish or maybe a baby clarkii clown and a jawfish... thoughts? suggestions?

sorry, about the clown losses, but the anemone looks like it's recovering well. for new fish, I would caution against anything small or slow moving. Clownfish or damsels would be your best bet - the anemone will likely try to eat anything else.

Any updates?

Any fish besides clowns the anemone is going to kill. The tank is also too small for a clarkii, they get big.

Good job saving the anemone!

what makes you think it's anemone that decides who it hosts and not the organism that chooses the host?