Tube Anenomes

hi,
I had a tank back in the 80`s that wasnt a reef tank (special lighting)
BUT--- I managed to keep a beautiful Purple tube anemone for years in it. It
seemed to thrive and do fine with the brine shrimp and clam pieces I fed it.
I want to start a new marine aquarium w/o the hi-tech lighting. I cant
afford it. But I would like to have a nice tube anenome like the old days.
Did I just luck out years ago----or are these tube anenomes heartier than
others and formidable in a regular fish-only tank?
thanks for your help.

StringerBell wrote:
> hi,
> I had a tank back in the 80`s that wasnt a reef tank (special lighting)
> BUT--- I managed to keep a beautiful Purple tube anemone for years in it. It
> seemed to thrive and do fine with the brine shrimp and clam pieces I fed it.
> I want to start a new marine aquarium w/o the hi-tech lighting. I cant
> afford it. But I would like to have a nice tube anenome like the old days.
> Did I just luck out years ago----or are these tube anenomes heartier than
> others and formidable in a regular fish-only tank?
> thanks for your help.
>
>
The thing about tube anemones is that they are not photosynthic so they
do not need great lighting, they just need to be feed.

Kim

I kept the same on for 15 years and it did not die of natural causes. As long as it is fed
correctly, not to much and not to little they will do fine. However, many have had
problems keeping them . It is usually a food thing and not keeping them off the bottom in
a tank. I kept mine in artificial tubes which by far is the best way.

--
Boomer

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up

Former US Army Bomb Technician (EOD)
Member; IABTI, NATEODA, WEODF, ISEE & IPS

Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php

Want to See More ! The Coral Realm
http://www.coralrealm.com



"StringerBell" <StringerBell@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote in message
news:_yQFg.3252$0a5.3072@newsfe09.lga...
: hi,
: I had a tank back in the 80`s that wasnt a reef tank (special lighting)
: BUT--- I managed to keep a beautiful Purple tube anemone for years in it. It
: seemed to thrive and do fine with the brine shrimp and clam pieces I fed it.
: I want to start a new marine aquarium w/o the hi-tech lighting. I cant
: afford it. But I would like to have a nice tube anenome like the old days.
: Did I just luck out years ago----or are these tube anenomes heartier than
: others and formidable in a regular fish-only tank?
: thanks for your help.
:
:

thanks for the reply---
one other question---
is there a type of anmonie that doesnt need special lighting that will
interact with clowns? In other words---I dont want to go nuts with a reef
tank---but I would like to have a simple Clown/anemonie relationship going
on. Is there a way I can chieve this without the "heavy duty lighting"
investment?

thanks again
"Boomer" <wcwing@nospamchartermi.net> wrote in message
news:n6RFg.161$j25.71@newsfe07.lga...
>I kept the same on for 15 years and it did not die of natural causes. As
>long as it is fed
> correctly, not to much and not to little they will do fine. However, many
> have had
> problems keeping them . It is usually a food thing and not keeping them
> off the bottom in
> a tank. I kept mine in artificial tubes which by far is the best way.
>
> --
> Boomer
>
> If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up
>
> Former US Army Bomb Technician (EOD)
> Member; IABTI, NATEODA, WEODF, ISEE & IPS
>
> Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
> http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php
>
> Want to See More ! The Coral Realm
> http://www.coralrealm.com
>
>
>
> "StringerBell" <StringerBell@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote in message
> news:_yQFg.3252$0a5.3072@newsfe09.lga...
> : hi,
> : I had a tank back in the 80`s that wasnt a reef tank (special lighting)
> : BUT--- I managed to keep a beautiful Purple tube anemone for years in
> it. It
> : seemed to thrive and do fine with the brine shrimp and clam pieces I fed
> it.
> : I want to start a new marine aquarium w/o the hi-tech lighting. I cant
> : afford it. But I would like to have a nice tube anenome like the old
> days.
> : Did I just luck out years ago----or are these tube anenomes heartier
> than
> : others and formidable in a regular fish-only tank?
> : thanks for your help.
> :
> :
>
>

"StringerBell" <StringerBell@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote in message news:yDRFg.1331$EG2.96@newsfe10.lga...
> thanks for the reply---
> one other question---
> is there a type of anmonie that doesnt need special lighting that will
> interact with clowns? In other words---I dont want to go nuts with a reef
> tank---but I would like to have a simple Clown/anemonie relationship going
> on. Is there a way I can chieve this without the "heavy duty lighting"
> investment?

All host anemones are photosyntetic, but they do not require
strong light to live. I have a large bubble tip anemone under
two 96W power compacts (1x10000 and 1xactinic). I feed it
occasionally with larger morsel, my breeding pair of maroon
clownfish are feeding it also with what they do not eat and
it is doing just fine. One word of warning - properly fed
they grow quite fast and can become too big for small tank...
I kept mine in 3-feet/30 gallon and had to upgrade to 58 gallon
because it was smothering other corals in the nearby...

It will not do well under normal output fluorescence ligths
sold with average aquarium set, but you can get a tank and
some used lights from eBay or other place for very cheap...
Under my two 96W bulbs the anemone positioned itself very
close to the bottom - so the light is too strong for it anyway.

Thanks for your reply. I got a nice 65 gallon tank as a gift---so space
shouldnt be a problem. Can you be more specific about the types of lights
you are using? What is the general price range. What is the brand--where can
I get them and NOT get ripped off? The guy in the store said proper lighting
would be upwards of $500!!!
Also---is there some other kind of device I would need beside the Cannister
and Wet-Dry filters? Like I said---I`m not planning on Corals---all I want
to do is keep 1 healthy host anemonie. THANKS!

> All host anemones are photosyntetic, but they do not require
> strong light to live. I have a large bubble tip anemone under
> two 96W power compacts (1x10000 and 1xactinic). I feed it
> occasionally with larger morsel, my breeding pair of maroon
> clownfish are feeding it also with what they do not eat and
> it is doing just fine. One word of warning - properly fed
> they grow quite fast and can become too big for small tank...
> I kept mine in 3-feet/30 gallon and had to upgrade to 58 gallon
> because it was smothering other corals in the nearby...
>
> It will not do well under normal output fluorescence ligths
> sold with average aquarium set, but you can get a tank and
> some used lights from eBay or other place for very cheap...
> Under my two 96W bulbs the anemone positioned itself very
> close to the bottom - so the light is too strong for it anyway.

"StringerBell" <StringerBell@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote in message news:np2Gg.262$0o6.255@newsfe11.lga...
> Thanks for your reply. I got a nice 65 gallon tank as a gift---so space
> shouldnt be a problem. Can you be more specific about the types of lights
> you are using? What is the general price range. What is the brand--where can
> I get them and NOT get ripped off? The guy in the store said proper lighting
> would be upwards of $500!!!
> Also---is there some other kind of device I would need beside the Cannister
> and Wet-Dry filters? Like I said---I`m not planning on Corals---all I want
> to do is keep 1 healthy host anemonie. THANKS!

I started with 30 gallons tank, it is 3 foot long, so I used
Coralife fixture as the single source of light... It had one
"smart" pc 96W bulb. Smart means simply it is half 10000K and
half "actinic". Then, I upgraded the lights to a home-made fixture
taking two similar 96W bulbs. This time I could save some $$$
and use single 10000K and single actinic ("smart" tubes are more
$$$). I got 2 96W kits from http://www.ahsupply.com/96watt.htm
and put them into this home-made box. It does not look very pretty
but it does not look ghetto either

Your 65 gallons tank is probably 4 feet long, so just pick
a power compact fixture of the proper lenght/width...
96W bulbs are out of the question because they will be too
short. You could pick a fixture with two or better 4 65W bulbs.

Instead of listening to "the guy" in the store check the prices
yourself! This one will cost you $200 fully assembled:
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...roduct=ES53106
It might be not enough for the very tall tank - but you
can always try to build your rockwork to provide some room
close to lights for the anemone to settle to its liking...
To get more light pick a fixture with a parabolic reflector
instead of the flat one. The Coralife from the link above
looks like it has flat reflectors, but I had a different one
so I am not sure. Ask the people in the MarineDepot store.
Maybe they will recomend you 48" long fixture with parabolic
reflectors - they will be much better for taller tank like yours.

If you are handy, you can order "retrofit kits" and build your
canopy yourself. Retrofits consist of all parts needed to fit
the "empty box" with the light: AC cables, wire nuts, power supplies
(sometimes called "ballasts"), mirrored aluminium reflectors,
all hooks/clips to hold the bulbs and detailed instructions on
how to hook it up together...
The benefit of ordering kit is that you can put as many bulbs
as you like of the kind you choose... Factory made lamps do
look nicer, but if you are on the tight budget than the DIY
(Do It Yourself) is the way to go...

Thanks so much!
Stringer


"Pszemol" <Pszemol@PolBox.com> wrote in message
news:eca1o8.2oo.1@poczta.onet.pl...
> "StringerBell" <StringerBell@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote in message
> news:np2Gg.262$0o6.255@newsfe11.lga...
>> Thanks for your reply. I got a nice 65 gallon tank as a gift---so space
>> shouldnt be a problem. Can you be more specific about the types of lights
>> you are using? What is the general price range. What is the brand--where
>> can I get them and NOT get ripped off? The guy in the store said proper
>> lighting would be upwards of $500!!!
>> Also---is there some other kind of device I would need beside the
>> Cannister and Wet-Dry filters? Like I said---I`m not planning on
>> Corals---all I want to do is keep 1 healthy host anemonie. THANKS!
>
> I started with 30 gallons tank, it is 3 foot long, so I used
> Coralife fixture as the single source of light... It had one
> "smart" pc 96W bulb. Smart means simply it is half 10000K and
> half "actinic". Then, I upgraded the lights to a home-made fixture
> taking two similar 96W bulbs. This time I could save some $$$
> and use single 10000K and single actinic ("smart" tubes are more
> $$$). I got 2 96W kits from http://www.ahsupply.com/96watt.htm
> and put them into this home-made box. It does not look very pretty
> but it does not look ghetto either
>
> Your 65 gallons tank is probably 4 feet long, so just pick
> a power compact fixture of the proper lenght/width...
> 96W bulbs are out of the question because they will be too
> short. You could pick a fixture with two or better 4 65W bulbs.
>
> Instead of listening to "the guy" in the store check the prices
> yourself! This one will cost you $200 fully assembled:
> http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...roduct=ES53106
> It might be not enough for the very tall tank - but you
> can always try to build your rockwork to provide some room
> close to lights for the anemone to settle to its liking...
> To get more light pick a fixture with a parabolic reflector
> instead of the flat one. The Coralife from the link above
> looks like it has flat reflectors, but I had a different one
> so I am not sure. Ask the people in the MarineDepot store.
> Maybe they will recomend you 48" long fixture with parabolic
> reflectors - they will be much better for taller tank like yours.
>
> If you are handy, you can order "retrofit kits" and build your
> canopy yourself. Retrofits consist of all parts needed to fit
> the "empty box" with the light: AC cables, wire nuts, power supplies
> (sometimes called "ballasts"), mirrored aluminium reflectors,
> all hooks/clips to hold the bulbs and detailed instructions on
> how to hook it up together...
> The benefit of ordering kit is that you can put as many bulbs
> as you like of the kind you choose... Factory made lamps do
> look nicer, but if you are on the tight budget than the DIY
> (Do It Yourself) is the way to go...

thanks so much for your help----will that light fixture be enough for me to
keep anemonies?---or do I need som other type equipment?
Remember---I only want to get the heartiest types of stuff out there----not
try to do anything exotic.

"StringerBell" <StringerBell@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote in message news:y86Gg.608$%D.298@newsfe12.lga...
> thanks so much for your help----will that light fixture be enough
> for me to keep anemonies?---or do I need som other type equipment?

Beside the lights I would put a large amount of live rock,
thick layer of fine sand "seeded" with a top layer of
live sand (DSB). In the sump I would add a skimmer to remove
dissolved organics before they turn into the nitrates and
I would skip on using any wet-dry or canister filters...
They are there to generate nitrates - this is not good.
They are great for freshwater tank, but not for the reef tank.
Also a heater and a couple of small powerheads inside the
tank to create additional water movement anemones like so much.
And that would be it!

> Remember---I only want to get the heartiest types of stuff
> out there----not try to do anything exotic.

Go to the public library in your area and borrow a book
titled: Natural Reef Aquariums: Simplified Approaches to
Creating Living Saltwater Microcosms (Paperback)
by John H. Tullock or just order it from Amazon.com
It will be about $20. Another great and very small book
is Host Sea Anemone Secrets (Paperback) by Dr. Ron Shimek $8
A must for you, if you want to keep happy sea anemone
These two positions it is the best $30 investment in this
hobby you can make, before you start collecting expensive
equipment which has no use in a reef tank, like a canister
filter... unfortunatelly recommended by many fish stores.