anemones and corals

Question
I have some anemones and for some reason they die here and there but seem to last for months at a time..I want to buy some coral but might be thinking if my anemones aren't living long that maybe I need a different filtration system..I have a double bio wheel filter and also an underground filter with power heads...I have some live rock and some live sand with other saltwater sand..Is there anything I should change before buying and frags or coral ..

Answer
sorry for the late reply patricia i have been having some computer problems lately. but i will try my best now to answer your question now to the best of my knowledge.

first off, by "some" anemones how many anemones is that? depending on your tank size you should really never have more than 2 different kinds of anemones in your tank. if they come into contact with eachother it can be fatal to either. im guessing they would be condy anemones or some other variety of atlantic anemone as they are typically sold as more of a beginner anemone. in this case as with any case involving anemones they are very tricky critters. they require impeccable water conditions and intense lighting. (power compact, t5, metal halide, or LED) condy anemones are some of the easier anemones but they get large and very aggressive. i would limit to one or two a tank to avoid excessive loss of fish.

if your anemones are not alive i would suggest changing something before you get coral. first off you will need better lighting most likely. and that can be pricey. also your filter you have now wont cut it. a hang on back power filter is not that efficient and undergravel filters are very outdated and not that efficient either.

i would highly suggest a trickle style filter or even better a sump. this allows you to house all the filtration and other equipment (heaters, protein skimmers, filter media) cleanly out of sight in the tank stand. these are going to be some expensive upgrades to your system but in the long run make it much cheaper as you wont lose nearly as much coral. and your tanks overall health will skyrocket. hope that helps!

Marcus.