Xenia poll [Archive] - UltimateReef.com

Cranners

13-12-07, 16:34

Yep I agree with that but it was just a quick poll to see whether xenia crashes or thrives more in UR tanks.

Answering the question(s) why it thrives or crashes would be very interesting and possibly quite difficult to determine. I have plenty of factors or viables that people can record
Species - Xenia elongata

Xenia grows well in RSM - 130litres, 34gal, liverock filtration, 110w Lighting, 25 to 30x, protein skimmer 24/7
Age of tank set up - young (just cycled) to very mature (running for several years perhaps)? - 11months old
Dosing regime - do you dose or not, Yes - Magnesium, Iodine, Calcium and Calk
Parameters - iodine - not tested, calcium - 450ppm, magnesium - 1380ppm, pH - 8.1, dkH - 11.68, Alk - 4.17, NO3 - 10 -25ppm, S.G. - 1.024, PO4 0ppm low test salifert
Water temperature - averages - 24 to 26C
Water changes - size of water changes and how often? 10% per month
Whether the coral was from propagated captive stock or imported? - propagated stock
ULNS or not? - Not ULNS
Sump or sumpless - sumpless
Other corals - LPS - frogspawn, hammer, galaxea, plate coral, Bubble, Duncan, Softies - Bush coral, mushrooms, gorgonians, SPS - Pavona,

If people would like to do the same that would be great - I will collate all the information

J

designsonline.co.uk

13-12-07, 16:48

Used to grow rapidly and thrived in my last tank, now in my new one, it shrinks withers and dies. I cant for the life of me work out why, other than my old tank had dreadfully high phosphates, fairly low lighting (Just 200w of T5s) and almost all softies and no sump and a little turboflotor 1000 skimmer, Whereas my current tank has low phosphates, and almost all LPS and SPS and a 3ft Sump.

Xenia Doesnt grow in Seabray, approx 180 - 200 killos liverock filtration, 870w Lighting (2 x 250 w + 150w halaide, + 4 x 55w T5), 50 to 60x turnover, Aquamedic 5000 Shorty protein skimmer 24/7 and fairly regular Ozone
Age of tank set up - mature - 3 years old
Dosing regime - do you dose or not, Yes - Magnesium, Calcium via Calcium Reactor and Kalk
Parameters - calcium 700, pH 8.2 - 8.5, S.G. 1.025 - Other Params not sure off the top of my head till I test
Water temperature - averages - 25 to 27.5C
Water changes - size of water changes and how often? 15 - 25% each 3 - 5 months
Whether the coral was from propagated captive stock or imported? - Mixture of Inported and propagated stock
ULNS or not? - Not ULNS
Sump or sumpless - 3 Foot Sump lit 24/7 and growing some cheato in a section
Other corals - LPS - SPS - mushrooms

What about you others that cant grow it, what sort of set up / conditions do you have?
Joe

Lucky Eddie

13-12-07, 17:12

I didn't vote because of limited questions!

I cant keep elongata because my Tomini tang eats it for fun.

I do have red sea pulse but it only grows on one rock in the tank where its distribution is kept in check by a RBTA.

Rod130

13-12-07, 18:47

Did I read somewhere Xenia "likes" phosphate and is sometimes used in sumps as a way of removing phosphate? Perhaps it'd be useful to know peoples phosphate level or method of phospate removal?

Xenia elongata is growing slowly in my 48"x15"x18" (220L) tank, MCE300 skimmer, 2x55W PC lighting, tank turn over 25x, cheato refugium in sump
Age of tank set up - new - only about 6 weeks but everything came from my smaller tank set-up 11 months ago.
Dosing regime - only calcium and bi carb as needed
Reactor and Kalk - no
Parameters - calcium 490, Mg 1410, KH 4.5 (low), pH 8.06 , S.G. 1.026, PO4 nil, NO3 low (less than 10)
Water temperature - averages - 25.7 - 26.5 C
Water changes - size of water changes and how often? 10% every 2 weeks
Whether the coral was from propagated captive stock or imported? - Propagated
ULNS or not? - Not ULNS
Sump or sumpless - 2 Foot Sump lit reverse cycle and growing some cheato in a section
Other corals - softies (leathers, mushrooms, zoas) and suncoral
Phosphate removal via Rowaphos in ext. filter.

TerraC

14-12-07, 08:22

I'd heard that it likes a high PH and DKH which I seem to be struggling to maintain. Plan to add a larger sump and fresh sandbed over the xmas period.

Xenia used to grow nicely in my tank for over a year until I got a bad batch of Kent salt with what turned out to be a serious DKH deficiency. Changed salt 3 years ago and even tank a year ago (using old sump DSB) but still have DKH swings.

NO3 no higher than 10. PO4 usually 0, 0.1 max usually maintained with ultiphos.

benribbans

14-12-07, 09:06

Hey Cranners, seeing as you have made it more scientific, I will add something ;) :p :laugh:

I had some red sea xenia about a year ago which grew like mad, all over the friggin' tank for a good few months, then over a week or so just completely died off with no apparent reason. I wonder if something it required for feeding, trace element or similar, was used up and not dosed so it just withered away...??

Xenia grows well in 120litres, 25kg liverock filtration, T5 156w Lighting, 35x turnover, protein skimmer 24/7
Age of tank set up - young (just cycled) to very mature (running for several years perhaps)? - 2 1/2 years old
Dosing regime - do you dose or not, No, not at the time
Parameters - iodine, calcium, magnesium, pH, dkH, Alk, NO3, S.G. -
S.G - 1.025
PH - 8.3
Dkh - 8-10
Ca - 400
Mg - 1200
NO3 - <25
PO4 - <0.03
Water temperature - averages - 24 to 26C
Water changes - size of water changes and how often? 20% per month
Whether the coral was from propagated captive stock or imported? - Not sure but believe to be imported
ULNS or not? - Not ULNS
Sump or sumpless - sumpless
Other corals - LPS - open brain, sun coral, trumpet coral, Softies - Sarcophytons (x3), various mushrooms, ric, zoo's, star polyps,

Cheers
Ben

Cranners

14-12-07, 09:48

Any other details of your set up TerraC?

Hi Ben - nice to meet up with you last night and thanks for filling in the details

J

benribbans

14-12-07, 10:44

You too John, how's the duncans settling in...?

TerraC

14-12-07, 10:52

tank here and a couple of videos: http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showpost.php?p=1773693&postcount=18

will update soon, Regal has gone, pruned a few corals.

Xenia doesnt grow in: 3x2x2, Lighting is 1x 150w Halide Coralvue 14k bulb supplemented by a 3ft T8 Actinic tube. Skimming 24/7
Calcium: 420
PH: struggling to keep at 8.1
DKH: constant battle to keep at 7.
Temp: 77f
SG: 35ppt
NO3: 5-10
PO4: 0 (0.1 max depending how lax i've been with the ultiphos :o)
Dosing Regime: Never dosed iodine, Dose Kalk manually twice per week.
ULNS: not currently
Wchange: 5Gal every 7-14days
Sump: Reverse lit marine tube growing cheato
Frag: Propagated in UK.
Age of tank set up: 1yr with stock taken from my previous 3yr old system.

LPS and softies with a tester twig or 2.

Both elongata and umbellata just melt away over the space of about 2 weeks. I love the stuff too and wish it would grow like it used to.

Planning to add a 30" sump and take out the old sump and dirty 4yr old sandbed over holidays. Replacing with new sandbed, seeded with a scoop of old sand and existing cheato.

Cranners

14-12-07, 12:13

They are settling in fine - though my small bubble managed to reach one of the heads and stung it - so that one is closed up for now

How are your duncans and the trachy?

Oh hang I will update my parameters.....

Thanks TerraC for the info

jon

benribbans

14-12-07, 13:08

Damn those sweeper tenticles.....:(

Both seem fine, trachy was open from about 10:30pm onwards and the duncans were slowly opening too. Fingers crossed on the colour! Just joined RC too......may have a word with Keith ;)

Cranners

18-12-07, 10:59

Anyone with details of their system please post here - If Xenia grows well or not -

Regards

J

vince

18-12-07, 13:52

Growing well in 200ltr tank

26x turnover
28kg live rock

SG. 27
ph 8.4
ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Phos - About 5ppm... Only just started testing for this. currently reducing with Rowa.

This is under twin 150MH's 14k, no sump just 2 externals.

fire999

19-12-07, 22:23

NO3 no higher than 10. PO4 usually 0, 0.1 max usually maintained with ultiphos.

0.1 IMO is very high .. i would aim for 0.03 :cool: . Not that this will help with the question in hand. Its just an observation:rolleyes:

TerraC

20-12-07, 08:23

0.1 IMO is very high .. i would aim for 0.03 :cool: . Not that this will help with the question in hand. Its just an observation:rolleyes:

I know I usually maintain 0 but 0.1 is the first reading on my crappy test kit so if it turns the slightest off-clear I call it 0.1 :D

domino

21-12-07, 08:54

Pulsing Xenia growing like crazy in my 55gal system. Bought a small clump of it six months ago. I now surround it by small rocks and wait for it to 'hop on'. Every month or so I take several large fragments back to my LFS who sell it on.

Spec:
* Ecosystems miracle mud refugium
* No skimming
* Flow through refugium ~2000 lph
* Tunze Turbelle 6000 set to pulse with controller.
* Arcadia Series 3 twin 150W metal halides
* Supplements: Ecosystems Reef Solution
* Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates undetectable.
* Maturity: ~15 months.

Screwloose

21-12-07, 21:35

i have tried it twice in the last few years, both times shrivelled within weeks,

i think running carbon doesn't help Xenia either

Cranners

24-12-07, 15:44

Details of your system etc would be appreciated

J

Screwloose

24-12-07, 16:54

sorry bud

was running a 72x18x18 with 3x150w 2x40w actinics
Tunze 6200, Rowaphos & carbon and live rock
Fit Filtration internal filter system
water change every 2 weeks, thats about all i can think of

most other things seemed to do ok, but not xenia for some reason just tended to fizzle out

i have just changed over to a 4x2x2 with 3ft sump, running bioballs and miracle mud with Cheato and UV with auto top up, with 2x150w & actinics

i will give it a try again after crimbo, see how it goes in new system :D

Viv

24-12-07, 22:26

I hope its not a weed as I've just paid £30 for a 3" piece!

Cranners

24-12-07, 23:41

Where did you get that from viv?

I hope that it does become a weed for you so you can recoup the money.....

Whats your sysytem like? details specs and parameters etc?

Cranners

01-01-08, 22:53

Hi all

Thanks very much for your feedback so far - the poll is closed I may repost the poll soon

I would like to ask for more feedback on your systems and whether Xenia is gorwing well or not in your tanks. I only have maybe half a dozen responses from UR - I would like to get alot more please

I will be writing up any treads I find relating to Xenia - I know people dont like the stuff but it is something I would like to investigate further

Please do keep on posting your details up here please

Details of your systems along the lines of the examples in this thread please

Regards

Jon

Cubbie

06-01-08, 18:56

I have a lot of zenia growing just about everywhere! But I sell it on an gain a little profit. It can be a pain though as it can cover other inverts

arata

28-02-08, 10:02

interesting poll....well my tunk has been running since sept 07.....xenia be crazy and started off with 1 piece and had 2 huge rockfuls by 1 week ago....so took 1 colony back 2 lfs 4 something else....i read up that due 2 their phos intake, they need it,if it grows too much then the pop can crash due to no phos being available....

Xenia grows well in RSM - 450litres, 100gal, ecosystem filtration, 2x250w MH Lighting, 50x tank flow, protein skimmer avail but not skimming
Age of tank set up - young (just cycled) to very mature (running for several years perhaps)? - 5 months old!!!
Dosing regime - do you dose or not, Yes - Calcium and Coral food
Parameters - iodine - not tested, calcium - 400ppm, magnesium - 1380ppm, pH - 8.3, dkH - 11, Alk - 4.17, NO3 - 2-5ppm, S.G. - 1.026-7, PO4 0.03ppm low test salifert
Water temperature - averages - 26 to 29C
Water changes - none? regular top up
Whether the coral was from propagated captive stock or imported? - propagated stock
ULNS or not? - Not ULNS
Sump or sumpless - eco sump
Other corals - LPS - euph, xmas coral
Softies - xenia (obvious), zoas, stars, mushrooms, toadstool

keithmcdonald

21-03-08, 19:58

I have heard that pulsing zenia needs iodine and high lighting levels to survive I have a nano cube 24 normal zenia grows fine but pulsing zenia crashes and burns within 1 week.

techieman

21-03-08, 21:27

Grows slowly in my 24 gal nano
3 months old tank
no dosing
no kalk/dosing
minimum readings on ammon.phos.nitrite nitrate 10
temp 24.6
water changes 5 litres weekly
captive stock
not ulns
no sump--built in back chambers
softies,leather,mushies,rics,polyps,zoas
Phosguard

Screwloose

21-03-08, 22:21

I have heard that pulsing zenia needs iodine and high lighting levels to survive I have a nano cube 24 normal zenia grows fine but pulsing zenia crashes and burns within 1 week.

me too bud,,plenty of lighting here too,,
all parameters are good, although i dont dose nor check iodine

star polyps do well in my tank,,which i thought where a similar species to xenia, but xenia just shrivels up :D

Jonbee56

21-03-08, 23:23

Hi,
Just withers & dies slowly for me :(

Age of tank set up -10months old (4x2x2)
Dosing regime - No dosing, but adding Iodine & Calcium supplements
Parameters - iodine - not tested, calcium - 300ppm & struggling to raise it, magnesium - 1350ppm, pH - 8.1, dkH - 9, NO3 - 20ppm-30ppm, S.G. - 1.024, PO4 - Nil
Water temperature - 24 to 26C
Whether the coral was from propagated captive stock or imported? - propagated stock
Water changes -approx 10% per month
Sump or sumpless - sump (3ft) starting growing cheato
Other corals: Just softs
Lights - 2x150w 14k

Strange, but the star polyps and leathers are spreading up the sides of the glass. Kenyan trees have to be split, but mushrooms sometimes do really well & othertimes just' dissolve'.
:scratchhead:

Screwloose

21-03-08, 23:48

i dont see it as being too bad myself, as i have seen it in some tanks where it has spread to Trifid status,,

my specs 6x2x2 with sump running MM
triple 250 14k

mag 1400
cal 450
alk 7.7
sg 35 ppt
p04 0
no3 2
temp 78

frag sarco's regular, stars spreading well, mushies same, montipora spreading, hammer coral fine,,,zoa's spreading,

xenia,,,,none starter :laugh:

chickenzown

01-04-08, 21:33

Thrives and spreads like mad during winter when tank temp stable at around 76'F, sometimes dies back a little during summer if tank temp warms too much to around 80'F, but recovers quickly. Add nothing to the water!

Tank - 260Ltr
Water - Natural Seawater collected from Irish Sea off Anglesey, North Wales.
Temp - 76'F
Filtration:
Standard wet/dry sponge/carbon/bio ball
Protien Skimmer
5 powerheads
2 x 36" T8 marine Whites
1 x 30" T8 marine Blue

Null readings for nitrate/nitrite/amonia etc.
Salinity 1.025
PH 8.3

2 x Pecula Clown, 1 x Hawkfish
numerous various hermits, boxer shrimp, boxer crab.

Feed weekly 15ml phytoplankton, frozen krill, live hatched brine shrimp.

http://www.chickenz.btinternet.co.uk/tank.wmv