Those having difficulty keeping xenias..

[XeniaMania]

Thanx SBV, I had to clean out my PM box so I don't think I'd have your tank parameters anymore, could you please post them? Also, it's like what I discovered in the past day, that my Alk was low, starting at 5.7dKH, it's at 7 now, and the xenias seem to pulse more. No more crappy unspecific tests for me

 

[giantxtc]

Well,here's what my tank looked like using Instant Ocean salt.I never added anything in the way of additives,and the stuff took over almost the entire tank.I sold,traded and gave away frags until I could not keep up removing the stuff.Before I moved last year i made over $1000 and enough to ungrade my tank to a 90gal.I don't think I will ever put the stuff back into my new system as much as I liked it before.Whenever I tried to isolate it ,it would drop off tips to reproduce.The tps would then take up residence in remote spots before I could get a hold on them.

 

[XeniaMania]

Nice Giantxtc, how did you supplement Ca and Alk? Was weekly/monthly water changes the only thing you did?

 

[giantxtc]

Yes,I did a 5 gal water change once a month.I also never monitored my levels until just before I broke down the tank.When I checked the calcium level was over 450.I could not for the life of me figure out why everything was doing so well.So,if it is'nt broke,don't fix it is what I went by.Now the Xenia that everyone got from me is all over the Tidewater area in everyone's tanks.And,from what they are telling me it is growing like weeds for them too.My original population started from a tiny bud on a rock I got from a local store.They had advertised having a rock covered with Xenia for $19.99.When I got there I saw the rock,and no Xenia.It had all melted off,so I got the rock for $10.Ended up being a good investment on my part!

 

[XeniaMania]

How big was your previous tank before you upgraded to the 90G?

 

[DarkStar76]

Any of you folks with Xenia problems want a new fish? I have a powder blue tang that'll mow down those weeds... No kidding. He ate my last two frags to bare rock. My buddy isn't offering me any more.... He also has a taste for toadstools... sonofa....

 

[XeniaMania]

Sounds like a powder blue angel to me :lol:

 

[timespinner]

I use IO salt and have 2 - 250W MH in a 72Gallon - my pulsing xenia grows like weeds. I dose Kalk with makeup water, and do 10% water changes weekly.

 

[giantxtc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7306963#post7306963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by XeniaMania
How big was your previous tank before you upgraded to the 90G? [/QUOTE

It was a 60gal.,no sump.My current tank,the one I upgraded to is a 90 with a 20gal sump.

 

[CodeToad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7297351#post7297351 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by XeniaMania
I'll double-check his article, but one surefire way to defy that statement is to keep a xenia in low light w/ high pH. It definitely won't pulse.

It definitely won't pulse?

You sound like you have some concrete data here, please do share your scientific findings. If you keep any photosynthetic species in an environment with insufficient light, yet you nail the PH, then note poor coral health, what did you prove? I don't think Mr. Calfo was referring to PH as the only factor in Xeniidae health, but it is indeed an important aspect.

You should talk with TippyToex, she is the Xeniidae guru!

 

[jimbo045]

Instant Ocean. I heard they do not like mail order shipping, hand delivery I say. JD

 

[Electrobes]

When I first got my Pom Poms they pulsed well. Description of my tank is on my website, tells you everything about my tank. Every single one of my corals do well in my tank, growing, etc. The Pom Poms did well but grew slowly for about a month. And then, without me changing anything it is slowly starting to shrink. I predict it will die sometime soon, but for now it's hanging on. I use I.O. salt, and only dose SeaChem Reef Iodide once a week (A very small dose compared to the directions).

The only thing I can think of making the Xenias grow in the negative are the other soft corals in my tank. I am thinking that the warring chemicals are too much for the Xenia, even though I run 3/4 cup of carbon in a Phosban Reactor.

The other aspect is that my tank may be a bit too clean for the guys. I run quite a bit of carbon for my tank, plus a skimmer, and do water changes about once a week or two. I also have an AC 110 but it only has rock rubble. Who knows. Oh yeah the Xenia pulsed for the month but then slowly started stopping and now it pulses maybe once in a blue moon. HTH

 

[jer77]

My pom poms did the same thing, but I don't think they will die. They have shrunk a little, gotten bluer, and pulse less intensely than when I first got them. I did get them through the mail with no problems.

 

[XeniaMania]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7307221#post7307221 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CodeToad
It definitely won't pulse?

If you'd like, you can try that and give it a few weeks, they'll stop. Put your xenias in the shade and they will stop pulsing as well, not immediately, but over time.

They statement I was replying to was "pulsing is dictated by pH levels". I disagree with that, it's very hard to get concrete information esp since the scientists who study this coral still have no definitive answer as to why they pulse, but pH is part of it, but I wouldn't say it dictates.

Another thing is, we're trying to give ppl positive feedback here now ok? Nothing wrong with trying to go with the strongest lighting possible for their xenias right?

I'll give TippyToeX a holla is she's not too busy. I'd love to hear what she has to say. Also, in the event you feel I may be knocking on Anthony, I'm not. I have very high respect for him, and I've read his work over and over, but if I witness something to the contrary, I can state it right? Keeping xenias is far from an exact science, and it's nice to get this huge range of experiences and opinions don't you think?

 

[ulmo]

Hi XeniaMania,

Could you please post pictures of the other types of xenia in your collection. Xenia are my favorite corals and I didn't even know that there are 10 or more different species.

 

[jer77]

I've been experimenting with xenia elongata in 24 hour illumination and different flow rates in my sump. I put a colony in my sump/fuge about a week ago and left a 47 W 5100K light on 24 hours a day. The xenia behaved the same as before except sometimes some of the polyps would close then re-open periodically. They would close for about a half hour at a time. Overall they were not pulsing. Today I added a maxi-jet 900 to my fuge and all of a sudden the xenia colony completely closed up. They were closed for about an hour before re-opening.

As for the xenia in my new BB tank, I have noticed the red sea pom poms have started to pulse more intensely and look more healthy. This goes for most of the corals however. It has been about a week since I went BB. I have noticed no change in the elongatas however.

I will keep you updated with more info each day on both types of xenia.

 

[XeniaMania]

Ulmo, have you checked the earlier pages? I think I did have a few pictures up.

My Alk is currently at 9dKH. Here are some before and after pictures.
Before

After

In higher Alk levels, the polyps have compacted, colored up, and increased pulse rate.

 

[clownchic]

I don't add anything

I don't add anything

I started with one small dime size head of pom pom xenia from Hawaii in my 25 gallon over 2 years ago. It is a softies only tank with 130 watts of PC lighting. I don't add anything to the tank except RO/DI top off water and monthly water changes (25%) using IO. It grows like a weed. It's been a good ($$$) way to get more stuff at the LFS. By the way, mine seems to pulse faster in more current. Don't know why.