Xenia a filter feeder?

[bheron]

Anyone know if Xenia feeds off of excess nutrients, like a macro algae?

Just wondering. I was assuming the more Xenia I had the higher my bioload. But my LFS guy thought maybe it doesnt contribute to the bioload.

 

[Pea-brain]

I've heard xenia may filter water for nutrients. Some people make entire refugiums with xenia isntead of macros......but that is all I know. I personally think xenia pulses to get rid of waste, and that it can't stand to be in its own waste. That would explain why xenia is a bad shipper.....but that is just a non-researched little theory o' mine

 

[bheron]

Yea, thats what he was saying - people make refugiums out of them. Thanks for the input!

- on the pulsing aspect, ive definitely noticed mine has pulsed and not pulsed in the same tank based on where it its placed. So the waste levels would be the same regardless. Someone once said the pulsing is a gas exchange.

- and on your shipping note, i've noticed that when i touch/frag the xenia it lets off this horrible odor - wonder if thats the problem with shipping?

 

[mheaven]

From what i have read no one know why they pulsate.

 

[Jamokie01]

Actually, unless your target feeding then, none of your corals add to your bioload, they actually reduce it slightly. All corals utilize dissolved organics in the water to some extent, especially softies.

 

[bheron]

Jamokie01 - ok, now that I didnt know. I assumed that all corals produce some sort of waste? even light gives them food which I thought was turned into waste? no?

more corals = less bioload?

 

[msn711]

bheron, put it like this, they don't add to your bioload, and by that I mean, they won't increase your nitrate level like too many fish will eventually. Of course, if you're target feeding, then the extra food will contribute to your bioload/nitrate level.

 

[Racso]

But what about when leathers shed? Thats waste. And my mushrooms will multiple, but sometimes a new polyp will pop up in a spot where it will get covered by another, and then die off. That adds. When any softy multiplies, how many failures are there?

 

[Jamokie01]

The fact is that corals are constantly pulling nutrients out of the water that would otherwise be pulled out by the skimmer or break down, thus helping to reduce the bioload. Im not saying to squeeze a bunch of extra fish in, but what I am saying is that I would only put one fish in my tank at a time, but would have no problem with putting dozens of corals at once.

 

[bheron]

ok, this is alot of new news to me. I had no idea corals could help reduce your nutrient level.

I've also heard recently that some people employ a fuge filled with Xenia like you would with macroalgae! As long as you have light.

So I may do that, let my xenia run wild in one of my fuges and keep it lit properly.

 

[Pea-brain]

Be careful. Check yor xeia regularly. It is pretty common for xena to start melting off and roting for no apparent reason. Entire colnies at once.........Just something that cme to mind

 

[sharkdude]

you might find this article interesting:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/rs/feature/index.php

 

[str8clownr]

yea some pom pom xenia i had melted away after growing from 3 to 6 stalks, now its withering away for NO reason whatsoever,

that gets me furious

 

[mikekman]

Dr. Shimek also wrote a article like that on Aquarium Fish magazine a while back and in that article, he showed some tables,etc showing that xenias do export a lot of extra nutrients. I'll try to find it and quote from it.

 

[Kung]

I don't know that corals are a path to cleaner water, they just don't add to the problem. I seriously doubt a fuge full of xenia will clear up your water as much as a fuge full of macro.