Xenia Question

[DEXTER SOLIS]

hi folks,
I was wondering what would be the min light requirements for xenias to thrive? I want to try to farm some corals & they happen to be the easiest to keep, fastest to spread n a regular tank.

 

[mgny]

Hey Dex, my fuge has 2- 65 watt pc's. It grows like a weed for me. It will climb the glass to get closer to the light. The whole back of the 25 gal fuge is covered with it.

 

[DEXTER SOLIS]

thanks Mike, thats 130 watts thinking around 100w or lower, I intend to use a shallow tank, like 12" tall.

 

[Monkeyfish]

I have xenia in a 10 gallon tank with 72 watts of power compact lighting and in a 29 gallon tank with 40 watts NO fluorescent. They grow well in both tanks. I prune the 10g tank every few months. The 29 I've left alone to get a "forest effect". The xenia now covers a lot of the rock at the top of the tank and has started creeping up the back glass.

 

[DEXTER SOLIS]

interesting, NO PCs ...what color range is it? & do you see them pulsing under them?

 

[vyger]

I 've had them grow well in a 10 gal with an 80W Orbit fixture and evn used half the light for a while (40W) and they still seemed to do fine. I don't think they really need very intense light to do well..IMO anyway.......

 

[Monkeyfish]

They pulse constantly. NO bulbs are 18K and 10K. Compacts are .03 actinic and 10K.

 

[sleezyp1]

IMO we use too much light in our tanks anyway. Of couse it depends on the livestock we keep.

 

[DEXTER SOLIS]

I have used Hamilton 14k's in my tank, I think its not enough penetration, some zoos seem to reach up.

 

[sleezyp1]

remember the bluer the light the more wattage you will need. of coures IMO that is.

 

[DEXTER SOLIS]

I realize that, waiting for those XM 10k's. I like the color, & it wasnt as bright.

 

[drej424]

I have some in my 55G under 4x96. It pulses constantly and is growing a lot. I got it from Les. When I put it in the tank a piece broke off and it attached to a rock under a ledge and still grew!

 

[DEXTER SOLIS]

thats how they are dude, they grow like weeds, but a constant pulse I think indicates good water parameters. IMO

 

[jgiordano]

I got a small 3 branch frag from Mutts and Butts about 2 months ago; it is now 5 large branches; When all my pumps are on it waves too much to pulse. But with just the main pump on the pulse can be mesmerizing...

Anyway I am going to frag them soon, in like 2 weeks if your interested.

BTW - the orange zoos I got from you are awesome they doubled the polyps...

 

[Spracklcat]

You'll notice too that often that if they stop pulsing, your pH is low . I use it as a sign that it's time to buffer.

 

[DEXTER SOLIS]

Im happy to share what I have. this way all the corals have a better chance of surviving.