Xenia

[shiaow]

Agu Lukk's interesting article on propagation of Xenia in April 07's issue reminded me of the following question. To those that have been successful growing Xenia longterm, have you noticed a need to add a particular additive?

I had great initial success with Xenia a few years ago (65 gal w/ 150 W MH 10,000K). The initial piece grew rapidly and fragmented into many. After a few months they still pulsed regularly but became thinner and eventually wasted away over several weeks. All other tank inhabitants were fine. It was as if the tank supplied what they needed at the beginning but when it was used up, the Xenia regressed. I tried a number of additives but could not reverse the trend. Thanks.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

Xenias are dirty. My nitrates are always 5. They're thriving.

 

[mbbuna]

[welcome]

xenia tend to do that as the population grows. they like water a little on the dirty side and as the population grows they basically eat themselves out of food.

 

[K' Family Reef]

.

 

[K' Family Reef]

xenia growing like weed in my tank!

phosphates were at .05 for longest time (which they may have thrived on -dont know)... nitrates never register on the saifert tests i use (iow always zero) and i have a lousy skimmer - berlin red sea... no supplementation is used on this system period.


would even say the xenia OUTCOMPETE the chaeto for nutrients... have literally trimmed back my xenia more then i have the macro (chaeto has shown only minimal growth)

use 850k vho lites in main 125 display/210gal system
have power compact w/ added macro lite in 50 gal fuge
(iow different liting conditions - continued growth - will say no doubt they do better in the fuge w/ less liting)

= xenia that get 'pulled' from main display
get thrown into fuge which attach to LR rubble (to be traded at lfs for credit)... have had some in there for mos and they continue to get fatter and more densely populated - right now i need to remove some from my fuge which as my wife describes it is beginning to look like xenia forest

so iow the xenia appears to be thriving in my system
for what reason i dont know - have had them for about 8 mos maybe

very interesting that i can never get nitrates to register
on the tests i use - which over the last 2 mos i have been feeding HEAVILY frozen foods- checked no3 couple weeks ago suspecting high levels... only to again have a zero reading (have also had water tested at lfs - same readings)

wonder if there has ever been any scientific studies/research performed using a 'xenia' filter... any thoughts on xenia pulling po4 from the system? have seen articles online/heard people on RC say it absorbs po4.

- i hoped w/ all the xenia growth they would pull the po4 levels down but after about 3 mos of waiting (no luck) i purchased a reactor/phosban - will be interesting to see if the xenia will continue to thrive now that the p04 levels are down

what i have going (unintentially)
is as close to a xenia filter as possible and unless something else is pulling the nitrates out then i suspect it to be these xenia...

people complain about them but i have no complaints! ]
they are easy to 'pull' off the rocks once they get big enough and they pay me back in store credit!

 

[Roy G. Biv]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11015209#post11015209 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WarrenAmy&Maddy
= xenia that get 'pulled' from main display
get thrown into fuge which attach to LR rubble (to be traded at lfs for credit)... have had some in there for mos and they continue to get fatter and more densely populated - right now i need to remove some from my fuge which as my wife describes it is beginning to look like xenia forest

Thats a good idea. Got a pic? I would like to see that.

 

[JayB1224]

I cant Get it to stop growing. I just fraged 18 stalks to bring to the LFS next week after they attach. They will be traded for reefcrystals.

 

[shiaow]

Thanks for the replies. What a thought - make sure there are nitrates and phosphates in the tank!

 

[K' Family Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11015295#post11015295 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pmolan
Thats a good idea. Got a pic? I would like to see that.

here is an old photo
- before it became a forest! if you are still interested later i can try to get a current pic taken w/the 'lush' xenia growth lol

 

[Roy G. Biv]

I'm going away for a couple of weeks soon. I'll try throwing some in the fuge and see what happens. When I come back, I may trade some for a new fish or something.

 

[K' Family Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11015473#post11015473 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pmolan
I'm going away for a couple of weeks soon. I'll try throwing some in the fuge and see what happens. When I come back, I may trade some for a new fish or something.

i can get 10bucks for a xenia on a decent size piece of LR rubble - or give it away - reason for the 'forest' of xenia recently is bec i acquired flatworms when i set up my fuge (added chaeto from store w/ infected system- who would have thought to QT chaeto ??? - now i know!)... they have pretty much gone away (w/o treatment) but i still dont feel right giving the xenia away to fellow reefers or selling it to lfs (even though thats where i got it from).