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xenia not opening
- Thread starter diverrk
- Start date
I actually am on both sides with xenia. In my display, it grows like a week. Every time I look it dropped another bud here and there. I think it's growing in about 5 places now. In my 20G, it started off like a weed, then it basically shriveled up. Never wants to open up anymore.
Differences between the two:
I do consistent water changes in display. In the 20, I don't bother as much since nothing is in there except live rock and some softies.
I dose iodine sometimes in display. I never dose iodine in 20. Xenia and most softies love iodine.
Display has T5. 20 has PC.
Display xenia grows mostly in low flow areas. In the 20, flow is pretty much medium thoughout.
Draw your own conclusions from this very unscientific setup but maybe somewhere in there is the answer to why xenia doesn't work for you.
Differences between the two:
I do consistent water changes in display. In the 20, I don't bother as much since nothing is in there except live rock and some softies.
I dose iodine sometimes in display. I never dose iodine in 20. Xenia and most softies love iodine.
Display has T5. 20 has PC.
Display xenia grows mostly in low flow areas. In the 20, flow is pretty much medium thoughout.
Draw your own conclusions from this very unscientific setup but maybe somewhere in there is the answer to why xenia doesn't work for you.
Don't dose without testing. The very first time I dosed iodine, I followed the instructions on the bottle (Kent's Iodine). It said, add 5ml per 50 gallons or something to that effect so I dumped in 10ml. Next thing I know, all my softies doubled in size and looked like they were about to explode. My shrimp molted within minutes and my anems all shriveled up. I reread the bottle and it said, this is amount to be dosed weekly. Ideally, dose daily. Well a quick water change and anem opened back up but I was in a panic for a little bit.
You shouldn't need to dose iodines unless you have a ton of soft corals. Regular water changes should replenish the trace elements needed, including the iodine. If you do test for iodine, you should note that it's also not a very good test. It's hard to read and the I2/I3- equilibrium is very difficult to guage correctly.
Good luck and if you need any more xenia, I'll be happy to give you some of my weed next time I prune back.
You shouldn't need to dose iodines unless you have a ton of soft corals. Regular water changes should replenish the trace elements needed, including the iodine. If you do test for iodine, you should note that it's also not a very good test. It's hard to read and the I2/I3- equilibrium is very difficult to guage correctly.
Good luck and if you need any more xenia, I'll be happy to give you some of my weed next time I prune back.
Hey Diverrk - I have some pink xenia that pulses like crazy. You are welcome to a nice frag if you want to pick it up over the weekend. I am in Boonton. Lmk a day in advance
Bob
Bob
i have had successes and failures in the same tank for me. large antheilia, pink xenia, brownish pink xenia and smaller specie of anthelia i think are all doing superbly well in my tank. however, i managed to kill the blue xenia type. also the brownish pink pumping xenia grows like weed but some of the outgrowths that fall down on the sand i have found shrivel and die. not sure if it's due to chemical warfare or b/c the babies fell into sand where it could not attach to a substrate....
Xenia can be tricky. When my tank was new it grew like a weed and then as I became more SPS dominant it wasn't happy. Try a nano without SPS and see if it does better. Here's a pic of my tank where the xenia thrived at the top of the glass.
Wow, I agree with Diver….looks like a picture frame. Did you place the xenia or did it just find it way to the perimeter on its own.
redfishbluefish said:
It spread so quickly when my tank was new. I used to chisel off three frags a month. Eventually it brushed up against the glass and started to climb. I was happy because I could just scrape it off the glass and bring frags to share at my reef club. The growth slowed down over time though.
I always wanted some pom pom and finally got a small piece. I have it in my current tank and it is starting to spread slowly. I was excited when it started to pulse. I don't have any nitrate readings in this tank and so far so good. I have read anecdotal reports that Lugol's Solution will help with Xenia. Anthony Calfo predicted that ph was also a factor as to whether it pulses or not. Xenia is prond to crashes and I have never read anyone who was willing to scientifically explain why.