Ideal Xenia conditions?

[Reefguide]

My xenias aren't reproducing as they should, they arent even opening up very well either. I hear many diff opinios....

I perform water changes every 2 weeks, I add Iodine, reef vital, Bionic ,"Reef Plus" Concintrated Vitamin & Amino Acid Supplement and ph buffer to maintain about 8.4... Salinity always 1.020-1.021. Temp 77f-78f. Nitrates, Nitrites, Amonia, ect always way under what it should be, so I know it's not water quality. Lighting is Good, and current is good also. All conditions seem to be ideal. Why are they not spreading like mad? I had a colony that did and died off suddenly.

What should my tanks parameters be for "Ideal" xenia growth?

I know PH could be a little higher, but what else? What is a good Idonie level ?


Thanks

 

[Larry Grenier]

I only occasionally dose Bionic and drip Kalk. I occasionally dose DTs and feed my fish a variety of foods. My Xenia is only about 12" from a 175W halide. This stuff is growing like weeds and I'm starting to give away frags.

My salinity is closer to 1.025.

BTW, ammonia and nitrites should be ZERO, not just low.

HTH

 

[Reefguide]

yeah thats what I meant... They are zero

 

[Anemone]

What size tank? What other occupants? What is your maintenance/water change schedule? Do you skim? I ask the last couple of questions because you're adding a lot of, um, stuff, to your tank, and I'd be curious to know if it's being exported or just building up.

Kevin

 

[mrrrkva]

Raise salinity SLOWLY to 1.0245 to 1.0255 and they should do better, mine also like higher temps. Current is good. Also, home propagated xenia seem to do better. Make sure you raise the salinity slowly, very important!!!!

 

[fishfarmer]

I had my best growth of xenia under a 175 watt 5500k bulb(total watt per gal was 6 with PC's), weeds were placed about six inches to a foot away from bulb.

Water params were generally, CA=400+, Alk 2.7+, but they did fine at 1.7! :? . pH 8.3. Temp over 80, but would range from 77 to 84 depending on season. Ammonia, nitrite,nitrates all 0, phos=.05. Specific gravity around 1.024.

I never dosed Iodine. I believe I was a heavy feeder, I had other fast growers like anthelia and mushrooms growing well, as well as macroalgae growth in main tank and sump.

 

[Reefguide]

29 Gal, PCompacts, Custom Overflow box, Wet Dry, P. Skimmer Cleaner Shrimp, Blood Shrimp, Star, Yellow Tang, Blue tang, pair of True Percs, hermits, turbo snails, ect & 7 colrals or so...

Water change every 2 weeks (about 10%), all levels way on the safe side.

The slainity could be an issue, it would make sense.. I dropped salinity to about 1.020 to avoid algea build ups that was an issue for a while...

 

[ScottC]

I can grow em in a pail out on the back porch. Weeds I tell you! Weeds!

 

[Reefguide]

Dammit ship me a cooler full !

 

[teknopanda]

are they regular xenia or the pulsating type. i bought a pulsating xenia and put it near current. it stopped pulsating and tried to close up a bit. now it is lower in the water column without much current and it does great. it has visibly grown in one week. also they are photosynthetic so u need strong lighting.

 

[Reefguide]

I was told all xenia will pulsate under right conditions.... Mostly high Ph I was told but here they are !! This is what they used to look like... They died... I had to buy a new frag !

 

[teknopanda]

i could be wrong. just passing down info from my LFS...maybe they all do pulsate. too bad u lost urs. better luck with this one. by the way you really do need to raise ur salinity to 1.025 slowly.

 

[MarkO1]

I keep my density at 1.0265 at 80º. I also have nitrates around 20 ppm.
I can't get rid of the stuff quick enough.
_________________
Worr Game Products