Pulsing Xenia in a jar with no flow?

[Toybuddha]

I have some pulsing Xenia that I no longer want in my tank. I thought it would be cool to have it in a glass cylinder all by itself with one of those betta heaters under the jar to keep it warm. Would it be ok with no flow, other than what it creates with its own pulsing action?

 

I figured I could do a weekly water change using the old tank water from my 10 gallon in order to provide some nutrients.

[Angel<3Nanos]

As long as it has a good light it should be ok.

[opaquelace]

I don't know. Don't corals need flow to survive?

[Mike Savage]

As long as it has a good light it should be ok.

 

I agree.

[supernip]

it will likely die. try it and find out, I give it a week

[xiaoxiy]

Throw in some macros and it might be fine. (Think PJ Jar).

[Toybuddha]

it will likely die. try it and find out, I give it a week

What do you feel will be the missing ingredient that will lead to its death? Flow?

 

Thanks

 

it will likely die. try it and find out, I give it a week

What do you feel will be the missing ingredient that will lead to its death? Flow?

 

Thanks

[clownfitch]

Xenia doesn't need flow to survive. Light and nutrients is the key. So a steady 76 to 80 degrees, decent amount of light, proper salinity, and some nutrients and it should do great.

[supernip]

What do you feel will be the missing ingredient that will lead to its death? Flow?

 

Thanks

 

 

What do you feel will be the missing ingredient that will lead to its death? Flow?

 

Thanks

 

You will lose a lot of things like oxygen exchange, and nutrient export, heat exchange. Not to mention stagnant water is a breeding ground for bacteria. Xenia also produces a thick slim coat when stressed. I don't believe you can support a healthy environment without water movement nor do I think the xenia's pulsing would be anywhere close to enough to offset that. my intuition is your system would spoil very quickly, perhaps quicker than your water change intervals. You don't have much leeway with such a small system.

 

I have yet to see any evidence that they do not require any additional flow. I would love to see some citation to back up that claim,

 

Give it a shot though, these other guys are squarely in your corner so I might just be an outlier

[NorthGaHillbilly]

Take an air pump and reduce flow to a few bubbles per second, theres your flow and o2 exchange, white I agree are necessities

[1.0reef]

You could try it, they are very hardy in some situations. Which reminds me, there is a new study showing how corals create water movement around themselves to catch more food, etc.

[hey]

Use a heating pad as a heater and keep it on the bottom, when it comes on heats up water on bottom said water flows upward displacing the cooler top water, that would create at least some water movement. Could oxygenate the water without power with one of those h2o2 reactors plumbed to an airstone. It wouldn't be as efficient that way but would work for some oxygen kind of a pain buying 30% h2o2 though.

[Joe Pusdesris]

12 hour lighting -- I think not. Ph will drop too rapidly at night.

24 hour lighting -- Maybe. It would be interesting at least.

[Toybuddha]

The points made about the lack of gas exchange are making me reconsider. I just think it would look cool to have a glass cylinder of maybe 18" or so tall with a light and a pulsing Xenia by itself. It's such a cool coral with its mesmerizing pulsing action, but I don't want it in either of my tanks. In the cylinder, it would be the only focal point and could really shine.

 

I need to figure out some sort of display for it that would have little to no visible equipment.

 

I don't want to kill the coral. I got it as a little frag on a rock and it has grown into a full bush about the size of a baseball.

[BulkRate]

Maybe rig a dosing pump in with an inlet at the bottom and the outlet a little bit above the waterline? Potentially adresses both flow & aeration concerns.

 

I agree that the cylinder o' xenia would be a real eyecatcher. Good luck!

[Joe Pusdesris]

Eh, if you won't try it then maybe I will. I have some extra xenia frags and I can pick up a glass cylinder at michaels. I don't see a reason why 24 hour lighting wouldn't work. Light is more than sufficient to keep oxygen elevated. Significantly better than flow.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-08/eb/

[supernip]

I thought the point was to put it in a spare jar instead of tossing it. If you're going to set up a minimalistic display, that's a whole different story. it's hardy as ####

[Toybuddha]

Well the idea essentially was to put it in a cylinder, but I feel like it could use a little flow so now I'm trying to figure a way to have heat and flow without any wires ect visible.

 

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts so far.

[risk1994]

What a great idea...I would LOVE to see this work! Perhaps you could fashion a small stand hiding an airpump and attach a gooseneck to it. You could drill a hole in the bottom for the airline. Should look pretty clean and minimalist.

 

The first coral I really wanted to keep was xenia, I love the pulsing action. Unfortunately it doesnt do well in my 5.5g, cant figure out why.

 

Interestingly though after scrubbing the dying bits from a rock, It grew back after a month or so...this is a tank where it never did well so what do I know.

[Shaggy2061]

IF you really do not wnat it you can send it my way.. LOL I Love the the stuff

Would love to see vid of this if it works!

[gogo]

yeah, no probs... xenia look cool filling up a jar. no air, just room temp clean water.

[Toybuddha]

yeah, no probs... xenia look cool filling up a jar. no air, just room temp clean water.

Have you done this before?

[gogo]

Have you done this before?

yes...i didn't use a heater, i have a 'cabinet with lights inside. i had xenia in a one gallon vase, 2" sandbed, fist size live rock.no air, daily water changes. under 9w 50/50 cf . it looked cool. kenyan tree coral works good too. lost the xenia to a cold night, and the kenyan tree coral to a wipeout. from something that died.

i can barely keep two polyps alive in my 'new' four gallon vase..

[Halo_003]

Does it pulse?

[hypostatic]

You should be able to keep them in a jar with no flow as long as they have clean water, light, and like and airstone or something