jt48 Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 I am having trouble with my xenia frag. It no longer pump and is often not expanded. He was exposed to high nitrates of 20-40 but has been in 5 ppm nitrate for a good two weeks now without improvement. Last wednesday I used my forst dose ever of Iodine, no improvement. My system is a 7 bow, 2-3 sb, 10 lbs lr, csl 32 watt smartlamp, water changes every week of 1-2 gallons, no filter, just tetratec 150 hob plus a 85 gph powerhead. Currently no fish. temp stays at 78. The xenia is at 3/4 high in th ewater column. I do not have a alkalinity test kit but getting one tomorrow as I heard improper alk is especially detrimental to xenia. But shouldny my frequent h20 changes ensure proper alk. Top off is with deionized water but just started to also dose with kalk. The xenia does not do better after water changes, in the am or pm-dont know what else i can do. Is 78 too high? Is 5 ppm nitrate too high? Please help john Link to comment
Xavier Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 Xenia light lots of light, and lots of water movement.. make sure you've got it situated properly in the tank.. do you know if you have any inverts that may be pestering it? possibly a crab or shrimp that's nibbling on it at night? Link to comment
jt48 Posted March 19, 2003 Author Share Posted March 19, 2003 Well, the xenia is placed about 3/4 of the way in the water column in the 7 bow -fairly close to the 32 watt smartlamp. So lighting should be sufficient. There is enough water flow in th etank to cause the xenia the sway back and forth -due to the surge feature of the tetratec 150. So I think water flow is sufficient. The hermits and snails very rarely go near its base an dwhen they do, the xenia does not react negatively-unless they were still affected from the very first time they came near it weeks ago-unlikely. I think there is something else like there exposure to higher nitrates, acclimation shock? I dont know. Link to comment
brad65 Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 I wish I had your problem. I can't get rid of the stuff. I have two tanks set up right now. A 54 with a 250 metal halide and antic pc's with the xenia. There is no problem with pulsing at all. Its all about the light intensty I believe. I have it growing everywhere with and with out alot of water flow. I also have a 26 with jbj's and the growth and pulsing are a 1/3 to 1/4 the speed. I used to love the stuff untill I wanted it gone. It burns other corals, and when you try to remove it it polutes the tank. And just when you think its gone the smallest piece will grow into a monster. Heres a picture from a couple months ago with different lighten. I keep cutting and cutting and cutting. I need to take some newer pictures. Link to comment
The Unit Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 I WANT THAT TOURCH!!! and ill take some exina too:) Link to comment
OscarBeast Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 My xenia never did pulse in my 10-gallon for some strange reason... Well the pink kind didn't but it still was growing like a freaking weed. My Pom-Pom pulses like mad in it though. Both kinds pulse in my 2.5-gallon. LOL Go figure. I just have to say that pom-pom is my fav... Link to comment
chvynva916 Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 My xenia never looked that good untill I switched from distilled water to RO water and stopped using trace element additives. Not exactly sure what that means, but I suspect the xenia was sensitive to excessive levels of trace elements particularly copper. This is just a guess. Link to comment
Acoustic Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 I have that very same colored torch coral. Mine is little more lighter and yellower. I love it! Link to comment
latazyo Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 check your pH, low pH makes xenia stop pulsing and my xenia thrives in low current, it is more interesting w/ low current, so you are A-OK with your current Link to comment
jt48 Posted March 20, 2003 Author Share Posted March 20, 2003 ph is good. I moved it closer to the lights. It looks worse. Now it looks likes a scotum and am afraid it will die. Link to comment
brad65 Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 Did you see what type of tank (lighted) it came out of, was it a mail order or at a lfs? Link to comment
jt48 Posted March 21, 2003 Author Share Posted March 21, 2003 I can pobably find out but do not know. The holding tank at thehiddenreef.com in Phila does have mh though. Something very odd is going on with my tank. I added iodine (Kent Marine expert series Tech I )based on the lfs recommendation for xenia (especially since it was not doing well. I added the first dose on 3/12 2nd on 3/19. Since then the xenia has not improved, my cleaner shrimp that I had for 6 months died and the Fire Cleaner shrimp that I bought yesterday died today. Losing a $30 shrimp in one day really makes me wonder why I am wasting my money on this-That could have been a new pair of sneakers for the kids or a day at the movies for the family. I tested nitrates again-5ppm. As I moved my xenia so high up, I can only perform a 2 qt water change at a time. I did a 2 gallon water change on 2/12 (before I moved it, a 2 qt change on 2/19 before the shrimp purchase and another 2 qts to replace acclimation procedure. The other inhabitants-snails, hermits, yellow polyps, gsp, purple polyps are doing great. No algae problems, tank clear, temp stable, great flow, sufficient lighting. I am at a lose. It not only bothers me the xenia looks like its dying and that i killed the shrimp in one day but even more so is that I do not know why. If I do not know why, I can not correct my mistakes and if that is the way the hobby is going to be for me, you will soon see another minibow for sale. On a more serious note: GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS. Link to comment
pbuck Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 If your xenia expands fully and the polyps are not pulsing, try to limit the flow of water around the coral. When my xenia are in moderate water flow they just sway in the current. On the other hand, when the powerheads are off for a while they will SLOWLY begin to pulse. You also have to consider that some xenia do not pulse. I have 3 different kinds of xenia and one pulses 100% of the time, the second pulses 40%, and the other never pulses. Do you have macroalgae in the tank? I would suggest adding some if you will be able to control the growth. This will really cut down on your nitrates and help to stabilize your tank. Also you have to consider that you are only working with a few gallons of water. I really respect you guys for being able to maintain such a small amount of water at amazing water conditions. I have a few tanks, the smallest being a 30 gallon. Link to comment
jt48 Posted March 25, 2003 Author Share Posted March 25, 2003 At what point should I take out a dying coral that I know will not recover. My xenia has been like a shriveled up scrotum for a solid week now. I think it, alon with my scarlet reef hermits but not snails and blue legged hermits had a negative reaction to the Iodine. I was very careful and know I did not overdose. I added 1 ml for the 7 bow estimated to contain 5 gallons of water. (5ml=1 tsp=dose for 25 gallons). The xenia has been in th eabove condition completely now for one week, never expanding, pulsing. Damn I paid $25 for that little frag. Link to comment
Spudds Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 I agree with Pbuck, from what I've experienced and what I've heard Xenia usually pulse when in low circulation. The pulsing is, from what I understand, a mechanism to increase the water flow around them. I had to move my xenia around a bunch till I found a spot they would pulse and stay extended in. Spudds. Link to comment
jt48 Posted March 26, 2003 Author Share Posted March 26, 2003 Yeah I agree, I had always heard high flow high light. But if they were placed in high flow there would be no reason to pulse as that is their purpose. I moved it away from high flow but really do not think it will help the little guy. He really looks bad. I have had alot of problems recently. The Iodine I belive is thekiller of many of my crabs, yet I followed the directions. Link to comment
chufa Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 I would say pH. My Xenia is a pH meter. Whenever my pH is low, my xenia is low. pH is high, Xenia goes high and pulsing. I think I am going to put some in a gauge! Link to comment
sobe1 Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 I feel your pain man. My bro spent 70 bills for these two xenia frags and right now the pom pom crashed completely and the brown is just hanging on. I don't know how those other reefers can have theirs grow like weed but I'd like to know their secret. Link to comment
Raise Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 check salinity also, salinity IS what makes them pulse...... Link to comment
XsploveReefin Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 My Xenia Are in a hight flow part of my tank(Rio 2500 on an 18 gallon hooked to a SCWD) And they Pulse like mad and always have they grow like mad but that was xspected so i just trim and flush simple, They are under 175 10K MH bulbs. Link to comment
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