Help me grow Xenia on the back wall

chrisstankevitz · 09/18/2006, 03:14 PM

I have a small rock with healthy pumping xenia growing on it. I want the xenia to grow on the back wall. How can I encourage it?

a) Put the rock on the sand, next to the wall. And wait.
b) Cut a xenia stalk, superglue it to the wall.
c) Make a "pocket" out of (filter floss?) tight against the wall and toss a stalk in there.
d)

Thanks for your help!

Chris

Bippus · 09/18/2006, 03:18 PM

I vote A.

reefdood · 09/18/2006, 03:19 PM

Superglue gel won't work well with Xenia Best bet is to lean the rock against the glass so that the Xenia is leaning against it but still getting light ad some flow. The Xena will grow up onto whatever it's touching.

cjgalante · 09/18/2006, 03:22 PM

I did A and it spread onto the wall in know time

LOTUS50GOD · 09/18/2006, 03:52 PM

i did a too.. make sure it gets some good flow and it spread in no time

jvetter · 09/18/2006, 03:57 PM

A

r00onmac · 09/18/2006, 04:12 PM

i did A last week and it has attached and started growing already... i also have it on my side glass and that happened by chance... so yea...

A

Snakebyt · 09/18/2006, 05:20 PM

i had it growing inside my overflow boxes at one time

r00onmac · 09/18/2006, 06:21 PM

thats actually a pretty good idea for propagation purposes... i may drop a rock in there and see what happens..

really that stuff loves flow and light, so i wouldnt be surprised if i could turn my overflow box into a prop section...

ACBlinky · 09/18/2006, 06:41 PM

Another vote for option A. I remodeled my tank recently and put a Xenia frag up against the back glass, hoping it would start to climb the wall. It has already attached, I think within a few months I'll have quite a bit growing on the glass.

csherlock · 09/18/2006, 06:49 PM

as everyone else said that option a is the best, that is what I have heard. Although I have no first hand experience, I can't seem to grow the stuff....it will live in my tank for about 3months...no growth then all of a sudden it just "melts". So I have stopped trying.

ek9vboi · 09/18/2006, 08:13 PM

Sucks for you, this stuff is WEED! I have tried to keep it in one place but it grows and spreads too quick. I prop. them and bring them into the LFS for credit as well as sell to others.

Option A has worked twice for me. The one you see on top is in a low flow area as well as a low light area so the growth is slower then I expected. As for the Xenia that I have further up, it just grows out of control. Lots of light will make it grow, but with lots of flow will slow the growth and attachment... thats how it is for me.

sammie · 09/18/2006, 08:21 PM

Once the zenia is on the wall it will climb to the top of the water and stay there if the flow is good. You cannot get these to cover the wall as they keep moving higher closer to the light.

BIGSKY · 09/18/2006, 09:15 PM

D: destroy it before it takes over.

SCR · 09/19/2006, 02:43 PM

" A"

salt no pepper · 09/19/2006, 05:17 PM

IMO why would you want anything growing on your glass?
makes tank cleaning difficult. You have to work around it making not to damage it. Tell me if I'm wrong.

chrisstankevitz · 09/19/2006, 05:21 PM

.

SDguy · 09/19/2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sammie
Once the zenia is on the wall it will climb to the top of the water and stay there if the flow is good. You cannot get these to cover the wall as they keep moving higher closer to the light.

I agree, it will climb the wall, but not reproduce up the wall, leaving the bottom portions bare eventually. Something like zoa's or GSP will make more of a matt/covering.

salt no pepper - I think he meant back glass, which most reefers, including myself, never clean.

chrisstankevitz · 09/19/2006, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SDguy
I agree, it will climb the wall, but not reproduce up the wall, leaving the bottom portions bare eventually. Something like zoa's or GSP will make more of a matt/covering.

I see. What if my light is angled and pointed at the wall like in the picture below (vs. pointed at the sand):

This whole "xenia will move but not reproduce up the wall" concept is throwing a wrench in my little plan.

Thanks,

Chris

SDguy · 09/19/2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chrisstankevitz
I see. What if my light is angled and pointed at the wall like in the picture below (vs. pointed at the sand):

Chris

Huh, interesting idea! You got me there. In theory, if the light is hitting it at an angle (though I'd think it would have to be a significant angle) it should work. I've often wondered what this type of spot lighting, sometimes since in Japanese reefs, does to coral growth....

09/18/2006, 03:14 PM	#1
chrisstankevitz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Santa Barbara, CA, USA Posts: 118	Help me grow Xenia on the back wall I have a small rock with healthy pumping xenia growing on it. I want the xenia to grow on the back wall. How can I encourage it? a) Put the rock on the sand, next to the wall. And wait. b) Cut a xenia stalk, superglue it to the wall. c) Make a "pocket" out of (filter floss?) tight against the wall and toss a stalk in there. d) Thanks for your help! Chris

09/18/2006, 03:18 PM	#2
Bippus Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 201	I vote A. __________________ -Dustin Current Tank Info: 75 gal - 135 In the works (STILL!!)

09/18/2006, 03:19 PM	#3
reefdood Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Metairie, LA Posts: 1,553	Superglue gel won't work well with Xenia Best bet is to lean the rock against the glass so that the Xenia is leaning against it but still getting light ad some flow. The Xena will grow up onto whatever it's touching. __________________ ~I am Fragholio!~ ~I need species for my fraghole!~ Current Tank Info: 30g drilled display with a 20g sump, modded CPR skimmer in sump, Mag7 return, 1/4 hp chiller, Ranco DS, 175w Hamilton, (3) 3' VHO, IC 660, (2) hacksawed MJ 900's on a Waveaster Pro, LED moonlights, and an inch of sand.

09/18/2006, 03:52 PM	#5
LOTUS50GOD Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3,210	i did a too.. make sure it gets some good flow and it spread in no time __________________ Vertex Alpha 300 Skimmer, AI SOL Blue, Neptune Apex Controlled 360 gallon Reef Current Tank Info: born 6/26/2008- 340 reef + 100 fuge, 300lbs of figi LR

09/18/2006, 04:12 PM	#7
r00onmac DVM in training Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 1,161	i did A last week and it has attached and started growing already... i also have it on my side glass and that happened by chance... so yea... A __________________ Matthew Current Tank Info: 55 display with 20L sump

09/18/2006, 03:22 PM	#4
cjgalante Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 819	I did A and it spread onto the wall in know time

09/18/2006, 03:57 PM	#6
jvetter Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Springdale, AR Posts: 198	A

09/18/2006, 05:20 PM	#8
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	i had it growing inside my overflow boxes at one time

09/18/2006, 06:21 PM	#9
r00onmac DVM in training Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 1,161	thats actually a pretty good idea for propagation purposes... i may drop a rock in there and see what happens.. really that stuff loves flow and light, so i wouldnt be surprised if i could turn my overflow box into a prop section... __________________ Matthew Current Tank Info: 55 display with 20L sump

09/18/2006, 06:41 PM	#10
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	Another vote for option A. I remodeled my tank recently and put a Xenia frag up against the back glass, hoping it would start to climb the wall. It has already attached, I think within a few months I'll have quite a bit growing on the glass. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

09/18/2006, 06:49 PM	#11
csherlock Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 56	as everyone else said that option a is the best, that is what I have heard. Although I have no first hand experience, I can't seem to grow the stuff....it will live in my tank for about 3months...no growth then all of a sudden it just "melts". So I have stopped trying.

09/18/2006, 08:13 PM	#12
ek9vboi Registered Member. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 3,027	Sucks for you, this stuff is WEED! I have tried to keep it in one place but it grows and spreads too quick. I prop. them and bring them into the LFS for credit as well as sell to others. Option A has worked twice for me. The one you see on top is in a low flow area as well as a low light area so the growth is slower then I expected. As for the Xenia that I have further up, it just grows out of control. Lots of light will make it grow, but with lots of flow will slow the growth and attachment... thats how it is for me.

09/18/2006, 08:21 PM	#13
sammie Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Zanesville Ohio Posts: 1,994	Once the zenia is on the wall it will climb to the top of the water and stay there if the flow is good. You cannot get these to cover the wall as they keep moving higher closer to the light. __________________ Bill Current Tank Info: 300 gal reef with all the goodies. A 65 gal sump a, 2-65 gal refug/growout and an integrated 65 gal. QT tank. Custom GEO beckett skimmer, GEO Ca reactor, GEO media reactors both GFO and carbon, GEO kalk reactor. 3-250 watt halides.

09/18/2006, 09:15 PM	#14
BIGSKY Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Miles city MT Posts: 238	D: destroy it before it takes over.

09/19/2006, 02:43 PM	#15
SCR Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Central, Fl Posts: 708	" A"

09/19/2006, 05:17 PM	#16
salt no pepper Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 20	IMO why would you want anything growing on your glass? makes tank cleaning difficult. You have to work around it making not to damage it. Tell me if I'm wrong.

09/19/2006, 05:21 PM	#17
chrisstankevitz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Santa Barbara, CA, USA Posts: 118	. Last edited by chrisstankevitz; 09/19/2006 at 05:41 PM.