Those of you who cant keep xenia, TRY THIS

marinerules · 07/23/2006, 09:19 AM

go to petsolutions or drs foster smith website and order the bottle of phosbuster pro, come to find out , my tap had too much phosphates in it.

I had xenia and it did fine for a couple of months using tap but everytime i did top off , I guess the phophates just kept building up and up ,

ive been doing big water changes with ro/di cullihan water from walmart, and im in the markent looking for a good rodi unit ,

my xenia has slowly recovered the past week , since ive done the water change and added the phosbuster pro liquid. and its now slowlyy pulsing, so a few more water changes, they should be good again.

phosbusterpro has also helped my rocks PURPLE UP big time , since ive added it, where before, I coudl not hav coralline

skeeter-doc · 07/23/2006, 09:23 AM

another thing that can help your Xenia out is a build up of nutrients, ... I know it sounds bad, but they do need it if you want them to spread and grow

whiteshark · 07/23/2006, 09:28 AM

IMO, the best way to grow xenia is relatively high nutrient levels and high lighting.

Anyway, glad you had succsess with phosbuster. Personally, i've never heard of it.

skeeter-doc

To Reef Central

marinerules · 07/23/2006, 09:41 AM

its a product made by the same people that makes purple up , which works also ,

by a build up of nutrients, you mean like a high fishload ?

right now I have a 250 watt 20 k halide and 256 watts of compact flourescent over the xenia , I thought about buying a 10 k xm bulb instead of the 20 k ,

cause ive heard they grow better uner 10 , than they do the 20k

i actually thought about getting a 400 watt halide kit , but that might burn them and be too much light

deansreef · 07/23/2006, 09:44 AM

it is true that xenia enjoy higher light levels along with nutrients.

marinerules · 07/23/2006, 10:14 AM

so a 400 watt mh 10k would be ok ?

King-Kong · 07/23/2006, 10:46 AM

Xenia will grow a long side of SPS corals on the reef. They have a higher tolerance of nutrients, but they dont need it to thrive. They need fresh food sources which typically exist in your dirty tanks, but not the decomposed matter that also stays in it.

I have a thriving SPS dominate tank, and also have thriving xenia. Also, I dont dose any iodine, either (stop it, people!)

edit to add: Yes; xenia LOVE light. I do not think that you can have too much light for acclimated xenia.

skeeter-doc · 07/23/2006, 11:28 AM

thanks for the welcome shark

whiteshark · 07/23/2006, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by King-Kong
Xenia will grow a long side of SPS corals on the reef. They have a higher tolerance of nutrients, but they dont need it to thrive. They need fresh food sources which typically exist in your dirty tanks, but not the decomposed matter that also stays in it.

I have a thriving SPS dominate tank, and also have thriving xenia. Also, I dont dose any iodine, either (stop it, people!)

edit to add: Yes; xenia LOVE light. I do not think that you can have too much light for acclimated xenia.

IME xenia will live in tanks with very low nutrients, but will grow like wildfire in tanks that have realitively higher nutrient levels. (which, IMO, is NOT a good thing...)

reefshadow · 07/23/2006, 12:20 PM

What are people defining as "nutrients"????

I hear this alot and it's kind of a pet peeve for me.. Is it iodine? phosphate? nitrate? detritus? microfauna? high bacteria levels?unknown trace elements? Microalgae?

When people say 'they like high nutrients' what do you mean by that?

IME xenia does well in tanks that have alot of microfauna and probably bacteria. So does SPS.

I havn't found a coral yet that does well long term in dirty water full of phosphate, nitrate and detritus.

Afaik very little is known about what xenia feeds on and in what concentration it does best. I think it is probably heavily reliant on microfauna and bacteria. Those aren't the same as "dirty", and obviously growing on the reef they are adapted to the same environment as sps...

Anyhow, sorry to change the subject Marinerules. Glad that worked for you.

RichConley · 07/23/2006, 12:25 PM

fwiw, I dosed 1 capful of phosbuster pro into my tank (5 capfuls was the suggested dosage) and it killed every microcrustacean in my tank. Everything from the redbugs I had, to flatworms, to pods, to a couple of smaller shrimp.

whiteshark · 07/23/2006, 12:32 PM

Well, by nutrient levels I am usually talking about trate and phate.

Now, the thriving of xenia in water with these levels slightly elevated may not be because of the trate and phate themselves. Rather, because of what results (more bacteria because of more availible food, more microfauna, ect...)

I have just noticed that tanks with tons of SPS and 0 trates and phates can sustain xenia at a slow growth rate. However, tanks with elevated levels of the two seem to see xenia grow out of control. That is just my observation, but I am sure the real answer to making xenia thrive is far more complex than "higher nutrient levels".

GatorReefman · 07/24/2006, 07:14 AM

I have over 20 colonies of sps and assorted corals( have two sps with me for over two years- brown acropora and pink poci). Then, my xenia population probably numbers over 100( maybe out of control?). My bioload is low- one yellow tailed damsel and rock blenny for about an year. I feed them about once/twice a week. I dose kalkwasser daily and add C balance part A/B nearly every day. My nitrates last tested 0 and I believe my phosphates were 0 ( unless the testkit went bad). I am also tending to believe the microfauna is heavily involved in sustaining the xenia. I kill them off and they just come right back.

07/23/2006, 09:19 AM	#1
marinerules Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Paragould Arkansas Posts: 2,219	Those of you who cant keep xenia, TRY THIS go to petsolutions or drs foster smith website and order the bottle of phosbuster pro, come to find out , my tap had too much phosphates in it. I had xenia and it did fine for a couple of months using tap but everytime i did top off , I guess the phophates just kept building up and up , ive been doing big water changes with ro/di cullihan water from walmart, and im in the markent looking for a good rodi unit , my xenia has slowly recovered the past week , since ive done the water change and added the phosbuster pro liquid. and its now slowlyy pulsing, so a few more water changes, they should be good again. phosbusterpro has also helped my rocks PURPLE UP big time , since ive added it, where before, I coudl not hav coralline __________________ Looking at purchasing a good SLR camera within the next year, under $1000, any suggestions , email me Current Tank Info: 75 gallon damsels tank , 300 gallon predator fowlr tank

07/23/2006, 09:28 AM	#3
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	IMO, the best way to grow xenia is relatively high nutrient levels and high lighting. Anyway, glad you had succsess with phosbuster. Personally, i've never heard of it. skeeter-doc *To Reef Central* __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/23/2006, 09:41 AM	#4
marinerules Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Paragould Arkansas Posts: 2,219	its a product made by the same people that makes purple up , which works also , by a build up of nutrients, you mean like a high fishload ? right now I have a 250 watt 20 k halide and 256 watts of compact flourescent over the xenia , I thought about buying a 10 k xm bulb instead of the 20 k , cause ive heard they grow better uner 10 , than they do the 20k i actually thought about getting a 400 watt halide kit , but that might burn them and be too much light __________________ Looking at purchasing a good SLR camera within the next year, under $1000, any suggestions , email me Current Tank Info: 75 gallon damsels tank , 300 gallon predator fowlr tank

07/23/2006, 09:44 AM	#5
deansreef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: north carolina Posts: 3,234	it is true that xenia enjoy higher light levels along with nutrients. __________________ the only dumb question, is the one not asked... Current Tank Info: 225 gallon peninsula

07/23/2006, 10:14 AM	#6
marinerules Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Paragould Arkansas Posts: 2,219	so a 400 watt mh 10k would be ok ? __________________ Looking at purchasing a good SLR camera within the next year, under $1000, any suggestions , email me Current Tank Info: 75 gallon damsels tank , 300 gallon predator fowlr tank

07/23/2006, 09:23 AM	#2
skeeter-doc Moved On Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: TX Posts: 1,643	another thing that can help your Xenia out is a build up of nutrients, ... I know it sounds bad, but they do need it if you want them to spread and grow

07/23/2006, 10:46 AM	#7
King-Kong Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 2,346	Xenia will grow a long side of SPS corals on the reef. They have a higher tolerance of nutrients, but they dont need it to thrive. They need fresh food sources which typically exist in your dirty tanks, but not the decomposed matter that also stays in it. I have a thriving SPS dominate tank, and also have thriving xenia. Also, I dont dose any iodine, either (stop it, people!) edit to add: Yes; xenia LOVE light. I do not think that you can have too much light for acclimated xenia.

07/23/2006, 11:28 AM	#8
skeeter-doc Moved On Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: TX Posts: 1,643	thanks for the welcome shark

07/23/2006, 12:20 PM	#10
reefshadow Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central Washington Posts: 1,786	What are people defining as "nutrients"???? I hear this alot and it's kind of a pet peeve for me.. Is it iodine? phosphate? nitrate? detritus? microfauna? high bacteria levels?unknown trace elements? Microalgae? When people say 'they like high nutrients' what do you mean by that? IME xenia does well in tanks that have alot of microfauna and probably bacteria. So does SPS. I havn't found a coral yet that does well long term in dirty water full of phosphate, nitrate and detritus. Afaik very little is known about what xenia feeds on and in what concentration it does best. I think it is probably heavily reliant on microfauna and bacteria. Those aren't the same as "dirty", and obviously growing on the reef they are adapted to the same environment as sps... Anyhow, sorry to change the subject Marinerules. Glad that worked for you. __________________ All Your Coral Are Belong To Us Current Tank Info: 30 Deep Blue shallow mixed rimless, MP10, Ecoxotic LED's, SCA 301 skimmer.

07/23/2006, 12:25 PM	#11
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	fwiw, I dosed 1 capful of phosbuster pro into my tank (5 capfuls was the suggested dosage) and it killed every microcrustacean in my tank. Everything from the redbugs I had, to flatworms, to pods, to a couple of smaller shrimp. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

07/23/2006, 12:32 PM	#12
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	Well, by nutrient levels I am usually talking about trate and phate. Now, the thriving of xenia in water with these levels slightly elevated may not be because of the trate and phate themselves. Rather, because of what results (more bacteria because of more availible food, more microfauna, ect...) I have just noticed that tanks with tons of SPS and 0 trates and phates can sustain xenia at a slow growth rate. However, tanks with elevated levels of the two seem to see xenia grow out of control. That is just my observation, but I am sure the real answer to making xenia thrive is far more complex than "higher nutrient levels". __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

07/24/2006, 07:14 AM	#13
GatorReefman Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northeast , Florida Posts: 243	I have over 20 colonies of sps and assorted corals( have two sps with me for over two years- brown acropora and pink poci). Then, my xenia population probably numbers over 100( maybe out of control?). My bioload is low- one yellow tailed damsel and rock blenny for about an year. I feed them about once/twice a week. I dose kalkwasser daily and add C balance part A/B nearly every day. My nitrates last tested 0 and I believe my phosphates were 0 ( unless the testkit went bad). I am also tending to believe the microfauna is heavily involved in sustaining the xenia. I kill them off and they just come right back.