Adding pulsing xenia to my new tank

[Richard1999]

Hey guys,

I am new to the salt water reefing world and I currently have an evo 13.5 gallon that has been stocked with 2 clownfish. The fish have been thriving for about 2 months now. I am starting to have a little bit of this brown algae forming in the tank but I think it stopped spreading. I really really want to add Pulsing Xenia, but I dont know if my tank is even ready. I don't have a proteins skimmer but I do 2 gallon water changes every Saturday. Would it be ok to add a single frag of Pulsing Xenia or should I just keep waiting?

 

[blaxsun]

Sure. Keep in mind that a single frag of pulsing xenia will soon be 20 - so my advice is to keep or otherwise restrict it to an isolated rock or island. They grow like absolute weeds, are easy to care for and very hard to kill.

 

[Unitylover]

depends on the lighting and flow, we also need params. You could add, but you need params first
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[Unitylover]

mind showing us a tank pic (also i just realized that xenia can prob grow with a flashlight, so the only problem is flow)

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Hey guys,

I am new to the salt water reefing world and I currently have an evo 13.5 gallon that has been stocked with 2 clownfish. The fish have been thriving for about 2 months now. I am starting to have a little bit of this brown algae forming in the tank but I think it stopped spreading. I really really want to add Pulsing Xenia, but I dont know if my tank is even ready. I don't have a proteins skimmer but I do 2 gallon water changes every Saturday. Would it be ok to add a single frag of Pulsing Xenia or should I just keep waiting?

As long as you some nutrient available and a decent light (stock light is fine for softies) then you should give it a try.

Pulsing Xenia can be finicky, but usually does really well. Just remember that once it takes off, it can spread quickly. Best to keep it on a rock by itself and away from other rocks. Unless you want a ton of it, then just place wherever. It will not gorw over or choke out zoas or other softies like leathers, so you could fill in with those also.

 

[Richard1999]

Sure. Keep in mind that a single frag of pulsing xenia will soon be 20 - so my advice is to keep or otherwise restrict it to an isolated rock or island. They grow like absolute weeds, are easy to care for and very hard to kill.

yah this is my first coral tank so if they go crazy in that tank I be extremely happy. I just really really love this type of coral for how it moves and hopefully my clownfish will love them to

 

[blaxsun]

yah this is my first coral tank so if they go crazy in that tank I be extremely happy. I just really really love this type of coral for how it moves and hopefully my clownfish will love them to

If you want an entire tank of pulsing xenias, you've picked the right coral.

 

[Richard1999]

As long as you some nutrient available and a decent light (stock light is fine for softies) then you should give it a try.

Pulsing Xenia can be finicky, but usually does really well. Just remember that once it takes off, it can spread quickly. Best to keep it on a rock by itself and away from other rocks. Unless you want a ton of it, then just place wherever. It will not gorw over or choke out zoas or other softies like leathers, so you could fill in with those also.

Yah i think my tank has enough stuff to keep it well fed and I am using the evo 13.5 lit that comes with the tank. It says its good enough for corals, so hopefully itll be good

 

[Eagle_Steve]

yah this is my first coral tank so if they go crazy in that tank I be extremely happy. I just really really love this type of coral for how it moves and hopefully my clownfish will love them to

Clowns may take to it, as mine do from time to time. Even in my mostly nem tank, they pop in and out.

I really like pulsing xenia and have a ton in my nem tank. Not much stuff can live through what it can live through with nems walking all over it lol. Between it and green star polyps, it makes a nice contrast with all the different color nems I have.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Yah i think my tank has enough stuff to keep it well fed and I am using the evo 13.5 lit that comes with the tank. It says its good enough for corals, so hopefully itll be good

I just moved over a 10 gallon HOB filtered tank of my neices to a an evo 13 and all is doing well after the move. That tank will support most medium light corals just fine. It is loaded with Xenia, GSP, zoas and some leather frags.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Forgot to add.

Just keep things stable and keep up with your maintenance routine and you will enjoy that tank.

 

[Unitylover]

Yah i think my tank has enough stuff to keep it well fed and I am using the evo 13.5 lit that comes with the tank. It says its good enough for corals, so hopefully itll be good

do you have a powerhed or something for suitable flow?

 

[Koh23]

Me like it also, sadly, in my tank xenia dont grow for some reason, so i'm jelous of people with rock filled with xenia.....

 

[Eagle_Steve]

do you have a powerhed or something for suitable flow?

Stock return pump with nozzle facing up will provide enough flow for pulsing Xenia and most softies until they fill the tank up. Then a small powerhead is all that is needed. Too much flow and they do not pulse.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Clowns probably won’t host Xenia but you never know. Super low maintenance and can thrive in just about any tank.
Mine grew well in a 13.5 with no added skimmer or flow and the regular light.
Keep it off the main structure, once you get into other coral you will find that it smothers the rest out.

 

[jdiver]

I'm with you in really liking pulsing xenia - one of my all-time classic coral favorites, and it was the first coral I added to my new tank after a couple of months. Although xenia is very hardy, ime it's also a good indicator of tank params and stability - if ever my pulsing xenia isn't fully out and pulsing, then there's likely a bigger problem. I consider it somewhat like a canary in a coal mine.

Definitely put it on an island as others have said, as it can/does spread like mad. Even if you might like that now when your tank is getting started, you'll wish you had isolated it when you want to add more corals.

 

[Richard1999]

mind showing us a tank pic (also i just realized that xenia can prob grow with a flashlight, so the only problem is flow)

yah ill do that, heres the tank. Sadly its very plain and boring but honestly I am such a noob at salt water still

 

[Unitylover]

yah ill do that, heres the tank. Sadly its very plain and boring but honestly I am such a noob at salt water still

oh yes you can add, we just need some params. even xenias will die with bad params.

 

[Richard1999]

Clowns probably won’t host Xenia but you never know. Super low maintenance and can thrive in just about any tank.
Mine grew well in a 13.5 with no added skimmer or flow and the regular light.
Keep it off the main structure, once you get into other coral you will find that it smothers the rest out.

jeez bro that looks really good, mines very noobish with only 2 clownfish XD

 

[Unitylover]

yours is fine, I think it will be fit for the small rock huge coral style