Adding pulsing xenia to my new tank

[Richard1999]

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

yah the water ph is like 8.4ish, temp is around 78-79, i do 2 gallon water changes every week, specific gravity is like 1.025 ish

 

[Unitylover]

yah the water ph is like 8.4ish, temp is around 78-79, i do 2 gallon water changes every week, specific gravity is like 1.025 ish

not those params. Alkalinity. nitrate. Magnesium. what salt do you use? If you dont want to spend much, go and buy an API reef test kit. Salifert is better, but API will do if your on a tight budget like me.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

I would personally just wing it because pulsing xenia are so cheap, but params can never hurt. I like that you have a piece of what I assume is established live rock already in your tank, that will help out with biodiversity massively.

 

[Richard1999]

not those params. Alkalinity. nitrate. Magnesium. what salt do you use? If you dont want to spend much, go and buy an API reef test kit. Salifert is better, but API will do if your on a tight budget like me.

Ok so I go to aqualife aqurium and I buy premade salt water, and i competely forgot what salts they us, but its the same salt and water they keep in their massive coral tank. I'll have to use my redsea test kit for nitrates again but I am assuming theres a healthy amount since the clownfish are thriving and for Magnesium I have no clue honestly. Is that really important for pulsing Xenias?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Ok so I go to aqualife aqurium and I buy premade salt water, and i competely forgot what salts they us, but its the same salt and water they keep in their massive coral tank. I'll have to use my redsea test kit for nitrates again but I am assuming theres a healthy amount since the clownfish are thriving and for Magnesium I have no clue honestly. Is that really important for pulsing Xenias?

Mag is needed a little, but if you are doing regular water changes, those should replenish it just fine.

As long as fish are eating and pooping and some nutrients are available, things should be fine to add a test frag.

 

[Richard1999]

I would personally just wing it because pulsing xenia are so cheap, but params can never hurt. I like that you have a piece of what I assume is established live rock already in your tank, that will help out with biodiversity massively.

yah I have a rock that has coreline algae on it in the tank rn for when it was cycling. I really really just want this coral to take over the tank since that would be dope

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Mag is needed a little, but if you are doing regular water changes, those should replenish it just fine.

As long as fish are eating and pooping and some nutrients are available, things should be fine to add a test frag.

↑This↑

 

[Richard1999]

Mag is needed a little, but if you are doing regular water changes, those should replenish it just fine.

As long as fish are eating and pooping and some nutrients are available, things should be fine to add a test frag.

yah btw if I was to leave the frag on the frag stand would the frag completely cover the stand (to hide it) in the future?

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

yah I have a rock that has coreline algae on it in the tank rn for when it was cycling. I really really just want this coral to take over the tank since that would be dope

I just bought a nice sized pulsing xenia rock cause that stuff is jsut magical.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

yah btw if I was to leave the frag on the frag stand would the frag completely cover the stand (to hide it) in the future?

yes, it may take a little time, but it should cover the frag plug.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

yah btw if I was to leave the frag on the frag stand would the frag completely cover the stand (to hide it) in the future?

Yup. Xenia will cover anything it can get a hold fast on. Friend of mine has a sump full of it and it grows directly on the acrlic and some egg crate dividers where he keeps his cheato.

 

[DevilDuck]

I had a frag survive the process of cycling the tank with ammonia.
I've heard some people say they can't keep xenia alive. Those people lie!

 

[Unitylover]

Im pretty sure it would be hard to kill xenia even if you tried.

 

[Richard1999]

Yup. Xenia will cover anything it can get a hold fast on. Friend of mine has a sump full of it and it grows directly on the acrlic and some egg crate dividers where he keeps his cheato.

Jeeez i am super excited hopefully my LFS has some frags for cheap. I kinda like the WWC pulsing Xenia the best since its deep purple color

 

[blaxsun]

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.

They still proliferate even with too much flow. Even against the current...

 

[Eagle_Steve]

They still proliferate even with too much flow. Even against the current...

That they do, just do not pulse as much lol.

 

[Sharkbait19]

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

Thanks - that was 1.5 years in, so lots of growth. I constantly pulled Xenia and it always grew back in a few weeks.
I’d definitely get some more rock in your tank for real estate long term, but you’re off to a good start.

 

[reeftankdude]

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.

How about placing this type of coral on the substrate between the front glass and the rock? Thanks

 

[Sharkbait19]

For it to grow nice, it still needs some space to grow. A single polyp is not nearly as attractive as a whole bush of it, but that definitely would work to isolate it.
Really it will be fine as long as wherever you put it doesn’t have access to the main structure.

 

[Richard1999]

So guys I didn’t unfortunately get those pulsing xenias that I wanted but the fish dude said the Zoas will be great along side them and also, he told me about this red algae but I forgot it’s name so any help would be lovely! It’s attached to the purple rock on the right