Pom pom pulsing xenia not looking good?

[Nicknackzz13]

hey yall, ive had these xenias for about 4-5months maybe? were doing great, then before i moved everything to a different tank they started to look shrunk and gradually get worse looking, but i moved everything over to a new tank,(Smaller tank) Went from a 45g to a 30g so i never used any new water, I use RO water, salinity is around 1.027 (hydrometer) Ca is around 500, i havent the test kits for Alk or Mg, other parameters are all 0 with a PH of a constant 8.0-8.2

they were so open big and beautiful before now over the last month or more they looked like this? i add Iodide, strontium etc every so often when needed (I need to go buy more)


Anyone know whats going on or have had this?

My led lights were never an issue neither, infact i had them too low now lately ive turned them up, but this isnt the case i believe because they just started looking worse over time and everything stayed the same!

as you can see my GSP, polyps and kenya tree do great

i have them scattered through out the aquarium in different spots to see if that would help, not one bit, i did have one piece which was fine now it looks dull too

 

[Nicknackzz13]

images wouldnt upload to thread but here they are!!

 

[Nicknackzz13]

bump

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

parameters are all

zeros indicate a lack of food in the water. corals need food. turning the light up increases the need for food.
Xenia are odd. Mine act like a barometer for the nutrients in the tank. They shrink before my zoas do when the nutrients drop.

so, the next time you look at a tank and see big fat stalked xeina, you know the nutrients in the tankimo ime.

be a bit cautious on led changes as a little can be a lot. Par meter if you can, lux meter if you want to do it cheap.(naa the apps not that good id spent the $14 bucks)

 

[Nicknackzz13]

zeros indicate a lack of food in the water. corals need food. turning the light up increases the need for food.
Xenia are odd. Mine act like a barometer for the nutrients in the tank. They shrink before my zoas do when the nutrients drop.

so, the next time you look at a tank and see big fat stalked xeina, you know the nutrients in the tankimo ime.

be a bit cautious on led changes as a little can be a lot. Par meter if you can, lux meter if you want to do it cheap.(naa the apps not that good id spent the $14 bucks)

i beleive xenia dont eat food though? should i feed them? i have tried recently last day or so to feed them a filter feeding coral food and also sprayed mysis near them with a turkey baster..

do they look alive? they arent dying you think? should i add different food?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

i beleive xenia dont eat food though? should i feed them? i have tried recently last day or so to feed them a filter feeding coral food and also sprayed mysis near them with a turkey baster..

do they look alive? they arent dying you think? should i add different food?

no they absorb more of the nutrients than they filter feed.
if your running gfo or nitrate reducer whatever id stop. or slow down on the water changes.

If you look at the science from randy and other scientists, it never recommends zero nutrints. Hobbyist Opinion does. in my opinion

tank looks pretty new. its wise to keep them a bit low, but....

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

oh, and get them in one a couple containable spots. boy they're a pain once they get healthy.

 

[Nicknackzz13]

my water parameters are all good, i have hair algae growing in a small part of my flat reef rock part, i was curious how do i know if i have nutrients in my tank? also i use a lot of media in my HOB filter, de nitrate which i removed most of it, i use a lot of phosguard, carbon, de nitrate and carbon pads, and purigen lol i keep my tank really clear and clean, maybe too clean for pom poms?? they were doing so well for awhile then suddenly just look like the pics day in and out, what do i use or supplement the water for to get them back to looking good, i just want them to cover my rocks its basically the only coral i want to go crazy in my tank haha

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

, i was curious how do i know if i have nutrients in my tank?

other parameters are all 0

You tested for Nitrate and Phosphate? yes? No & Po. those are the nutrints that feed the coral.


Fwiw, scrub the heck out of the nuisance algae now while the nutrints are low and get it out.

 

[Nicknackzz13]

yeah i scrub the hell out of the rock ahah i even let it dry for awhile then out it back in, i removed my de nitrate media and purigen all i have in my HOB is seagel and a media pad, i never tested phosphates but how do i get them in the water? if they need phosphates? im gonna let my tank get more dirty maybe thatd would help? i just dont want any bad spikes because my clownfish cost me $80! i dont wanna lose that big guy haha

 

[Nicknackzz13]

i just dont want the xenia to die, i want it to get better and grow everywhere!!! i love soft corals and xenia is one of my fav!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

yeah i scrub the hell out of the rock ahah i even let it dry for awhile then out it back in, i removed my de nitrate media and purigen all i have in my HOB is seagel and a media pad, i never tested phosphates but how do i get them in the water? if they need phosphates? im gonna let my tank get more dirty maybe thatd would help? i just dont want any bad spikes because my clownfish cost me $80! i dont wanna lose that big guy haha

dont let it spike. itll build slowly.
check what those pads and sea gel contain.

go slow.

 

[Jahalu]

In my experience, salinity is usually lower when using a hydrometer. So if you are measuring 1.027, you very well could be somewhat higher than that. And that could be a problem. If you can, try and check it with a refractometer- it will be more accurate. But if you are stuck for ideas, it might be worth lowering salinity a little and see if there's any change. My 2 cents fwiw.