Pulsing Xenia

[Pittsford_Pets]

Hey, didn't get any comments in the Softie discussion page, so I'll post here. Flow for pulsing Xenia? I'm making a 55g based on it cause I can't afford expensive coral/lights. To maximize the pulsing I know you need less flow. Considering it'll just be Xenia, clowns, and maybe a Kole Tang that I'll switch out of it gets too big, I'll be running a 70 gallon HOB. It was in my planted tank a while back and had a ton of water movement, so do you think I even need a powerhead?

 

[Micro Reef Tank]

Hey, didn't get any comments in the Softie discussion page, so I'll post here. Flow for pulsing Xenia? I'm making a 55g based on it cause I can't afford expensive coral/lights. To maximize the pulsing I know you need less flow. Considering it'll just be Xenia, clowns, and maybe a Kole Tang that I'll switch out of it gets too big, I'll be running a 70 gallon HOB. It was in my planted tank a while back and had a ton of water movement, so do you think I even need a powerhead?

Hi

I still consider myself new at the hobby, but I can report you my experience with a micro Reef Tank of 4,5 G

I bough one little Xenia "tree" and I got almost a plague with it and full of life and pulsing activity

And I have no powerhead, Just a little filter for fresh Walter tanks (long story )

So they multiplied a lot and that means they got great almost without flow

A strong flow from what I read may avoid them to pulse and I can say it may be possible as I have tried a more strong pump, and the water flow made them bend and not pulse

One thing you have to be careful is your water parameters as Xenias gets stressed with their "finger tip" white and looking eaten by something

And after a wile ( weeks ) they will start to get grey and finally melt

So, to answer your question with my self experience ( others may have their own experience ) My xenias in My tank, they don't need strong flow just good water parameters

But you can wait for more experienced hobby colleagues

 

[Micro Reef Tank]

My Xenias when I bought it

One of My actual Xenia in one Rock ( they multiplied so much That I have two rocks now )

And when something is wrong

Sometimes it's hard for me to know what makes this happen, but I read that they need good quality water

Hope this helps

 

[shrimped]

They need no flow since they make their own but flow can be good for other softies such as Kenya trees and Shrooms. I've heard lower quality water gets them going

 

[tankstudy]

I've kept 3 different xenias. The red sea pom pom, the blue xenia and the silver xenia. They all seem to pulse regardless of the flow but from what I have seen over the years, pulsing slows down greatly in poor water quality, specifically in presence of ammonia/nitrite.

The only reason I'd still get the power head is to get good circulation in the tank. Your xenias may pulse to produce their own flow but giving them some current will help them remove wastes and come in to contact with elements they need in the water at much higher rates.

I still keep them today amongst some pretty expensive stuff.

 

[Pittsford_Pets]

Hi

I still consider myself new at the hobby, but I can report you my experience with a micro Reef Tank of 4,5 G

I bough one little Xenia "tree" and I got almost a plague with it and full of life and pulsing activity

And I have no powerhead, Just a little filter for fresh Walter tanks (long story )

So they multiplied a lot and that means they got great almost without flow

A strong flow from what I read may avoid them to pulse and I can say it may be possible as I have tried a more strong pump, and the water flow made them bend and not pulse

One thing you have to be careful is your water parameters as Xenias gets stressed with their "finger tip" white and looking eaten by something

And after a wile ( weeks ) they will start to get grey and finally melt

So, to answer your question with my self experience ( others may have their own experience ) My xenias in My tank, they don't need strong flow just good water parameters

But you can wait for more experienced hobby colleagues

I have a few individual "frags" (just on rocks) in my 20g and they're doing pretty well. I'll definitely experiment with it. I'll make a thread with my progress, might even start a YouTube channel for it!

 

[Micro Reef Tank]

I have a few individual "frags" (just on rocks) in my 20g and they're doing pretty well. I'll definitely experiment with it. I'll make a thread with my progress, might even start a YouTube channel for it!

Like I said, I reported you my self experience in a 4,5 G tank just regarding xenias not other corals or fish

In such a small tank, a stronger flow would become a sea storm

And, like tankstudy said, flow is needed for the purposes he mentions, cleaning tasks and food help.

So it's up to you to verify if your actual power flow makes enough current to those tasks already and decide what to do

Regarding mushrooms, I can also report my experience regarding my flow in my tank
Please remember it's a 4,5G tank, that can't have strong flow, but any little variation can cause damages

My first frag with a single mushroom

My actual rock with all the "kids" of that first mushroom

And they are starting to "fly" looking for different places to settle in



I have offered already some mushrooms

To many for my Micro Reef Tank

 

[Pittsford_Pets]

I've kept 3 different xenias. The red sea pom pom, the blue xenia and the silver xenia. They all seem to pulse regardless of the flow but from what I have seen over the years, pulsing slows down greatly in poor water quality, specifically in presence of ammonia/nitrite.

The only reason I'd still get the power head is to get good circulation in the tank. Your xenias may pulse to produce their own flow but giving them some current will help them remove wastes and come in to contact with elements they need in the water at much higher rates.

I still keep them today amongst some pretty expensive stuff.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it on this thread, but I have a 70g HOB filter. It was in my planted tank and circulated the entire 55g, so I'll just experiment. Thanks so much! I also have an extra powerhead so if there isn't enough flow I'll just add it on.

 

[Pittsford_Pets]

Like I said, I reported you my self experience in a 4,5 G tank just regarding xenias not other corals or fish

In such a small tank, a stronger flow would become a sea storm

And, like tankstudy said, flow is needed for the purposes he mentions, cleaning tasks and food help.

So it's up to you to verify if your actual power flow makes enough current to those tasks already and decide what to do

Regarding mushrooms, I can also report my experience regarding my flow in my tank
Please remember it's a 4,5G tank, that can't have strong flow, but any little variation can cause damages

My first frag with a single mushroom

My actual rock with all the "kids" of that first mushroom

And they are starting to "fly" looking for different places to settle in



I have offered already some mushrooms

To many for my Micro Reef Tank

That's an awesome video! I got a tiny quarter inch mushroom on one of my rocks and it somehow already spread a muchroom onto a hermit shell! They're both growing pretty well - hopefully the hermits won't kill the mushroom when they move in!

 

[Micro Reef Tank]

That's an awesome video! I got a tiny quarter inch mushroom on one of my rocks and it somehow already spread a muchroom onto a hermit shell! They're both growing pretty well - hopefully the hermits won't kill the mushroom when they move in!

I have two red hermit in my tank, and they don't mess with my Xenia or Mushroom