Would you recommend Pulsing zenia?

Waters · Apr 25, 2014

I am looking for opinions from people that have or had Zenia. I am looking for "ground cover" for some of my live rock. Buying $50-$100 coral one piece at a time is taking too long lol. I like the look of them but I am concerned about their high level of growth. Would they be worth it to add or is their extreme growth rate not worth the trouble? Can they be contained with weekly maintenance or will they take over my tank? Will they over grow my LPS or will they just be attacked once they get too close? I currently have a Frogspawn, Torch, Duncans, Open Brain, and Yellow Leather Figi.

Jimbo662 · Apr 25, 2014

I would say no...they'll grow like weeds and spread everywhere.

Daniel@R2R · Apr 25, 2014

I have a nice colony, and yes it can be contained with maintenance. You have to cut it back from going where you don't want it. I like mine, and as long as you watch it and keep it from taking over, it's a nice piece to have. The maintenance is kind of like weeding a flower bed. LOL I have mine on one large rock, and if I see it pop up anywhere else, I remove it.

Waters · Apr 25, 2014

mdbannister said:
I have a nice colony, and yes it can be contained with maintenance. You have to cut it back from going where you don't want it. I like mine, and as long as you watch it and keep it from taking over, it's a nice piece to have. The maintenance is kind of like weeding a flower bed. LOL I have mine on one large rock, and if I see it pop up anywhere else, I remove it.

That is what I figured.....I viewed it like Ivy ground cover in a flower bed lol......if you don't watch it, it will eventually creep into and cover your lawn. I really like the appearance of it.....I just need to make sure that it can be maintained. I have spent a lot of time picking and placing my coral. I like an "organized" tank. Is it easy to remove from rock without removing the rock?

Joe G · Apr 25, 2014

I have them in my current tank growing only on the glass.
Makes it supper easy to manage because I can pop them right off the glass easily.
With that said I'm in the process of setting up a new tank and they will not be going in the new set up.
Good luck

FL_Reefer · Apr 25, 2014

I would say yes, only if they are on a rock by them selves not touching any other rocks. Same goes with green star polyp. This stuff grows like crazy! Was my biggest mistake putting GSP on a rock that could not be taken out and trimmed.

rlman41299 · Apr 25, 2014

I have them and i love their pulsing motion. Like everyone said, be ready that you can contain them for they spread like crazy.

ws6kid · Apr 25, 2014

I keep zenia in my refugium. This stuff loves water with higher nitrates and consumes them. Tanks with large zenia colonies tend to have low nitrates. If you already have extremely low nitrates, it may be difficult to keep alive and thriving. At least that is what I read a long time ago and it seems to be true from what I have watched and tested with my colony.

Waters · Apr 25, 2014

ws6kid said:
I keep zenia in my refugium. This stuff loves water with higher nitrates and consumes them. Tanks with large zenia colonies tend to have low nitrates. If you already have extremely low nitrates, it may be difficult to keep alive and thriving. At least that is what I read a long time ago and it seems to be true from what I have watched and tested with my colony.

Hmmmm...if that is true, I may need to rethink them. I show VERY LITTLE measureable amounts of nitrates and haven't since the tank has been set up. This has been tested with several different test kits.....not sure why but I haven't shown any ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates ever (I even "skipped" the initial cycle due to the quality and amount of live rock used).

revhtree · Apr 25, 2014

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/ne.../103328-so-you-think-you-want-keep-xenia.html

PaulKreider · Apr 25, 2014

No No No No No No, Don't do it. You will 100% regret it. Xenia is not controllable and can spread just like aiptaisia. If you attempt to trim it, any little fragment or super tiny piece that lands somewhere in the tank will grow into a new colony in no time. Then when you descide you don't like them anymore you cant simply cut them at the base and kill them. The base just grows back twice as large. The only solution is fluke tabs which nukes all youre inverts as well.

I would avoid it at all cost. Maybe go with GSP

Waters · Apr 25, 2014

PaulKreider said:
No No No No No No, Don't do it. You will 100% regret it. Xenia is not controllable and can spread just like aiptaisia. If you attempt to trim it, any little fragment or super tiny piece that lands somewhere in the tank will grow into a new colony in no time. Then when you descide you don't like them anymore you cant simply cut them at the base and kill them. The base just grows back twice as large. The only solution is fluke tabs which nukes all youre inverts as well.

I would avoid it at all cost. Maybe go with GSP

So what are you trying to say? Don't hold back......please tell me how you really feel :xd: You guys are scaring me lol. I think I have decided to not get it.

Waters · Apr 25, 2014

revhtree said:
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/ne.../103328-so-you-think-you-want-keep-xenia.html

Holy crap lol.....thanks for the link, I think. I can't believe they even sell this stuff.

Daniel@R2R · Apr 25, 2014

PaulKreider said:
No No No No No No, Don't do it. You will 100% regret it. Xenia is not controllable and can spread just like aiptaisia. If you attempt to trim it, any little fragment or super tiny piece that lands somewhere in the tank will grow into a new colony in no time. Then when you descide you don't like them anymore you cant simply cut them at the base and kill them. The base just grows back twice as large. The only solution is fluke tabs which nukes all youre inverts as well.

I would avoid it at all cost. Maybe go with GSP

I've kept it for over 2 years and am able to control it. It's not without maintenance...does require removal when it springs up somewhere you don't want it, but it can be removed by scraping out the rock area where it has taken hold.

ReefPiracy · Apr 25, 2014

I have all the bad stuff. Green polyps, GSP, galaxly, xenia, kenya tree. They do grow and can take over but just break the rock off. I never dose my tank with fix it all and kill it all stuff. Just like putting radiator stop leak. Just keep it maintained. I love being the in tank, the most peaceful work ive ever done. Try to do a start up on industrial controls then get back to me on hard work. I guess it comes down to your level of being able to do husbandry. If you want to set it and forget it become a paper pusher.

Waters · Apr 25, 2014

SloppyWhenWet said:
I have all the bad stuff. Green polyps, GSP, galaxly, xenia, kenya tree. They do grow and can take over but just break the rock off. I never dose my tank with fix it all and kill it all stuff. Just like putting radiator stop leak. Just keep it maintained. I love being the in tank, the most peaceful work ive ever done. Try to do a start up on industrial controls then get back to me on hard work. I guess it comes down to your level of being able to do husbandry. If you want to set it and forget it become a paper pusher.

It isn't as easy as just breaking off rock everytime I need to remove something lol. I used extremely porous rock which I am guessing would be almost impossible to keep Xenia free if I needed to (see pic). Plus, I never stated that tank maintenance was hard work.....it isn't.....it is just time consuming.

newjack0000 · Apr 25, 2014

figured ill add to this. I have them. I love them. Yes they require work but what dosent. I just take care of them when I do WC. The only thing I don't like about them is they let off a really bad stinch when taken out of the water.

My LFS buys them for $10 a stem and sells them for $30 so its a gold mine to me.

PaulKreider · Apr 25, 2014

Get an anemone or two, it will add the movement and flow youre looking for, without the problems. Or a couple torch corals would look great too! You have lots of room on your rock work and trust me, enjoy the phase where you have room. My tank is cram packed and I had to remove my torch coral for this reason. Couldn't be put anywhere without stinging something.