Xenia in the refugium

[polarbear]

So I read about some individuals growing Xenia in their refugiums. What benefit does this have to the tank? Does it work like macro algae? If anyone here does this what have you seen in regards to benefits?

Also does growing anthelia coral in the refugium work like xenia?

[koa25]

Troyvalentine is your guy to talk to.

[Triggerman]

I'm not sure how to post it, but do a search for xenia fuge by Troy Valentine....he even has a cool youtube video to checkout.

[rrasco]

Troy's fuge is amazing. I'm still planning one, gonna build a little LED fixture for it and plop some xenia in there. Best part is you get trade-ins instead of tossing chaeto.

[polarbear]

I just watched the video and its cool. Im going to try this on my 90 gallon. Any idea it anthelia would work the same as xenia? Also would I remove all of the rock that I have in the refugium or leave it in there?

[350gt]

Mine is a work in progress and havent noticed any blooms in my tank since removing my chaeto and caulpera.

You do need decent light, Troy is running a 150watt MH I believe..... I went with a Ai Nano LED fixture.

Stuff is spreading, I started with 1 good sized frag and it split 3 times already....


I will be getting rid of most of my dragons breath when it spreads a little more.

[Fracture]

Can someone post the link to the video I can't find it

[350gt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKfhOu2GBaA

[350gt]

its so sweet!!!....

[Fracture]

That's so awesome I wanna try that with mine wonder how long it took him to get It that thick

[350gt]

need plenty of light to make them pulse like that.

[Fracture]

Mine pulse but they don't grow very quick for me

[Troy Valentine]

So I read about some individuals growing Xenia in their refugiums. What benefit does this have to the tank? Does it work like macro algae? If anyone here does this what have you seen in regards to benefits?

Also does growing anthelia coral in the refugium work like xenia?

The benefits are somewhere between a macro fuge and a protein skimmer. Xenia has the ability of replacing both, or being used in combination. As for me both my skimmers' (6"x30" Beckett and 6"x30" psk2500) function has been aeration for many months. The Xenia is the systems primary means of filtration, with the macro fuge as a backup when Xenia cannot meet the demands of the system. The macro fuge will fill the void until the Xenia finds the equilibrium and the growth of the macro will begin the wan. For instance I lost a 7 inch tang a couple of weeks ago, and I left him in their to decompose and feed my detritivores, also to add some much needed nitrates to the water. I noticed that within a few days the Xenia fuge was multiplying like crazy and I started to get some growth on my macros, but that only lasted a few days and then it was back to normal the enlarged Xenia colony pulsing away and the macro looking drab. I've been using this system, or some modified version of this system for over 10 years, and it has worked well for me.

[Troy Valentine]

I just watched the video and its cool. Im going to try this on my 90 gallon. Any idea it anthelia would work the same as xenia? Also would I remove all of the rock that I have in the refugium or leave it in there?

I like Xenia because it is easy for me to read. When its happy it pulses and when its not it doesn't, with varying degrees in between. Years ago I remember reading Eric Borneman in college and he was discussing how Xenia are some of the first colonizers of a reef which purpose could be to lower the DOMs in order to allow more sensative corals to inhabit the newly formed reef. You can also find it flurishing by hotel drains, and other such waste ports in the ocean. After reading this it seem like the perfect filter for me. Tested by mother nature.

If you can grow other anthelia and you are good at reading it... Why not.... Let me know how it works.

[polarbear]

Do you have any type of pump or power head in with the Xenia moving it around?

[350gt]

I didn't see one in the video...


i don't have one in mine.. Pulsing Xenia like a slower current.

[Tristan23]

After seeing Troys tank not too long ago I added pulsating xenias to my first chamber. Turned off my skimmer and everything looks good so far. After a week my one stalk Xenia turned into 3 stalks after two weeks. So far so good.

[ducati996]

Tristan ur first chamber is that where ur tank drains into?

[Tristan23]

Yes sir that's where I have the Xenia are in. Then my cheato/ dragons breath live rock and then my return chamber.

[ducati996]

so no skimmer im working on my first fuge so im looking for ideas on how to set it up right now i just have some cheato and dragons breath in it and a skimmer but if i can eliminate that and go for a more natural filtration then im all for it

[Tristan23]

Well I have a skimmer there for emergencies. But it's off right now. With weekly water changes it been good for me.

[ramsey]

Is anyone dosing iodine? I've read that it's really important for Xenia and could limit growth. I've always been able to grow Xenia but I've heard of others that can't keep it alive. Do you think it's lack of nitrates or could it be related to iodine as well?

[Scutterborn]

Is anyone dosing iodine? I've read that it's really important for Xenia and could limit growth. I've always been able to grow Xenia but I've heard of others that can't keep it alive. Do you think it's lack of nitrates or could it be related to iodine as well?

It seems that everyone has differing ideas on keeping Xenia alive and thriving. Online, it can vary wildly.


-Ben-

[alton]

Back when my tanks where mostly Xenia like the one attached, I did not dose, nitrates stayed below 5, could not skim (they would not pulse if I ran it), and no phosban reactor. I always believed Xenia loved pollution. In my 200 I only had 400 watts of CFL, so it did not require a bunch of light either. To kill it freshwater dips. That is what the person did to delete all of it from this tank when I sold it to him.
http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac237/Altonv1/1585-28-2008_zpse66440af.jpg