New Tank Inhabitant and Flow Question

[uthscsa19]

I just bought a Pulsing Xenia as my first coral. I was told this is a fairly easy coral to take care of.
How do i acclimate the xenia in my tank. It is attached to a small rock. I have had the bag temperature normalizing in my tank for 20min, and have slowly added my tank water in the bag. Anything else, and how long do i continue doing this.
As far as flow rate goes, what would be good for my 25gHigh tank. I bought a Maxi-Jet 600 (160gph). I also have the 200gph filtration exhaust of my Eclipse hood. so i guess that make 360gph. Most of the 200gph from the filter exhaust goes across the top of the water and only hits the top of the rocks. I am going to position the Maxijet to hit the bottom and rear of the tank.
Any suggestions or question.

 

[jauringer]

as far as acclimation goes the longer the better. i usually take about an hour to acclimate a new coral. slowly adding a turky baster or two full of tank water every ten minutes. it sound like your doing a good job. As far as flow is concerned. its good to have about 20x turnover an hour so you could probably use a little more flow. i have a 46 bow with about 1000 gallons an hour turover.

 

[uthscsa19]

Do I leave it on its little rock, and just place that rock on one of mine, or do i have to detach it and place it on one of mine. Also how long will it take to open back up.

 

[michaeltx]

leave it on the rock it came on. I would suggest isolateing a rock from your main structures for it. the can travel along the rockwork leaveing babies behind and spread quickly. so if you could have a plague of it after a period of time.
Mike

 

[lillylegs]

hey uthscsa19,
welcome to the board! but i just have to ask... you wouldn't happen to live in san antonio?
anyways, i cultivate pulsing xenia in my tank. they prefer moderate flow and moderate lighting (depending on lights and position in tank). supplement with iodine once a week. it grows like a weed!

 

[uthscsa19]

Yes I do live in San Antonio. How did you Know. Probably from my username. How much iodine would i add to the tank and do they require and calcium to grow. Can i add this iodine to a kalk drip. I will start dripping this weekend if i can get it set up. I have 130 watts in a 25high tank and i placed in half way up. It is in moderate to high flow. I am still waiting for it to open, but its barely been an hour. It a small on, just 1.5 to 2 inches.

 

[lillylegs]

yeah, i went to school there for awhile. i also went to utsa as an undergrad. i figured your name was too much of a coincidence! i'm originally from san antonio, moved up here for school. i miss the hot weather... i'm really not kidding. people complain here when it gets close to 90! do you go to school there as well?
so, adding iodine is really quite simple. just add a capful per 50 gallons of water. so a half a cap for you. be sure not to overdose!i would go ahead and add it now to help acclimate it better to its new surroundings. just give it time, it may take a few days. i started out with one little tiny stalk and now theres so much of it i can't get rid of it!

 

[uthscsa19]

Yeah, I work at the Health Science Center, and need 12hrs to graduate from UTSA with a Bio degree. Was you major biology while you were at UTSA?

 

[lillylegs]

weird-o-rama, it was. i also had a minor in chemistry while i was there. small world! i wonder if all the same profs are there (i graduated in 99). dr. senseman was my favorite. i had him for four or five classes it seems like. what department are you in at uthscsa? are you in research?

 

[uthscsa19]

Hehe Dr. Sensemans still their. I had him for Bio I and Physiology. I started school in Fall of 99. I work in the department of Cell and Structural Biology, but we were formally in the department of medicine, division of endocrinology. Yes I am in research. We work mostly with bone cancer and osteoporosis. Our lab deals with Myeloma.

 

[lillylegs]

holy crap. do you know jim jackson? hes a student there, i think hes in cellular and structural. i was in the surgery dept on the second floor. this is weird, do you have aol IM? it might be quicker...

 

[uthscsa19]

reply my AIM username is uthscsa19

 

[shep]

I skipped through most of the BS about where everyone lived and worked. To make Xenia thrive you must have few very simple things...
1) good current that changes at least every 15 minutes
2) VHO or better lighting
3) Xenia eats Iodide big time so you have to watch levels if kepping inverts that require it. Sudden changes will upset inverts and reduce sheds if Xenia steals it from them.
Just remeber once it starts going it's gone. I started with one little dude and he is now the mother colony. On average I give away 30 a month or more. If I don't give them away I throw them in the trash can. Once they start thriving they are just like an algae.