Question on Xenia

J

jstdv8

Guest
mine get beat by the waves so much I wouldnt be able to tell if they were pumping or not :p
 

clown-lover

Member
Xenia was the one thing that my old tank seemed to love. It grew like wildfire. It was in low to medium flow. (I was able to see them pulse)
They were at the top to middle of my tank and I had power compact fluorescent lighting.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
2.6-3.0
I'm not the one with the problem, why are you asking me? LOL my xenia grow like crazy
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I am sure Bang can give you a better explanation but simply put the alkalinity of water is its ability to act as a buffer against PH swings. It has been noted that Low Alkalinity levels can cause Xenia pulsing to decrease or cease altogether due to these swings, so alkalinity levels should be kept above a minimum of 2.5meq/l.
Bang please correct me if i am mistaken
 
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3278483
I am sure Bang can give you a better explanation but simply put the alkalinity of water is its ability to act as a buffer against PH swings. It has been noted that Low Alkalinity levels can cause Xenia pulsing to decrease or cease altogether due to these swings, so alkalinity levels should be kept above a minimum of 2.5meq/l.
Bang please correct me if i am mistaken
Ok...so my alkalinity is a little lower, and my xenia have been unhappy for a few days, but other corals are fine. How do I increase the alk? I've read baking soda, but I've also read that people bake the baking soda first. Which is better? Sorry to hijack the thread, but the alk comment caught my attention!
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I would use a product like Reef builder by Seachem
BTW you should start a thread on alkalinity, carbonates and calcium
 

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3278483
I am sure Bang can give you a better explanation but simply put the alkalinity of water is its ability to act as a buffer against PH swings. It has been noted that Low Alkalinity levels can cause Xenia pulsing to decrease or cease altogether due to these swings, so alkalinity levels should be kept above a minimum of 2.5meq/l.
Bang please correct me if i am mistaken
Sounds good to me as reason #1. There are two other reasons as well that may not be quite as important as #1 but a close second and third.
#2 - Xenia build structures called Sclerites for maintaining body and frond structure. Without sclerites Xenia would be unable to stand upright and wave its fronds. These Sclerites are nearly pure Calcium carbonate. When Alkalinity is low there is insufficient Carbonate to build Sclerites. When ALK is very low the Sclerites may actually begin to dissolve.
#3 - Most spacies of Xenia are very intolerant of changes in the environment. This plays a little into reason #1 with the changing PH but also with just a direct change in Alkalinity. Once ALK is low it tends to continue to drop rapidly and Xenia will often react negatively to that change.
 
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