Xenia - looks bad?

[rwm555]

My Xenia has not been doing well lately. Today, it looks all wilty and is not pulsing. Any ideas on what could be wrong? My parms this morning were;

Cal 400
KH 8-9
Amn 0
PH 8.2
Sal 1.022
Ni, Na 0
Mag 1050
Iodine - non detecable

Thanks,

[joem1cha3l]

may want to pick up that salinty a little bit...

[dots]

A change in alkalinity has an effect on them as you describe.

How long have you had it?

What have you changed, or havent, recently?

Temperature?

[rwm555]

The temp stays around 78.5 - 79.5
The KH stays in the 8 - 10 range with little movement wk to wk
The only thing that has really changed are the lights. I have 6 T5's that I started replacing last week. One bulb per week. I changed the second one on Wed. Could the new lights be negatively effecting them?

[rwm555]

I have had them since Dec 08.

[dots]

Well, everything you have mentioned seems to be in order. However, something is making them mad....so I would start with a WC and getting your salt level corrected, and I notice your Mg is a little low, which may not be a direct cause....but a little low never the less.

.....and see how they respond.

[abulgin]

What is your phosphate?

[Mopar Reefer]

Any reason why your MG is low?

[rwm555]

I have not checked phosphate lately but I did just add a purigen packet a few weeks ago. The LFS said it would be a good idea. I had forgotten about it until now.

MG is low because I can't get it any higher! I dose MG (ION) twice per week. I check it once per week and it is never above 1100. Mostly it stays around 1050.

Do you think the purigen packet would be having any impact?

[think_tink13]

I have always noticed my xenia in both my tanks respond the most to changes in Calcium. In one tank we have low calcium levels and the xenia over run the tank. They grow quickly and are always pulsing. On the other hand, our second tank had high calcium and the xenia would wilt and die out. I did weekly water changes to lower it a bit. Now they grow but its a controlled growth.

When you do get your xenia back on track keep an eye on it, once it starts growing on multiple rocks, you'll never get rid of it! One stalk got sucked into a power head and we now have xenia growing on the sand.