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Unread 09/19/2011, 03:16 PM   #1
returnofsid
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Xenia in the refugium?

So, I picked up a 75 gallon tank, completely set up, as a mixed reef. There's tons of Xenia in it, most attached to rubble rock. There's also lots of room in the sump. My plan is to turn this tank into more of an SPS tank, though it'll still have some LPS. I'm considering placing all of the rubble rocked Xenia in the sump, to act as filtration. However, I figured I'd come here first, for advice!

Good idea?

Bad idea?


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Unread 09/19/2011, 06:48 PM   #2
elegance coral
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Bad idea IMHO. Allelopathy would be a concern, and it wouldn't act as a "filter" unless you harvested a portion periodically.


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Unread 09/20/2011, 03:32 PM   #3
Ron Reefman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elegance coral View Post
Bad idea IMHO. Allelopathy would be a concern, and it wouldn't act as a "filter" unless you harvested a portion periodically.
A) I understand what allelopathy is, but what are you implying might be happening here?

B) To the OP, As much as we may think of xenia as a 'weed' it is a coral and an animal not a plant. It will process food and give off waste which is NOT what you are looking for. If you don't want it, sell it off to newbie reefers on CraigsList.


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Unread 09/20/2011, 04:00 PM   #4
elegance coral
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Reefman View Post
A) I understand what allelopathy is, but what are you implying might be happening here?
I don't quite understand what you're asking???????


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Current Tank Info: I'm trying to see how many tanks will fit in my house before the wife loses it.
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Unread 09/20/2011, 04:32 PM   #5
Fryman
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Not a crazy idea, it's actually been tried before:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

Xenia isn't the best for nutrient export, but if your nutrients are too low to support macro, I don't see why it couldn't be used for this purpose. Yes, you would have to harvest/ remove xenia for this to work. One caveat: Xenia consumes trace elements like iodine & mg, so you would want to watch out for that. Maybe have to dose these every once on awhile.

Lots of people keep xenia & sps in the same tank, so I think it'd be feasible.



Last edited by Fryman; 09/20/2011 at 04:52 PM. Reason: Caveat
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Unread 09/22/2011, 09:07 PM   #6
Steve175
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elegance coral View Post
I don't quite understand what you're asking???????
The question is obvious as I have the same: how could growing Xenia in the refugium inhibit coral growth in the DT. If you are somehow invoking allelopathy, what is the mechanism/secreted substance?


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Unread 09/23/2011, 09:14 AM   #7
KafudaFish
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elegance coral View Post
Bad idea IMHO. Allelopathy would be a concern, and it wouldn't act as a "filter" unless you harvested a portion periodically.
How else would you filter the bound nutrients other than through removal?

There are people who run xenia or aptasia filters and as with anything if done correctly would be of little concern.


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Unread 09/25/2011, 07:44 AM   #8
elegance coral
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve175 View Post
The question is obvious as I have the same:
He stated that he understands allelopathy, but doesn't understand my concern. I stated that allelopathy was the concern. If he understands allelopathy, the question does not make sense.

Quote:
how could growing Xenia in the refugium inhibit coral growth in the DT.
There is no magic force filed between the refugium and DT. It is all the same body of water. Pour some red dye in the refugium, give it a few minutes, and the water in the DT will be red. If you have "tons of Xenia" in the refugium discharging allelopathic substances in the water, they will reach the DT.

Quote:
If you are somehow invoking allelopathy, what is the mechanism/secreted substance?
Here's a link describing a cell killing substance produced by Xena.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...YRDb6F5oMMP-cw

Science is still learning about the substances produced by soft corals, and like the link above, many of these substances don't have names yet. Many have yet to be isolated. It is common in soft corals to produce allelopathic substances. If you would like to learn more about this, simply google "soft coral toxin", and you will find plenty of reading. This should also make it clear that having "tons of Xenia" in a system dedicated to stony corals would be a concern.


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Current Tank Info: I'm trying to see how many tanks will fit in my house before the wife loses it.
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Unread 09/25/2011, 08:00 AM   #9
elegance coral
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KafudaFish View Post
How else would you filter the bound nutrients other than through removal?
I have no idea. That doesn't stop others from believing that you can filter bound nutrients without removal. The whole cryptic zone, and Shemik DSB is based on it.

Quote:
There are people who run xenia or aptasia filters and as with anything if done correctly would be of little concern.
I don't know of anyone doing such a thing. Especially with aiptasia. I know of one guy that made a video suggesting it, but I've never met anyone that actually tried it. Thankfully, if there are people actually doing this, they are few and far between.


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"Most of the failures with marine aquaria are due to lack of knowledge of the biological processes that occur in the aquarium." Martin A. Moe, Jr.
"A scientist seeks the truth, wherever that may lead. A believer already knows the truth, and cannot be swayed no matter how compelling the evidence."

Current Tank Info: I'm trying to see how many tanks will fit in my house before the wife loses it.
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Unread 09/25/2011, 09:40 AM   #10
returnofsid
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All interesting feedback. To be honest, I'm familiar with Allelopathy, among many soft corals, but was unaware that Xenia was one of the soft corals to be concerned about. I guess I should have worded my initial post a bit better, as well. I'd NOT be putting "a ton" of Xenia in my fuge. Also, if I were to do this, I'd "harvest" Xenia, from the fuge, as it grows.

Still haven't decided if I'm going to try this or not, but it is still something I'm contemplating.


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Unread 10/03/2011, 01:30 PM   #11
yman32
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do you need to supplment with Iodine?

is that for all Xenia or just the pulsating kind.....

thanks,

~Y


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Unread 10/03/2011, 06:28 PM   #12
mikezalewski
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I was told that if you have the pulsing xenia you will have to make sure that you are dosing with iodine. I have also heard the there is really no such thing as pulsing and nonpulsing they are the same just based on the elements they will act different! this is just what I have heard!


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Unread 10/04/2011, 07:22 PM   #13
Rybren
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I have a fair bit of Xenia in my fuge. I also have far more than I'd like to in the DT. I've been running this way for a year and a half or so with no ill effects.

FWIW, my routine is to pull Xenia from the DT and dump it in the fuge. When I feel like there's too much in the fuge, I pull it and then trade/sell/give it away.

I don't know whether it's doing any good, but it doesn't seem to be hurting anything.


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