Xenia refugium vs. ATS - Page 2

ReefKeeper64 · 11/05/2013, 07:28 PM

Aqua, Is your DT an SPS dominant setup?

AquaTDV · 11/05/2013, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReefKeeper64

Aqua, Is your DT an SPS dominant setup?

Its a mixed reef, but I would say it is SPS and Clam dominated
Here is a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z97_LEt9wkE

FlyPenFly · 11/05/2013, 08:14 PM

If you keep pulsing Xenia on a seperate island rock, will it somehow travel to other rocks?

I'm thinking of making a rubble of rocks island. I can just remove some of the pieces to sell later and always add more rock rubble for the Xenia to grow on. But really only if it's reasonably safe the Xenia won't spread to my main rocks.

ksed · 11/05/2013, 09:02 PM

When i do a water change on my 120. I will put that water in the 30. But no success.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaTDV

Xenia can be quite tricky, especially in small systems. For me they seem to prefer a stable/aged system, particularly when grown in a small setup like your 30. When its time to do another water change in your 120. Empty the waste water into the 30 and see where that gets you. If this gets them going, reduce the time you are running your skimmer.

dryworm · 11/06/2013, 05:39 AM

does xenia eat pods? i wouldn't want the xenia to eat all the pods in the refugium.

_shorty_ · 11/06/2013, 08:28 AM

I recently read in the breeding forum of someone who uses a xenia refugium to raise cardinal larvae. He said between feedings they are hunting for pods... so I assume he has an acceptable to substantial population in with the xenia. I have no experience with a xenia fuge, though.

FlyPenFly · 11/06/2013, 10:42 AM

My understanding was that Xenia are like clams, just pure filter feeders who may or may not take up some plankton sized life, not copepods .

AquaTDV · 11/06/2013, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyPenFly

If you keep pulsing Xenia on a seperate island rock, will it somehow travel to other rocks?

I'm thinking of making a rubble of rocks island. I can just remove some of the pieces to sell later and always add more rock rubble for the Xenia to grow on. But really only if it's reasonably safe the Xenia won't spread to my main rocks.

It will spread, and if this is your DT all it will take is one floater created by a hermit crab, tang, or anything else that could dislodge the smallest of frags to get pureed in your powerhead and it will be everywhere.

These are pics from '02 of 35mm pics. It shows one of my attempts at keeping the Xenia in the DT for filtration/propagation. One positive thing is that you are looking at approx. $3000 in Xenia, which I used to purchase my current system in '04.

BEFORE- When I tried to limit its growth to the side of the tank for easy propagation.

AFTER

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksed

When i do a water change on my 120. I will put that water in the 30. But no success.

Which type of Xenia are you trying to keep?

ksed · 11/07/2013, 03:46 PM

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...03&pcatid=2803

rfgonzo · 11/07/2013, 10:03 PM

Since Xenia can be tricky sometimes could this also be done with another fast growing coral like GSP? Very curious as I'm setting up a 75 gal refugium now. IMO GSP is a bit easier than Xenia to grow fast and no need to shut down skimmer.

ReefKeeper64 · 11/08/2013, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaTDV

Its a mixed reef, but I would say it is SPS and Clam dominated
Here is a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z97_LEt9wkE

Great tank and there's plenty of nice SPS in there. I asked because I was curious if the water chemistry would be correct with both softies and SPS in the same system. You are managing both well!

rfgonzo · 11/08/2013, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfgonzo

Since Xenia can be tricky sometimes could this also be done with another fast growing coral like GSP? Very curious as I'm setting up a 75 gal refugium now. IMO GSP is a bit easier than Xenia to grow fast and no need to shut down skimmer.

Anyone?

Lavoisier · 11/08/2013, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfgonzo

Anyone?

Following along and curioius to the answer of your question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaTDV

Its a mixed reef, but I would say it is SPS and Clam dominated
Here is a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z97_LEt9wkE

Your joy in your tank is obvious and inspiring!

AquaTDV · 11/09/2013, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfgonzo

Since Xenia can be tricky sometimes could this also be done with another fast growing coral like GSP? Very curious as I'm setting up a 75 gal refugium now. IMO GSP is a bit easier than Xenia to grow fast and no need to shut down skimmer.

Sure GSP will work if you are looking for a coral to make some money with. However I am not sure how well it will work as a potential filter. Its hard to quantify the value of Xenia as a filter, but I do know what the literature says, and it seems to support the hypothesis. I had a 60 corner full of metallic green GSP. It was a BB so the GSP covered the entire bottom of the tank as well as the sides. This made it very easy to frag and attach to rocks for the LFS to sell.

AquaTDV · 11/09/2013, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksed

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...03&pcatid=2803

That's the same type I grow. Do you have multiple bulbs to try a different/more intense light configuration? Sometimes Xenia can be very tricky. In some tanks it will take off and other it will just die. Like what is happening to you. If it just looks lethargic, and not melting away. This is probably a lighting issue.

AquaTDV · 11/09/2013, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lavoisier

Your joy in your tank is obvious and inspiring!

Thank you!

ksed · 11/09/2013, 03:09 PM

i will try different lighting

rfgonzo · 11/09/2013, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaTDV

Sure GSP will work if you are looking for a coral to make some money with. However I am not sure how well it will work as a potential filter. Its hard to quantify the value of Xenia as a filter, but I do know what the literature says, and it seems to support the hypothesis. I had a 60 corner full of metallic green GSP. It was a BB so the GSP covered the entire bottom of the tank as well as the sides. This made it very easy to frag and attach to rocks for the LFS to sell.

Thanks for the response Aqua, I would be more interested in GSP as a filter not $ maker. If anyone has info on this please pass it along.

Flatlander · 11/10/2013, 11:45 AM

Great video,s. Thanks for sharing.

badguitarist · 11/10/2013, 12:41 PM

rfgonzo, here is my take on the difference between Xenia and GSP. I culture both in a 400 gallon tub under natural sunlight. The GSP grows quick and can cover frag mounts relatively quickly its rate of growth definitely takes some nutrients out of the water. The Xenia I have in a 55 gallon drum plumbed to the same tub grows like a weed in fact it is too much work for me to sell it all. I sell all I can and end up just throwing the rest away. I don't even have to frag it I just throw rubble in and take it out a couple weeks later and its covered in xenia. The major difference is the biomass of the quickly growing Xenia is much more than the biomass of GSP and I think that's where Xenia works so well it needs more nutrients to create the larger biomass therefore taking more waste out of the water

rfgonzo · 11/10/2013, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badguitarist

rfgonzo, here is my take on the difference between Xenia and GSP. I culture both in a 400 gallon tub under natural sunlight. The GSP grows quick and can cover frag mounts relatively quickly its rate of growth definitely takes some nutrients out of the water. The Xenia I have in a 55 gallon drum plumbed to the same tub grows like a weed in fact it is too much work for me to sell it all. I sell all I can and end up just throwing the rest away. I don't even have to frag it I just throw rubble in and take it out a couple weeks later and its covered in xenia. The major difference is the biomass of the quickly growing Xenia is much more than the biomass of GSP and I think that's where Xenia works so well it needs more nutrients to create the larger biomass therefore taking more waste out of the water

Thank You,

guserto4 · 11/11/2013, 08:39 AM

Can anyone who has had great success growing Xenia like a weed speak to water parameters and lighting? I'm becoming more and more interested in incorporating this into the filtering system of my new tank.

knight2255 · 11/26/2013, 09:29 AM

I took down my ATS a couple months ago when I redid my return plumbing.

I wonder if I can use the old diy led arrays off my ATS to light up a xenia fuge? The leds would be 10:2:2 red/blue/uv over a 20g fuge......would that spectrum be totally out of wack?

amlights · 12/07/2013, 09:02 PM

Wow, this is a super interesting topic. I love the idea. Going to have to try to implement it. Awesome!

jrsp12 · 12/08/2013, 07:55 PM

Aqua you mentioned to cycle the skimmer to get the greatest growth from the Xenia. Can you explain the reasoning behind this? It seems not running the skimmer would be more beneficial since you would not be pulling nutrients away from the Xenia.

11/05/2013, 07:28 PM	#26
ReefKeeper64 Wanna be a reefkeeper Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Tampa Posts: 1,158	Aqua, Is your DT an SPS dominant setup? __________________ Reef Savvy 110g Tank \| GHL Profilux 4 Controller & Doser \| Royal Exclusiv Skimmer & Dreambox/Sump \| ATI 8x54 Sunpower T5 \| Ozotech Ozone Generator

11/05/2013, 08:14 PM	#28
FlyPenFly SPS Killer Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,490	If you keep pulsing Xenia on a seperate island rock, will it somehow travel to other rocks? I'm thinking of making a rubble of rocks island. I can just remove some of the pieces to sell later and always add more rock rubble for the Xenia to grow on. But really only if it's reasonably safe the Xenia won't spread to my main rocks. Last edited by FlyPenFly; 11/05/2013 at 08:30 PM.

11/06/2013, 05:39 AM	#30
dryworm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: dayton, ky Posts: 113	does xenia eat pods? i wouldn't want the xenia to eat all the pods in the refugium. __________________ When it was all said and done. More was said than done.

11/10/2013, 11:45 AM	#44
Flatlander Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,886	Great video,s. Thanks for sharing. __________________ Doug TOTM April 2001 Current Tank Info: 50g sumpless sps tank..Evergrow 2081 led..Apex control..Tunze 9012 skimmer..Tunze calcium reactor..Tunze kalk reactor..2 rw8,s..1 MP40..1 Hydor Korillia 1200gph..Tunze ATO..all propagated sps frags

11/11/2013, 08:39 AM	#47
guserto4 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Denver Posts: 352	Can anyone who has had great success growing Xenia like a weed speak to water parameters and lighting? I'm becoming more and more interested in incorporating this into the filtering system of my new tank. __________________ Just trying to get it right Current Tank Info: Under construction: 123g 80x24x16 display & 35g 24x24x16 frag

11/06/2013, 08:28 AM	#31
_shorty_ Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Decatur, IL Posts: 1,048	I recently read in the breeding forum of someone who uses a xenia refugium to raise cardinal larvae. He said between feedings they are hunting for pods... so I assume he has an acceptable to substantial population in with the xenia. I have no experience with a xenia fuge, though.

11/06/2013, 10:42 AM	#32
FlyPenFly SPS Killer Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,490	My understanding was that Xenia are like clams, just pure filter feeders who may or may not take up some plankton sized life, not copepods .

11/07/2013, 03:46 PM	#34
ksed Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,867	http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...03&pcatid=2803

11/07/2013, 10:03 PM	#35
rfgonzo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,280	Since Xenia can be tricky sometimes could this also be done with another fast growing coral like GSP? Very curious as I'm setting up a 75 gal refugium now. IMO GSP is a bit easier than Xenia to grow fast and no need to shut down skimmer.

11/09/2013, 03:09 PM	#42
ksed Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,867	i will try different lighting

11/10/2013, 12:41 PM	#45
badguitarist Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: corvallis oregon Posts: 285	rfgonzo, here is my take on the difference between Xenia and GSP. I culture both in a 400 gallon tub under natural sunlight. The GSP grows quick and can cover frag mounts relatively quickly its rate of growth definitely takes some nutrients out of the water. The Xenia I have in a 55 gallon drum plumbed to the same tub grows like a weed in fact it is too much work for me to sell it all. I sell all I can and end up just throwing the rest away. I don't even have to frag it I just throw rubble in and take it out a couple weeks later and its covered in xenia. The major difference is the biomass of the quickly growing Xenia is much more than the biomass of GSP and I think that's where Xenia works so well it needs more nutrients to create the larger biomass therefore taking more waste out of the water

11/26/2013, 09:29 AM	#48
knight2255 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 313	I took down my ATS a couple months ago when I redid my return plumbing. I wonder if I can use the old diy led arrays off my ATS to light up a xenia fuge? The leds would be 10:2:2 red/blue/uv over a 20g fuge......would that spectrum be totally out of wack?

12/07/2013, 09:02 PM	#49
amlights Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 50	Wow, this is a super interesting topic. I love the idea. Going to have to try to implement it. Awesome!

12/08/2013, 07:55 PM	#50
jrsp12 Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Deerfield IL Posts: 9	Aqua you mentioned to cycle the skimmer to get the greatest growth from the Xenia. Can you explain the reasoning behind this? It seems not running the skimmer would be more beneficial since you would not be pulling nutrients away from the Xenia.