Will xenia propagate from sump to display

fullmonti · 07/19/2019, 11:44 PM

Was thinking about putting some xenia in the sump and running reverse lighting schedule but would not want it to make the jump to the display. Will this happen? If so, other suggestions for a good low light coral for a sump to help keep ph more day night stable?

mcgyvr · 07/20/2019, 05:49 AM

Its always a possibility..
What about a macro algae down there?

fullmonti · 07/20/2019, 08:17 AM

Never had much luck with macro algae, it either dies or gets covered with other algae.

Definitely don't want xenia in the display though.

CAPT_Dave · 07/20/2019, 08:53 AM

Xenia will go everywhere eventually. Something will dislodge it in your sump or it will get crowded where it sits and a polyp will let go. The return pump will shred it and distribute the peices all over your display where they will settle on rocks, glass with Coraline, and even on top of zoas and monties and very quickly become new colonies.

New reefers like Xenia because they are resilient, grow and spread quickly, and their natural movement is very pleasing. Advanced reefers hate them because they are resilient, grow and spread quickly, and their natural movement isn't any better than any other LPS or softy.

I enjoyed it in my own tank for about six months when I was getting started and then it started to smother a really nice zoa garden I had going. Then I fought it for another 6 months. Every time I tried to save the zoas by cutting the Xenia back peieces would get loose and I'd have more Xenia. The only way I got rid of it was my tank matured and I got phosphates and nitrates very low and kept them there and the Xenia eventually melted away. Xenia like phosphates and nitrates, that's why it thrives in new aquariums. So do macro algae. That's why we like it in our sumps. If you're having trouble keeping algae in your sump you might have trouble keeping Xenia, too. Good for you!

Use a grow light in your sump, and not just a cheap CFL bulb. I get good results with a $25 LED grow bulb I found on Amazon but a cheap CFL will not compete with your expensive lights over your display. You might also try cleaning out your sump to get rid of as much of the GHA as you can and start fresh with some clean cheato from Algae Barn. It's worth it to make sure there is no GHA or pests hitchhiking in the new cheato.

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fullmonti · 07/20/2019, 12:30 PM

I suspected that may be the case with xenia. I never would get any for just those reasons but wondered if it would spread from sump to display.

Twice I have tried cheato in sumps with small refugium lights. Both time new different types of algae took over. This time I thought I would just put some kind of coral in the sump so some photosynthesis would be going on at night too. I may look for a small reef light for the sump and set up a frag rack in there.

ThRoewer · 07/20/2019, 03:12 PM

Do you have the Chaeto just sitting in the sump or do you have it in rotation so that it will form a ball or cylinder? I found that to be an important factor from keeping it clean

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SantaMonica · 07/20/2019, 06:20 PM

Yes they will spread. I've seem some very neat xenia-only tanks though.

rocklobster1 · 07/21/2019, 06:17 PM

it will most definitely get into the display. maybe Kenya trees would better they are a bit larger and don't fall off as tiny. A lot of softies would do better like green star polyp, shrooms, or zoas.

fullmonti · 07/21/2019, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThRoewer

Do you have the Chaeto just sitting in the sump or do you have it in rotation so that it will form a ball or cylinder? I found that to be an important factor from keeping it clean

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Sadly i have never had a setup where i could make the Cheat rotate. Best i could do was keep it moving but not a rotation action.

07/19/2019, 11:44 PM	#1
fullmonti now is the time Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: chattanooga tn Posts: 1,097	Will xenia propagate from sump to display Was thinking about putting some xenia in the sump and running reverse lighting schedule but would not want it to make the jump to the display. Will this happen? If so, other suggestions for a good low light coral for a sump to help keep ph more day night stable?

07/20/2019, 05:49 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Its always a possibility.. What about a macro algae down there? __________________ Who me?

07/20/2019, 08:53 AM	#4
CAPT_Dave Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 157	Xenia will go everywhere eventually. Something will dislodge it in your sump or it will get crowded where it sits and a polyp will let go. The return pump will shred it and distribute the peices all over your display where they will settle on rocks, glass with Coraline, and even on top of zoas and monties and very quickly become new colonies. New reefers like Xenia because they are resilient, grow and spread quickly, and their natural movement is very pleasing. Advanced reefers hate them because they are resilient, grow and spread quickly, and their natural movement isn't any better than any other LPS or softy. I enjoyed it in my own tank for about six months when I was getting started and then it started to smother a really nice zoa garden I had going. Then I fought it for another 6 months. Every time I tried to save the zoas by cutting the Xenia back peieces would get loose and I'd have more Xenia. The only way I got rid of it was my tank matured and I got phosphates and nitrates very low and kept them there and the Xenia eventually melted away. Xenia like phosphates and nitrates, that's why it thrives in new aquariums. So do macro algae. That's why we like it in our sumps. If you're having trouble keeping algae in your sump you might have trouble keeping Xenia, too. Good for you! Use a grow light in your sump, and not just a cheap CFL bulb. I get good results with a $25 LED grow bulb I found on Amazon but a cheap CFL will not compete with your expensive lights over your display. You might also try cleaning out your sump to get rid of as much of the GHA as you can and start fresh with some clean cheato from Algae Barn. It's worth it to make sure there is no GHA or pests hitchhiking in the new cheato. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 120 g mixed reef

07/20/2019, 03:12 PM	#6
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	Do you have the Chaeto just sitting in the sump or do you have it in rotation so that it will form a ball or cylinder? I found that to be an important factor from keeping it clean Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

07/20/2019, 06:20 PM	#7
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	Yes they will spread. I've seem some very neat xenia-only tanks though. __________________ Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

07/20/2019, 08:17 AM	#3
fullmonti now is the time Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: chattanooga tn Posts: 1,097	Never had much luck with macro algae, it either dies or gets covered with other algae. Definitely don't want xenia in the display though.

07/20/2019, 12:30 PM	#5
fullmonti now is the time Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: chattanooga tn Posts: 1,097	I suspected that may be the case with xenia. I never would get any for just those reasons but wondered if it would spread from sump to display. Twice I have tried cheato in sumps with small refugium lights. Both time new different types of algae took over. This time I thought I would just put some kind of coral in the sump so some photosynthesis would be going on at night too. I may look for a small reef light for the sump and set up a frag rack in there.

07/21/2019, 06:17 PM	#8
rocklobster1 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 57	it will most definitely get into the display. maybe Kenya trees would better they are a bit larger and don't fall off as tiny. A lot of softies would do better like green star polyp, shrooms, or zoas.