Xenia Refuge for Nutrient export

[dakar]

Read some intersting discussion earlier today about folks setting up a refuge and pupulating it without macro's, but instead LR rubble and Pom Pom Xenia. The claim is that the Xenia have a NO3/NO4 uptake that is up to 20 times higher than most macros.

Alledgedly reports of fantastic growth rates provided cal. and alk levels are maintained, if they are taking up that much NO3/4 I would guess it would work.

Seems logical to some extent, as the only way we can keep from killing them alive is to keep nitrates around 5-10ppm in the display tank.

Not sure it'd be something I'd want to try, I like Xenia just fine but not sure I want a whole fuge full, though if any LFS was to give me a decent credit rate for them it might be worth it.

Anyone else heard of or tried this method?

[Reptoreef]

Yep... I use it and it does work really well, but the downside is increased ca usage. Keeping your levels around 400-425 ca and 9-10 dKH is so key.

[davejnz]

I've been using it for a while now.I'm not ready to believe its 20x more efficient than macro at uptaking nutrients but like all corals,it definately has a nutrient uptake.
Being a fast grower in some systems,it could definately help with export.
I remove about 25-35 colonies every 4-6wks.I dont grow it in the fuge though,I use the display and grow it on the glass where its easier to remove.Seems to grow faster up a vertical plane of glass than on LR.

[Reptoreef]

Yep... my method, too. It adds alot of movement to an sps dominated system, as well.

[graphixx]

you cannot beat xenia for nutrient export in the sump. I have 2 pretty good size colonies in my sump and it grows quicker than my cheato. I love it because my LFS love xenia and I get awesome credit for the stuff. I am actually goiing to trim back the cheato and put another frag on xenia in there. Yep yep yep you cannot go wrong with xenia.

[dakar]

Thanks for the input.

Sounds like an experiment in the works. Been looking for an excuse to replace out my fuge lights anyhows, they are coming up on their annual change anyhows, been wanting to change out the floods for one of those LOA 65w/500w PC worklights.

[peregrinus]

yep been using xeina in my refug for a long time now but also have macro in there as well..

[dakar]

Looky who crawled outta the woodwork, Mr. Xenia himself! Mention the word Xenia and he appears.... do I get three wishes now too?

[peregrinus]

lol rub my lamp and you get 3 wishes.. lol oh wait thats what i told her. oh i hope i don't get banned for that one.. lol i know most people think its a weed but i love the way it moves.

[zoo-a-holic]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I recieved a SINGLE polyp of xenia from my LFS for nothing but it got lost#ed_op#IMG src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/smileys/Sad/10.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

dont give up, I did some fragging of xenia and has some polyps that were fragged and I just threw them in one of my tanks and thought nothing of it. well a few weeks later you could see all of these baby xenia popping up everywhere. they grow like weeds but I love them as well.

[davejnz]

IME,the best way to get frags established in the display is this.If they are unattached to anything,take a small tupperware container and add some LR rubble,snail shells,etc.. to the bottom of the container.Fill it with tank water and put the unattached frags in the container wedging them in between the rubble.Dont worry about burying them either,you want them to be secure.Carefully place the container in the display on the SB or wherever you have room,just as long as there not getting blasted with current.Within a day or 2 they will attach to the rubble and will work themselves out of their "partial burial".After they attach,remove the container and place the rubble base right next to the glass with the coral tissue/base touching the glass if possible.Once it attaches to the glass and becomes acclimated,lookout.It grows very fast in this manner as it climbs up the glass to get to the more intense light.IME,Xenia love light,nutrients,and good current.

[graphixx]

another couple of easy ways is to just take the frag and put it on a rock and wrap a rubberband around it. after a week or so the xenia will attach its self to the rock. simply take off the rubber gand and wah lah you have a xenia frag.
another easy way is to just take a toothpick and stick it through the xenia into a rock. the toothpick will hole the xenia to the rock and just take the toothpick out after about a week. these 2 ways have worked great for me.

[tigersax7]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#yet another method is to take some hare netting and wrap some cuttings in it...eventualy (3-7 cays) the xenia will have worked its tenticles out and the rest will be atached to the hare netting you can then tirm out the xenia and use the hare netting to gule it to some LR rubble.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#tigersax7#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[peregrinus]

i just cut it and put a small peice of rubble on the cut stalkin afew days its attached..

[perpetual98]

Hey Dakar. Let me know if you find any of those LOA floodlights that everyone is raving about. They're supposed to grow cheato like mad. I never see them when I'm looking for them.

[graphixx]

aaahhh haaaa that is the exact light I use in my fuge LOA light of america right. man I will tell you those things are awesome. and for 12 bucks you cannot beat them. that is the least amount I have ever spent for lighting in this hobby.

[dakar]

Hey Dakar. Let me know if you find any of those LOA floodlights that everyone is raving about. They're supposed to grow cheato like mad. I never see them when I'm looking for them.

Are you talking about the 19/75w floodlight or the 65/500w worklight? I've got 2 of the 19/75w @ 2900K's running on my 20g refuge now and 2 of the 120w @ 2900K's over my 29g refuge/eel tank. They have been doing great, I never did get around to ordering the 5100K versions, my macros grow like crazy now. but I want to change them out with the 500w @ 6500K worklights one of these days and see what kind of results I can get with just Xenia in the 20g. The HD on the east side of Madison has the worklights for $49 a pop on the shelf.

[perpetual98]

Eeep. More than I wanted to spend on a fuge light. I was talking about the $12 ones from that HUGE reef central thread. I think they are screw in PCs with a flood body.

Does anyone know if you can get a 96W powerquad in something other than a 50/50? I'd like something around 6500K. I've got one of those over my 10G fuge. Or I suppose I could grow xenia in there. :)

[dakar]

No place around I've found that has the floods in the 5100K variety, just the 2900K :(

Haven't seen the 96w quads in anything but 50/50 so far, but I snagged a pair of them on eBay for around $30 each (another $15 or so for shipping), BUT that includes a new WH5 ballast, endcap, and wiring. Tough deal to beat IF you wanted a 50/50, best price I've found is around $40 for the bulb alone.

[dakar]

Does anyone know if you can get a 96W powerquad in something other than a 50/50? I'd like something around 6500K. I've got one of those over my 10G fuge. Or I suppose I could grow xenia in there. :)

Need to retract part of my last post, hellolights has the 6700K 96w quads for $30 a pop.

Linky (http://www.hellolights.com/96watquad67s.html)

Can you tell I'm doing more research and building yet more lighting?

[Whoyah]

been wanting to change out the floods for one of those LOA 65w/500w PC worklights

Would you mind posting a picture, if and when you get one. I am curious to see one. Might need to check that out.

[dakar]

You betcha... I've got the sku # written down here somewhere for it as well, I just need to dig it up.

[davejnz]

These are the lights that i'm gonna be using for my fuge.2x36w PC with 6700k bulbs,parabolic reflectors,ballast and waterproof endcaps.Only $90 brand new w/bulbs but if your like most of us longterm reefers.Ballasts,endcaps,and such tend to get stored so i have most of the retro already.just need to order the reflectors and bulbs.They give you the option of a single unit with dual parabolic/8 faceted reflectors built in.It measures
17.5" long x 7" W x 2" tall.Perfect size for a small refuge.The dual 55w isn't that much more expensive for those that have larger fuges.
IME,with these reflectors they are the best thing thats ever happened to a PC.Ive used all 3 types of flourescents and the 3' 96wPC housed in one is brighter than a 3' 95w VHO or a 3' 39w T5.