Xenia and Iodine Discussion

[davejnz]

just wanted to point out that the xenia can thrive without iodine additions,thats all .I think there is alot of misinformation on trace elements needed,particularly Iodine uptake in soft corals.Everyone was using it in the late 90's.Heck,I even dosed it for months just because that was what everyone was doing.I never saw any positive results so i stopped.

[Reptoreef]

BTW, another method that aides in the attachment of the softies is bridal veil draped over the frag(snuggly, not tight) and temporarely mounted to the LR.

[Buiryn]

BTW, another method that aides in the attachment of the softies is bridal veil draped over the frag(snuggly, not tight) and temporarily mounted to the LR.

I prefer the shot glass method myself. However, after a few of my shotglasse's markings came off in the water I've since stopped using them in favor of the cheap small disposable plastic containers. They're a bit wider than a shot glass (which IMHO is a good thing), disposable, and has no markings to dissolve in the water. I put some crushed coral in the bottom, and put the softie frags inside. The lip provides shelter from the current and allows the frag to attach. The only downside is, I have to rescue the hermits that tend to fall in there since they then can't get out.

Matt

[peregrinus]

ok i don't use it i was lust wondering. that metheod works great for softies..

[dakar]

There are just so many variables to take into account. For instance, our water source (shallow well) has no measurable amount of iodine/iodide in it, even at 10X the normal resolution of the test kit. Even after adding the salt mix there is barely any trace amounts, and what little there was is very quickly consumed within days, something in the reef is taking it up quickly. So we do supplement a bit, trying to hold around 1ppm iodine. Since starting we have seen some remarkable improvements in a lot of critters, our shrimp molt every few weeks now, and the xenia appears healthier and grows faster, when the levels fall off things aren't quite as happy.

But I would think this is more an isolated case and not the norm by any means. I think most marketed supplements are just that, marketed, a scam that people throw money at that do not need it, the new fad of this or that.

But I will not and do not recommend adding anything that cannot be directly tested for.

[peregrinus]

i agree with dakar alway test if you suplment. dakar there are lots of ppl in our reef club that dose iodine to help with molts and some coral growth. i do know that shrimp and crabs cannot molt right if the iodine in the water is not right. as far as xeina goes i could not say cause mine grows like crazy without doseing.

[Whoyah]

Well, I was planning on dosing some iodine just to see if it made a difference. I have an almost full bottle of Red Sea Iodine. I just need a test kit. I figured a Saliferts. At least that way I can have an opinion on dosing iodine.

[Whoyah]

You guys were right :notworthy:, the superglue didn't work. I implemented plan B tonight. The shotglass idea gave me some inspiration. 5 I am pretty short on rubble so I made a couple "rock pots". I took two swished baseball size pieces of LR and punched a finger size hole in both of them. A mason drill bit and an old screwdriver work well for this. One broke in half so I had two pieces. The other I drilled a small cross hole in. Then I cut the two branched of xenia apart for ease of mounting. One branch went in the Xenia/rock sandwich held together by a tie wrap. The other branch went in the rock pot and pinned through by a sharpened tie wrap. Both look pretty good. Hopefully the xenia will attach to the rock now. This will be a good start to Xenia Island. :D

[dakar]

good deal! Be sure to follow up with your results! pictures are just about a must! Another note from personal experience, since they are so tempermental, be sure to keep the frags in the same system they came from (minus as much slime as possible) low to moderate flow, and decent lighting, they'll attach in a week or so.

[peregrinus]

wow a week? mine attach in a day or 2. the last batch i just cut and took to the LFS i set in a rubbel patch some of them attached to the glass. they did not want to go to the LFS i guess.. lol anyways i cut them dropped them in my rubbel patch and in a day or 2 they were attached to rock and glass. do i have supper xeina? lol