Also, it is always recommended to keep your tank pH at that of natural ocean water. Approximately 8.1 min to 8.4 max. I’ve noticed that xenias as well as mushrooms do not enjoy rapid swings in the pH department so if you are going to adjust the pH parameters of your water, I’d do it in very small increments so as to not over shoot your marker. I find the best time to increase my pH is during the night cycle of the tank when all the lights are off for a good period of time and everyone in the tank is pretty much asleep. Since xenias as well as mushrooms are really not particular about nitrates, however lower nitrate readings are always a positive and it won’t promote hair algae or the other forms of algae to take over the tank. One thing to be aware of is red slime algae, this guy can really do a number on your xenia and mushroom colonies. It normally covers your mushrooms and the bubbles trapped under the slime can cause your mushrooms to really disappear quite fast in addition to that, the slime usually breaks off and attaches itself to the polyps of the xenias and it’s like chewing gum in your hair. When this happens, the polyps of the xenias are pretty much stuck together and they tend to shrivel up into a fist. I find that strong water currents and activated carbon does a good job at keeping this at bay.
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Originally Posted by mikemangue  Right after I make my cuttings and replace them in the tank, I would dose a bit of SeaChem Reef plus into the water. I find that this helps the new cuttings and the mother colony to heal much faster. I would normally place my xenia cuttings closer to the mother colony and slowly move them away from the colony as each day goes by. On the third day, I’d usually use a drop of coral fix super glue gel to glue the small rock work with the newly attached cuttings to my main rock work. After a few days the new cuttings will start to sprout a new stalk and will begin to spread out over the balance of the main rock work. This usually works with pom-pom and waving hand xenias, however I find that the pom-pom xenias are a bit more temperamental in regards to the waving hand xenias. If you don’t have SeaChem Reef Plus you can use a bit of Kent Marine Tech-I but use it in very small doses. Mushrooms can be propagated in very much the same way except you should cut the mushrooms in pizza shapes and place them under the bridal veil in very much the same way. Allow the mushroom cuttings a bit longer to attach to the substrate than you would with the xenias. Mushrooms do not require bright lights so it would be best to place your cuttings at the very bottom of the aquarium. |