Pumping Xenia...Lots of flow...or little flow?

APC · 07-19-2007, 10:11 AM

Hi All,

Does pumping Xenia prefer a lot of flow, or a little flow?

Thanks

Adam

amcarrig · 07-19-2007, 10:12 AM

Low to medium is ideal

MDeth · 07-19-2007, 10:23 AM

Play it by ear

Typically medium is good, but mine actually migrated to the HIGHEST flow area in my tank!

APC · 07-19-2007, 10:36 AM

My tank is 36" long (it is 65 G). I just put in a Hydor Koralia pump for flow. It kicks out 850G per hour. I am sending the water flow from low to high and across the lenght of the tank. Basically if you are looking at the tank the flow goes from left to right bottom to top. Nothing is in the direct path of the pump...all of the water hits the glass on the far side of the tank before it hits any corals. The end result is every thing is moving...but nothing is getting "blasted" directly. Does that sound okay? I have all soft corals in the tank - Zoos, Green Star Polyps, Xenia, Kenyan tree Coral, and cabbage coral.

zombie13 · 07-19-2007, 12:50 PM

with xenia you will have to find where they are happy. in my girlfriends tank it seems like they like mid to almost high flow. but id put them in a spot leave them there for a couple of days and see how they do. if they dont look happy then move them. but give them at least a couple of days. once you move them they will look unhappy for at least a day or so. i have noticed that they dont like to be moved too much but once there happy they really spread

nemo79 · 07-24-2007, 05:23 PM

Ahhh pumping xenia, the coral that is easy to keep but finicky. I had to change placement multiple times before making them happy. Mine are at the highest point of my tank in a mid - high flow area. They don't like being blasted, just some nice movement, they also prefer higher sg and light.

IBMGeek · 07-24-2007, 06:15 PM

I have some now that i just got so im going to relocate it (have it in alot of flow). I thought they liked a lot of flow. Also i think i read somewhere they grow towards the flow so like that you can control them somewhat. How do you know if there happy? Mines are always open but not sure.

ziggy222 · 08-02-2007, 07:06 PM

here's a photo of my xenia growing up the glass.it shows the xenia refusing to grow where the 2 nozzles are blowing water on both sides forcing the xenia patch into a perfect triange shape.they will not grow past the high flow area.
xenia pattern on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

omard · 08-02-2007, 07:59 PM

"moderate" flow and good light. My Xenia that are in shade of large toadstool do not 1) grow very fast 2) pump.

Bruce · 08-02-2007, 08:33 PM

I have xenia in all flow levels...the only difference i see is growth. The xenia in very high flow areas tends to grow with the flow very fast. They all pump the same (i found that has a lot to do with pH). They can be happy anywhere if they want to be.