Xenia scrubber?

I'm sure it deals with placement in the tank. If it is close to the overflow, it would most likely grab more nutrients.

 

This is for the novelty of it right? Because any macro algae will uptake considerably more nitrate and phosphate than xenia will. Xenia's utilization of nitrate isn't even very well understood, besides we can prove that it does utilize a small amount. But it's very small. You won't be able to measure any change.

 

I don't know much about Xenia, but I have similar concerns. We want to encourage coral and discourage algae. Growing lots of fast growing coral in thee sump will take up nutrients and elements preferred by coral leaving behind stuff preferred by algae. Sure there is an overlap, but it seems you're going to end up building a more algae hospitable environment in your display.

 

It's more of an addition to macro than anything. I'm sure chaeto is more useful, but for me, an algae scrubber isn't possible. This would be more of a fine filtration plus it's coral, so a grow out section. Xenia doesn't use up calcium so the only trace elements would be the smaller ones which can easily be replenished with water changes. Plus, it would look pretty cool

 

The experiment has begun! I have some black mesh that I wrapped around some eggcrate. I attached a very small piece of Xenia to it that I found in my chaeto. I put if after the chaeto and before the baffle for the return pump. I'll probably add some more frags to it at some point.

 

I just keep a rock in the Display with a mat of xenia and prune it monthly.

 

I do that also, but it wasn't for filtration, I think it's pretty. The reason this would be more efficient is because all the water eventually has to go through the Xenia with the screen I have.

 

If you have any kind of flow, the water passes the xenia anyway. The main reason for a turf scrubber is because it creates an environment where the algae thrives. I dunno, xenia seems to be thriving under our MH's and as you said, it does look very cool. Good luck with this, it's a cool experiment and I look forward to seeing some good results.

Here's a pic from today, in two weeks it will be jam packed and we'll remove all of it except for what couldnt be scrapped off. Then it'll grow all over again.

 

Sheesh, that's a lot of Xenia! Mine doesn't grow out much, more vertical stalks than anything. It's opened up, I'll take some pics. I'm thinking of adding a frag from my dt down to the scrubber.