Xenia elongata - good or bad?

[davelin315]

I have heard two different things about xenia, one being they foul your water, the other that they clean up your water. Anybody know which it is?

 

[davelin315]

Anybody else have an opinion? If xenia is a good water filter, then why doesn't anyone use them as a filter like clams are sometimes used?

 

[aquaguy]

I have some xenias in my tank and the water quality is very good, I can swear Xenia filters the water because I don't have any protein skimmer and I don't use any kind of filtration and I have some fish and lots of invertebrates (shrimps, corals, crabs, etc)living in my 30 gal tank, my water parameters are perfect....

That's only my point of view... But I don't think they are bad at all. they are filter feeders !!!

 

[Anonymous]

Well, they grow rapidly- and they do that by absorbing nutrients out of the water. By harvesting the xenia on a regular basis you have a "xenia scrubber".

 

[canadawest]

Well I've got a good bunch of it thriving in my tank, and the water quality seems to be the same as always. My fish, clam, and other corals seem to be doing fine, so I would have to say that the Xenia certainly aren't fouling the water.

As for being "good" for the water, well they are supposed to do better in water that is not as "pure", so perhaps the Xenia thrives in poorer water because it does absorb those bad chemicals?

 

[Nathan1]

I use the "xenia scrubber" method. Xenia grows so well for me, that it has to be pruned every three weeks to a month. It's already somewhat out of control in places.

-Nathan

 

[fishfarmer]

The Devil's Weed. I believe fast growing corals like xenia and anthelia, should be treated just like caulerpa and other macro algaes. Use them for nutrient export. Haven't seen xenia being a problem to my water quality, other than taking up prime real estate.

 

[fudge1]

Sorry to be off topic....


Davelin,i recieved an e-mail from you a while back(i think it was you?)

Somehow i have deleted it and the question you had for me,and for the life of me i cannot remember what it was concerning...possible to re send one for me?


I apologize once again for barging in off topic,Marc.

[ August 13, 2001: Message edited by: fudge ]

 

[Paul A. Ifkovits]

I believe the fouling idea came about when a xenia dies. They can make an awful mess when/if they do. A lot of folks on the board have mentioned that they live fine for years, then without explanation, they crash.
I lost all my fish and several SPS colonies when a xenia colony crashed in a bucket while moving my tank. My wife went into labor mid move and I had no choice but to place a lot of my lifestock in a bucket. Big mistake. At one time, I believe GARF was experimenting with a xenia scrubber as DanConner mentioned.
Paul