Xenia not doing so good, any help available?

[Joe7cri]

Hello all,

I received some xenia the other day, and it was sagging a little for a few days. I figured it was just trying to adjust to the new tank, but now the top separated from the stalk. This happened when I was at work, and the stalk kind of shriveled up. Friend at work thinks it's too much flow, but I have this at the bottom of my tank, I didn't think it would be too much. I have a 425 GPH hydor in a 20g hex tank. I read that you should have 20-30 times, so I thought I should be okay, although it does look like a lot of flow. Here is a pic. If anyone can offer suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Oh and tank is about 2 months old, I only have zoa's in here with the xenia, and the zoa's are looking good. Ammonia 0, Nitrate <5, PH8.1/8.2, Temp 77 degrees.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

What are you using to test your parameters? As you know this coral is pretty hardy and should be fairly easy to keep. Is it being blown around? It looks like it is on its side.

 

[meherbas]

What?s your PO4/ALK like? What type of light are you Using ?

 

[Joe7cri]

I bought API test kits. I can only test for a few things right now, but read it wasn't necessary to test for every single thing if you were using aragonite, which I am, and doing weekly water changes which I'm also doing. I read that the new salt water would replenish a lot of the nutrients. I only have a few pieces in the tank, mostly zoa's which appear to be doing good to my untrained eye, lol, and seem to be spreading.

The xenia is on it's side. It was attached to the piece next to it, and was leaning left (which was the direction of the current), but then when I was at work, the top freed itself from that piece, and that piece shriveled up. I turned my circulator off this morning to see if it changes anything with the xenia. Maybe I should get the smaller 225 for the tank. I'm using a HOB filter as a refuge, so that's giving me flow as well. Maybe the 425, and HOB filter is too much current for these. But I'm just guessing at his point

 

[Joe7cri]

I don't have a PO4 kit yet, but my KH was 11 drops, so I think that was about 200ppm

 

[devoinbk]

Be happy.....they are th scourge of reefing

 

[JJSBLM]

It takes Xenia about a week to relax and look normal.

Keep your hands out of the tank, and let things be.