Xenia no longer pulsing

[Jenemone]

I have a small colony of xenia that was remaining closed a good bit during the day. Now, it is completely open, but is not pulsing AT ALL.

pH is 8.2,no nitrates or nitrites or ammonia. I have been adding CoralVite by Kent and kalkwasser. Specific gravity 1.024. I am having a massive algae bloom right now, possibly b/c it is a new tank, but I also do not have an RO/DI yet.

Other inhabitants are doing fine (polyps, shrooms, and a leather). The shrooms are reproducing and the leather looks awesome. So I am baffled as to the cause of the Xenia's demise.

(I know there have been posts about this very subject, but I cannot access the forum search since the format changeover.

)

 

[fade2black]

Check you alkalinity. When I had xenia it was a good indicator that my alk had dropped when it stopped pulsing.

F2B

 

[MIKE NY1]

I agree with F2B on the Alk levels. I have a few different types of Xenia colonies and I can tell by looking at them if my alk level is getting to low. Besides the lack of pulsing they just don't look full and healthy when the alk gets low. I learned the hard way over a year ago when my alk bottomed out and my Xenia crashed. I still lose a stalk here and there for no apparent reason.

Mike

 

[-JB]

Check your Alk it's probably low.

 

[DKKA]

Check alk as said. A water change has helped prime the pumpers for me in the past as well.
Dan

 

[kevjtomy]

I have quite a bit of xenia right now. I've noticed that some colonies pulse better than others. I'm figuring placement in the tank-light, flow, etc. Did you move them at all since they quite pulsing? Good luck..

 

[fishfarmer]

What kind of xenia? FWIW my alk been around 1.7 the past month. My X.elongata is still pulsing BUT not as fast, seems to pulse better later in the day. Higher pH maybe? My X. umbellata hasn't been pulsing well with the depressed alk. I've noticed that strong lighting, low flow, high alk/ca gives me a good pulse. I think high pH helps as well.

 

[Jenemone]

I did try moving them to a place with higher current, but they act the same.

I was told that the colony is pom pom xenia, if that helps any.

Bought a test kit, and alk is 6.5 meg/L. Isn't this rather high? How do I lower it?

Jen

 

[Mad_drama]

This is the first post for some time that everyone agreed on the same problem.

There's hope after all.

 

[ckeadle]

What type of lighting do you have?

 

[Jenemone]

Tomocean:

I was amazed when I read that post earlier. I have been adding Coral-Vital because I had a big problem with ich. I used it hoping that it would indeed cause the ich to go dormant. Apparently it has worked, as I have not had a problem with ich for several months.

After reading that post, I've become suspicious. I have no problem with pH, and my alk is high, opposite of the problem in the post. But without knowing what is in that stuff, who knows what kind of problems it could cause!

 

[Jenemone]

I have two 65 watt power compacts (6500K). The tank is a 29 gallon.

 

[tomocean]

I don't know if this will help, but I thought I'd post it for you since it seems very coincidental that you are having similar problems.
http://www.reefs.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=028207