need help ASAP!

[Nemo]

My Xenia seems to be doing poorly. Just the other day I had noticed that it seemed to be shrinking and today is shriveled up and lying on the floor of my sand bed. What could be the cause of this? SHould I do a water change? (50 gal tank)

AS a side note, my other corals seem to be doing fine!

[RazerCorals]

OK I hope I can help you.

How long has it been in the tank?

What is the water temperature?

What kind of lights do you have?

Where is it positioned water current wise?

[reefrunner]

I know lot's of people that use Xenia as a barometer for there tank. It is most likely time for a water change. Xenia is particularly sensitive to changes in ph, what is your ph? Don't get too worked up, if it isn't melting...it's not too late, and even if it did look like it was melting, you could frag, hoping to save a little piece. It will become a pest.

[Nemo]

I will check all the levels ASAP! i dont think that is the problem, but I will check just in case! It has been in the tank for at least 2 months if not more. It seems to have some current! I will keep u posted!!!

[RazerCorals]

Reefrunner that is not the only reason. If your temperature is low then the coral seems to rapidly deteriate. Also if you have just bought it, it will show deteration. Placement in the water column will also affect it. Too strong and too weak water current will kill it.

Yes Xenia is very sensative to amonia, nitrites, nitrates, ph etc.

By chance do you have any copper based materials in your tank?

[reefrunner]

If your temperature is low then the coral seems to rapidly deteriate. Also if you have just bought it, it will show deteration. Placement in the water column will also affect it. Too strong and too weak water current will kill it.

This has not been my experience with xenia. Mine could care less about current or temp. But if the ph drops even a little, it gets droopy.

[RazerCorals]

What is your stable PH and your dropped PH. No not you PineappleHouse

[reefrunner]

Watchman...who are you talking to? I don't need any help with my xenia. I was pointing out not to discount ph. My tanks fine...thanks for the help.

[RazerCorals]

No I was asking what is your PH now and what do you consider low. I know you didn't need any help.

[reefrunner]

Anything below 8.3 and my xenia gets PO'd.

[Pineapple House]

I have to agree with Reefrunner...

Xenia is sensitive to pH and alkilinity levels. FME, doing a large water change to quickly change the pH of the water could easily trigger this. Also FME, lighting upgrades can cause this. It took mine over 2 months to fully ajust to halides after growing under high amounts of PC's, although I doubt this is the issue.

We would really need to know more about your current setup. What's your lighting? How long have you had the xenia? What are all your water parimeters? Current? Fish/inverts? Any nieghboring corals? Your tank seems too young to really see extremely stable water conditions...

PH =)

[Nemo]

I ve checked the pH and Im getting fustrated at the results. Iam currently using MARINE buffer. It states thta the pH will only go as far as 8.3. But when I test the color that comes out is more of a purple not a green-blue as stated on the color chart. Is this acceptable?


I have a PS, Pwr H, and for a litttle extra current a 404 fluval. I have currently afew blue legged hermits, a emperor crab (?, its green), I may still have a few boxer crabs kicking about.


My corals are a Candycane, some star polyps, button polyp, a mushroom polyp? <not sure what it is>

I have too anemones, both are no biger than the palm of my hand.


My fish are a royal regal tang, a yellow tang, a mandrin, a Maroon Clown <is this the latin name for it :Premnas biaculeatus> and a diamond damsel.

My water temp is 78, Ph seems to be at around 8.0-8.3 if the Marine buffer is correct!, SG is a lil high at 1.026 at night.


I have a compact 110w light with actinic and plain white bulbs, along with my 33 gal strip light with actinic that comes on an hour before the main lights come on and go off!!!!


I am currently making some saltwater up to see if a water change will help.

[on_fire_8]

Well, I dont know what kind of test kit you use, but when my kit gets to purple, which isnt on my chart either, i found out it was dangerously high. In fact it caused my finger leather to desinagrate. the way I combated it was to do a 15% water change and that lowered it to 8.2 and everything else that was droopie (including my xenia) recovered in a matter of a week. Also I have never heard of too much current killing a xenia. My good freind placed his xenia directly in front of a power head and it is growing like crazy, however I do see how too little current would kill it. Lots of people like them to be in low current so they pulse more. This is not a good thing in the long run though.

[anemoneman]

It states thta the pH will only go as far as 8.3. But when I test the color that comes out is more of a purple not a green-blue as stated on the color chart.
Not acceptable. I suggest an immediate large water change to get the pH and alkalinity back into acceptable ranges. Adding too much "buffer" will increase your alkalinity and your pH off the chart. After the water change, let us know what the improvement was.

Mark

[Nemo]

K, should I do more than 5 gal water change? i have a 50 gal tank and about 60 pounds of live rock

[Nemo]

One more thing. Should I just do 5 gal at a time until I reach appropriate levels of pH, alkalinity ?

[Nemo]

Just added the new water to my tank! I was wondering what is the sand like substance that is left at the bottom pail that I used to mix the salt water solution??? I m using Coral Life> I need to free shirts to paint in! =)

[RazerCorals]

That is unmixed salt, you need to make sure you have none of that.

[Nemo]

how do u do that? I have a powerhead running to mix the salt as well as a therm to increase the temp to 80.. Should I just add that into the tank as well????

[Chryocon]

I guess it is your salt then...get a better powerhead or switch salts........

[Nemo]

would it be advisable to introduce the unmixed (sand like) salt into the tank??/

[Nemo]

Ive added 5 gal to my 50 gal tank now! the pH seems to have dropped as I have tested the lvl and it now is a greenish color. I m estimating it is now about 7.9.

I m a bit perplexed though! I tested my tank before and it came out as a purple color. When I mixed up the replacement salt water for the change I tested its pH too and it showed about 8.2 ish. So why if my tank was a purple testing color is it now lower in pH after putting the replacement water.


Is it that the purple ish color was a low pH ? or can polutants in the tank casue an incorrect reading?

[Lahatiel]

might have tested wrong due to having residue in the test tube. Make sure it is washed out very good when testing. I generally take a large 'hardees' cup of water out of my main tank and move to the kitchen. Then I have plenty of 'soon to be tested' water to rinse the tube out...that way there are no contaminents.

[reefrunner]

I was wondering what is the sand like substance that is left at the bottom pail

It is most likely a precipitate of CA or Mg, it is possibly undissolved salt. Was it like a sand or a powder? How long are you mixing the salt? How are you mixing the salt Either salt added to water or water added to salt?

would it be advisable to introduce the unmixed (sand like) salt into the tank??/

Absolutely not!!!

Ive added 5 gal to my 50 gal tank now! the pH seems to have dropped as I have tested the lvl and it now is a greenish color. I m estimating it is now about 7.9.

I m a bit perplexed though! I tested my tank before and it came out as a purple color. When I mixed up the replacement salt water for the change I tested its pH too and it showed about 8.2 ish. So why if my tank was a purple testing color is it now lower in pH after putting the replacement water.


Is it that the purple ish color was a low pH ? or can polutants in the tank casue an incorrect reading?

Please buy a new PH kit. The range on the one you have...sucks. It is quite possibly a really bad kit. Is there an expiration date on the reagent? Purchase a good quality set of test kits like Salifert or Seachem or Lamotte or Hach. To invest the kind of money we do on these fish tanks, it doesn't make much sense to skimp on test kits. Kinda like buying a $100,000.00 sports car and getting your tires at walmart.

[Nemo]

Was it like a sand or a powder? How long are you mixing the salt? How are you mixing the salt Either salt added to water or water added to salt?

It seems like a fine powder, but has a sand like color. I mix the water for 1 day on average. salt added to water. does this matter!?!



My water seems to be testing fine now!!! Ill keep everyone informed how my Xenia is doing. Thanks for the help!!! :)

[RazerCorals]

Well your mixing in a bucket or something, right? All there should be is water, salt, and powerhead. What else could it be...

Maybe you should try using a different salt, like IO. I have never had problems with it. If you mix it for a day it should be perfectly fine.

If you get the 200 gallon bucket you get a free powerhead by maxi-jet pump.

[reefrunner]

Well your mixing in a bucket or something, right? All there should be is water, salt, and powerhead. What else could it be...

The powdery consistancy is indicitive of precipitation, undissolved salt would have the consistancy of salt. If the Salt has a very high buffering capacity...it will precipitate CA while it is mixing hence the powdery substance. If you add the water to the salt...it will precipitate the MG.

[Nemo]

If the Salt has a very high buffering capacity...it will precipitate CA while it is mixing hence the powdery substance. If you add the water to the salt...it will precipitate the MG.


I take it that the CA is calcium?and the MG is ?

Is one method of mixing the salt better then the other? salt to water, water to salt???

[phistio]

magnesium

[reefrunner]

Is one method of mixing the salt better then the other? salt to water, water to salt???

You should never add the water to the salt. Always add the salt to the water.