new here

[sandslinger]

hello all,
I am new to the forum a week or so and thought I would introduce myself, I am back at the hobby after about 7 years with out a tank, I now have a 30 mini reef ( 8 months old) a 12 gallon nano ( two days old) and a 40 tall with a sump/fuge (20long) under it,( three weeks old) the 40 is going thru cycle the nano I set up useing water form the 30, It took right off. I am constantly reading here trying to learn more, I do appreciate all the information you guys post here, My old reef tank I had for 5 years allot of time and money inversted one night my heater broke and fried everything in the tank, i cried!
Now with the unbreakable heaters Im back in..LOL .
I have noticed that my zenia is not pulsing alk is ok.. any suggestions? Couldnt resist..LOL
Any way happy reefing

 

[Ohgee]

Welcome Sandslinger,

As I have learned in the last couple months there are some great people on this site and they go out of their way to help out anyone with questions.

Sorry I can't help out on the Zenia btu I'm sure within a short time people will be giving ansers you need.

Ohgee

 

[MarineDreamer]

When I read your post, the first thing that popped into my mind was that I remember reading somewhere the Zenia don't pump in the wild. The pumping behavior is only exhibited in captivity and thought to be related to a lack of circulation or perhaps a feeding response. :doubt:

I’m sure that if I read it somewhere, so has Nikki. And she’ll remember where and be to explain it better than I ever could!

Welcome to Reef Frontiers!

 

[wrightme43]

Did it pump at the fish store? Some zenia dont ever pump. How are your nitrate levels? How long since the last waterchange and what size in relation to the tank. Its in the 30 gallon right? Is it open and just not pulsing or is it closed up like little fists?

 

[sandslinger]

the Xenia is about 4" tll with three stalks, 1 is new. It was pumping slowyly about a month ago but hasnt in w while, I do try and feed it zooplankton with no response.
Ive tried morw currsnr less light nothind seems to be helping, water change yesterday and then 12 days before that, 20% yesterday, checked levels today Ph is about 8.1 no amonia, alk 1.5

 

[NaH2O]

There are a few hypothesis as to why xenia pulse or don't pulse. Here is a good article for you, and I hope it helps: To Pulse or Not To Pulse? Identification of Xeniid Corals in the Aquarium Hobby by Anthony Calfo. (Trevor, was this the one you were thinking of?)

 

[MarineDreamer]

Hey Nikki,

I'm thinking that I must have read it Borneman's book. I hadn't read Anthony's article until you posted it. (BTW, just in case you didn't read through the bibli, Anthony cites Borneman's book "Aquarium Corals.") I just haven't been able to verify that because I lent that book to a high school marine biology teacher and haven't gotten it back yet.

Thanks for being the DH, again, Nikki.

 

[NaH2O]

Here is what I found in Borneman's Book "Aquarium Corals" page 151:

Captive-bred colonies seem to pulse to a greater extent than wild-caught species, but many Xenia cease to pulse once they have been introduced to an aquarium. Though the polyps may be inactive, they seem to retain their pulsing potential.

That is just a portion of the paragraph, and I think Anthony covered the same reasons in his article as Eric has in the book. I quoted this text because it talks about the pulsing in wild colonies, and that they may cease pulsation once introduced into the aquarium. I may be misinterpreting?

 

[sandslinger]

after the water change the xenia is now moving the hands like clenching fists, but not really pumping, Thanks for all the help I will study the alk levels and try to figure out what he responds to..

 

[sandslinger]

thanks for the article also...

 

[MarineDreamer]

From Nikki:
I may be misinterpreting?

NOT! :lol: I think that I miss understood it. There was smoke coming from my ears; I think that I have to take that book in little bites at a time!

 

[Alice]

Sandslinger,

Welcome back to the hobby and to Reef Frontiers!

 

[Angelscrx]

Sandslinger welcome to our little piece of the oceanic web world.