Placement for xenia and how to attach

[bbehring]

I need a recommendation on placement of xenia in my 55 gal? Running 250w HQI MH/ 2x29w T5 combo. MH's are on 6 hours/day T5's are on 10 hrs a day. The fixture is sitting 8" off the water surface. Based on what I've read and photos I've seen here on RC, I'm assuming down at the bottom.

Was also wondering how to secure a stock of xenia to rubble or my live rock?

 

[MAGDRL Mom]

Some place that you will have easy access to so you will be able to trim them. They will take over your tank in short order! Anthony suggests growing GSP on rubble to enable one to keep it in check. The same premise would probably apply to the xenia.

 

[scytale]

I don't think lighting wil be an issue for you--I have Xenia placed at both the bottom and halfway point in my tank (80 gallon, 250w MH, w/VHO actinics.) and all do well....
Spreading and rapid growth are the bigger concerns with Xenia...some consider them "weeds" because they can spread so quickly...

To attach Xenia--just run a toothpick through the base of the stalk into a small hole on the rock (glue does NOT work well with Xenia)--after a few days the stalk will attach itself to the rock (or glass, or powerhead, or whatever else happens to be nearby )

 

[sihaya]

LOL Um... if your tank is healthy, no matter where you place them, they will end up everywhere anyway.

 

[bbehring]

sounds like I should re-think before the coming plague? Oh and I hate weeding too LOL. I'll try and keep them trimed back! Thanks.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

we should check to see if this is Xenia umbellata or the like (high light needed) or if its Xenia elongata or the like (tolerates low light)

 

[Spracklcat]

A friend of mine had Xenia covering the back wall of his tank--beautiful effect (which I am not trying to replicate). The nice thing too is that on the glass it is super easy to control and trim since you can just scrape it off with a razor.

As far as control, as long as you keep an eye on it and trim when you need to it shouldn't be a problem. Whenever you see it "leaning" towards something you don't want it on, just cut off that branch and give it away to someone else.

 

[sc18702]

WOW, I am jealous. I still have trouble keeping xenia alive in my tank. Everything else does mostly fine. Having to weed and prune is a nice luxury to have.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

a common problem with not keeping Xenia successfully is low pH (under 8.3 at night) or low Alk (uner 10 dKH)

Those two things are often mitigated by exceedingly high Calcium (over 425ppm)

 

[sihaya]

Those two things are often mitigated by exceedingly high Calcium (over 425ppm)

Hmm.... mitigated or aggravated?