Glued The Top Of My Xenia While Fragging/Xeniidae Health 9/9/10
Hello WWM, hope everything is well and thank you for reading this,
<Hello Peter, and you're welcome.>
I have a question about what to do. Firsts of, I was fragging some mushrooms and Zoas today. While I was fragging those, I decided to go ahead and re-frag a xenia frag to a different location because my mantis shrimp liked to use the rock it was on to cover his entrance burrow. I was being careless and after I fragged some Zoas and mushrooms, I started to glue the xenia to the back of my aquarium. I did not notice that I still had glue on my fingertips and I accidentally glued one stalk top of the xenia permanently open. Thankfully it was only one as it could of been much worse. But my question is should I
cut that stalk off that has been glued? Or should I just leave it be and hope the glue wears off? The glue is CorAffix brand gel. It doesn't seem that it will come off by itself.
<I would just leave be, the glued polyp will likely disintegrate/die.>
Thank you once again and have a nice evening!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Peter T
Glued The Top Of My Xenia While Fragging/Xeniidae Health 9/9/10 - 9/10/10
Hello James,
<Peter>
Thanks for the reply pertaining to my Xenia. It definitely put my mind at ease.
Have a good one!
<And you as well. James (Salty Dog)>
Peter

Pulsing Xenia "hands" missing   6/14/10 Hi there. I have a Pulsing Xenia that I got from a LFS. It was thin and tiny when I first got it. I noticed that around a few of the "hands" there is a white spot and there are a few missing. <Mmm, you may want to remove the white spot... or take a large, well-resolved photograph... "blow it up" on your computer and look... This could be a pest, likely a Nudibranch predator> The tips where the hands are missing are white. It is still pulsing and little hands are still growing out. I was wondering what is causing this. <Use the search tool, http://wetwebmedia.com/Googlesearch.htm with the string: xeniid+predator read the cached views with the highlighted string> Do they propagate this way or is there a predator that I have not found? <Likely the latter> It still looks healthy though. I have it on a frag shelf up in the upper part of the tank. So I am not sure what could be bothering it. I have 2 clowns, 2 orange lined cardinals, snail, hermits, <Could be these> and some corals. Corals are mushrooms, toadstool, star polyp, frog spawn, and some Zoas. I have another question. My Pom Pom xenia is not pulsing. I have had it only 2 weeks. What causes them not to pulse. <... see WWM re> I got it from LiveAquaria. If you need anymore information let me know. I would appreciate any help. Thanks you guys are the best. Patty <Bob Fenner> Pulsing Xenia "hands" missing with picture   6/14/10 I have a Pulsing Xenia that I got from a LFS about 3 months ago. It was thin and tiny when I first got it. Now it is much fuller. I noticed that around a few of the "hands" there is a white spot and there are a few missing. <I see in the pic... maybe the Acanthurus leucosternon here nibbling...> I know Bob said to cut out the white spots but as the picture shows it is right below the hands and there would be little left. It is as if the hands are slowly constricting and then falling off. <Oh... then could be a chemical anomaly... as alluded to previously. Did you read where you were referred?> I have looked for a Nudi and have not seen any. I also have been looking for any movement around the rock. My hermits can't reach the rock on the shelf. The one inhabitant I forgot to mention is a pincushion urchin. Could this be nibbling? <Nah> But wouldn't it just bite them off? I am willing to cut but am afraid there would be no hands left ;). Again any help would be great. I hope the pic helps. It shows the xenia on the shelf and you can see the white areas before the hands and even some where the hands are missing. This is why I thought maybe it was a reproduction thing. I am at a loss. Thanks a million. The website rocks Patty <Read. B>

Re: Pulsing Xenia "hands" missing with picture  6/14/10 I don't have tangs. <Ahh! The pic you sent has something suggesting this> I only have 2 clown and put in 2 cardinal after quarantine (This started before I added the cardinal) I was told it might have been a predatory Nudi. <... as I originally stated...> I have been reading about predators and xenia. I have been looking. But have not seen anything yet. What chemical anomaly do you think? <... please stop writing, and read> I have been reading other xenia info as well. Thanks for getting back so quickly. Sorry I am being a pain but just a little confused. I don't want to have my xenia have problems. I love it. Patty <... B>

All My Polyps are Closed!!? Anomalous Xeniid crash   5/24/10
Hello Crew,
<Jonathan>
I have been a big fan of this website for years, and I come here whenever I have an easy or tough question to answer. The wealth of knowledge on this site is second to none, and I appreciate having this resource available.
Here's my most recent issue:
I've had a reef tank set up for a little over 3 years (50 Gal display with 30g sump), with various polyps, and other soft corals, as well as some fish, snails, etc. Everything has been doing well, but I recently switched two things to my tank, and ALL my polyps have been closed since. It looks like the Pom Pom Xenia are all either dead or dying, as well. I'm hoping someone can help...
<Do be ready to scrape, remove the Xeniids if they're collapsing... or take out all else to some other system>
I have always had perfect levels (8.3, 0 nitrate, 0 phosphate, 480 cal., etc.), but was still having an algae issue. To combat that, I decided to add a Vortech MP10 to make sure I didn't have any dead areas (Have been running a Mag Drive 12 as main return with a SCWD, with a Maxi Jet with 1600 attachment in the tank). I also added two boxes worth of Hagen BioMax Filter Media in a section of my sump, just before the return pump.
<Both these changes, additions should be fine>
My goal with those was to get rid of any "crap" that kept getting pumped back into the main tank by the return pump. My levels are still pristine, algae is pretty much under control, and the clarity of my water is much better.
But, my polyps remain closed!?
Any ideas?
<Something else... but Pulsing Soft Corals can/do at times undergo population collapses... and the resultant chemical stew can be very toxic to other Cnidarians, fishes even>
Have I "purified" the water too much with the BioMax?
<No... this is a chemically inert material... for bacterial housing...>
I've tried different speeds with the MP10, and no change. I've also tried putting Coral Frenzy in a few times, and no change.
Any help is Greatly Appreciated.
<Again, the removal of the Xeniids... or all other livestock elsewhere... Water changes, use of carbon, spiffing up your skimmer can only do so much>
(if this helps, I also have a small amount of carbon filtration, Nova Extreme T5's, a protein skimmer, and a good amount of live rock)
<Do/es help>
Thanks,
Jonathan
<Bob Fenner>

Xenia... chemical algaecide use   4/24/10
Hello,
<Hello Dave>
I have written in the past as I am just learning this new hobby, I have a 144
<Gallon? Litre?>
saltwater tank I started with a small xenia frag and it after a while began to grow quite rapidly and spread out, I was able to cut it apart from the original frag and moved the frag elsewhere, it was doing great. I then developed excessive phosphate (red slime) and was forced to treat the tank with a remover chemical twice,
<Not the route I would have taken>
during the time the xenia seemed fine and full of life.
<Ok>
The day before a water change was due I fell and broke my back,
<? VERY sorry to hear this..>
so was forced to call on some aquarium techs to give the tank a once over which they did.
<Yes, of course>
Only now the xenia although moving in the current is not moving the hands and they look like they are stiff and at times curl up in the day. Are they sick?
<Maybe not sick as such, but they do this when something is not right, chemically with your water, irritating the coral>.
What do I need to have done to help them.
<Run some carbon pronto. Make sure the skimmer is on. We need to know your parameters here, can do no more for you without this info>
My Duncan head coral has shrunk as well but it keeps falling off, as every time I place it somewhere the snails or the large urchin pushes him over so I'm thinking he's hurt from all the falling.
<This coral needs to be secured -- with putty (i.e. Milliput) to a rock permanently>
My fish seems to be fine which includes the following. Thanks for your time A newbie
1 Blue Throated Trigger
1 Blue spotted rabbit fish
1 Yellow Tang
1 Cinnamon clown
4 Clown fishes
2 Yellow belly Damsel's
2 Golden Wrasse's
5 Chromes
1 Cardinal Fish
1 goby
1 long spine urchin
1 xenia frag
1 Duncan head frag
1 candy coral
<No problem Dave. Please write back with your test results. Perhaps you could direct a family member to help you with this (And to fasten this coral to a rock) while you write them down. Tests for salinity, temp, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, dKH, Calcium, Mg along with any other info you think might be pertinent, such as equipment used (Skimmer?) and size of system. Simon> 
Re: Xenia... hlth?  4/27/10
Hello Simon,
<Hi Dave>
Thanks for responding, the sump is 32 x 18 and the protein skimmer is a ASM G2, the main pump is a Rio 26HF the lighting is a TEK light with 6 bulbs, I was running the lights for 13.5 hours but when the red slime showed up I was told to lower it to 12 hours.
<Your problems with your Xenia started pretty much when you dosed to remove this slime, so this is the source of your issues. This algae should be countered using other methods, well documented here on WWM>
I have an additional circulation pump which is a Koralia 5200/1400. Here is the rest of the info, you mention charcoal, do you mean normal aquarium charcoal
<Carbon, activated, yes>
and to just place some in a media bag and then into the sump ?
<Yes, I would do this immediately, in an area of high flow, to remove any traces of toxicity from the water that could be irritating these cnidarians>
Again thanks for the help
<No problem>
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5 - 10
Temp 79
Hardness 130 <Ok, about 7 dKH. This could be raised a touch as it will fluctuate.. mostly downwards>
Phosphate 0.25
<High. The source of your Cyano problem likely. This wants to be 0.03ppm, see WWM re: methods for this http://www.wetwebmedia.com/phosphatemar.htm>
Salinity 1.027
<Also high. Drop this 1-2 notches. Simon>

Re: Heteroxenia sp. & Caulastrea sp., allelo f'   3/11/10
Thanks, I've read some of the links you mentioned. I have moved the Zoas to the bottom of the tank away from other corals, put in some carbon to remove any potential toxins.
<Good>
It almost looks like the Xenia's stalk has been stung or damaged.
<Very possible>
I'm also moving the Xenia away from the Zoas. Any need to "dip" the Xenia in something to help the tissue heal... Melafix?
<Never... read on WWM re... worse than worthless... Perhaps additional iodide/ate... BobF>

Re: Hungry Shag Rug Nudibranch? What?  2/23/2010 I had to throw the rock out it was rotting the tank and made the tank smell rotten. <What? No; should have been cured elsewhere. Read: http://wetwebmedia.com/lrcurefaqs.htm> I'm still trying to get my nitrates down <... see WWM re> from it <What is "it?"> looked like a flower with petals but after closer examination I saw antlers or whatever and when touched the "petals" fell off. what really sucked was the LFS said "too bad we cant catch every thing" and to toss it before it spread so I was just SOL Thanks for your response though. Kris <... Fish out of luck? Kris, please proof your writing before sending. I can't make out what you're trying to state here, nor what you're trying to get at with the too-large images you've attached. BobF>

Re: Hungry Shag Rug Nudibranch  2/24/10 Sorry about my writing I was never good in English. <Please... take your time. Re-read over what you write... perhaps show it to someone else before sending> Anyways the pics were to show the Xenia when I purchased the rock or colony within 2 weeks this creature had destroyed the whole thing and I had to throw the rock out. <Wow!> It was the Xenia that smelled rotten not the rock. I'm just hoping the Nudibranch didn't lay eggs. <I do too> Thanks for your responses Kris <Thank you for this clarification. BobF>

Dying Xenia/Xeniid Health/Systems 2/12/10 Hello Dear Knowledgeable Crew. <Hello Alex> I have spent the last few days reading everything I can find about the pitfalls of raising xenia, but alas it was too late to save my specimen. I was wondering if you could perhaps shed some light on to the specific cause of my xenia's decline. I bought this frag (xenia elongata I think) from a guy who breeds corals. The thing looked incredibly happy in his tank (pulsing like mad, standing straight up etc). My xenia seemed okay when I added him/her/it to our tank. But he never opened fully. I moved him around to try and get to a place where he had high, indirect flow, and near the top of the tank to be near light. Yesterday, I noticed small lesions (or bubble like things) at the base of the main trunk. Later, the neck near one of the bushels of 'hands' started to pinch and turn dark purple (he was light purple before). He was near a maze brain at this point, then I read the brain might sting him. And moved him away. The constricted purple spread to his whole body and he shrank down to a limp white/purple version of his former glory. Now he's pretty much dead I think. <Allelopathy seems to be the culprit here. Your Maze Brain Coral (Platygyra sp.) will shoot out sweeper tentacles in the evening and very likely stung your Xenia.> I have 20G w/ 10g sump. About 25lb live rock. 2 power head at opposite ends + plus return pipe for flow. -->Feather duster, -->Several coco worms -->Maze brain (not sure of the exact species) -->Green star polyp -->A few mushrooms <The Green Star Polyps and Mushrooms are moderately aggressive in terms of allelopathy especially in smaller systems such as yours. This could also have had a role in your Xenia's demise. Good chemical filtration such as Chemipure should be used to minimize the noxious compounds emitted by these animals. The use of a protein skimmer is highly recommended and will also help much in this regard.> Gorgonian I use Canadian tap water dosed with Nutrafin AquaPlus. Lights are 1 15w 10000k t8 and 1 15w actinic t8 Nitrates about 5-10 Nitrites 0 Ammonia 0 PH 8.2-8.3 temp is about 78degrees I have not been dosing iodine, or calcium. <Dosing both calcium and magnesium is necessary for your brain coral and other hard corals. Iodine dosing is also beneficial for Xeniids and do exercise caution dosing as overdosing can be detrimental.> I can understand if something was off in the tank and he died slowly over a few weeks. But he lasted about 6 days. So I obviously did (or the tank did) something traumatic. Any idea at all? I moved him (carefully!) too much? I would love to try again, but I need sort out what I did wrong first! <It is uncommon for Xeniids to perish for no reason. Although Xeniids can behave unpredictably, it is their sensitivity to changes in basic water parameters that can be detrimental to their health in most cases. Because of this, many experienced reefers will use Xeniids as a visual barometer for system stability. Do read here and related articles/FAQ's re Xeniids. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/xeniidarts.htm> thanks guys. <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Please help me continue to love xenia! <Knowing any marine animals needs/requirements is the first step to success. Keep reading/learning, much to be found on our site.> -Alex

mystery item in my reef! -- 02/08/10 Hello... might I start by saying I love your website?...Ok, I LOVE YOUR WEB...oh ok I'll stop sucking up now. Anyhow, to get right to the point. <Heee!> I have this lovely little thingy (actually there are two of them) growing next to my group of pulsing Xenia at the bottom of my tank. I think it kind of looks like a bubble anemone. But I'm not sure what it is.. it doesn't really look like an Aiptasia to me either though. There is the large one in the pictures you can see visibly, and another about a third of the size next to it behind one of the Xenia stalks. I would say the size is about as big as the diameter of a small marble. It is greenish in color and has bubble tips at the end of it's tentacles. It's structure seems to be jelly like and will contract when irritated. It also seems to have a mouth at the center and today I tried target feeding it and it seems to have liked it, as it closed in around the food. Of course it could have just been reacting to a foreign object, but it seemed to hold onto the food and act like and anemone working its tentacles holding the food in place (at least it seemed so), it was hard to tell it is so small. I am attaching a couple pics for you to look at. Hope you can help me identify this thing whether it is something I should keep.. or worry about... thanks in advance.. Brett. <I do think this/these may be Stichodactyla tapetum, but might be Anemonia. Please see here re: http://wetwebmedia.com/otherpstanemfaqs.htm and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemoniafaqs.htm Not uncommon w/ imported Xeniids; should be removed. Bob Fenner>

Hungry Shag Rug Nudibranch, Xeniid pred.    2/8/10
Hi Crew:
I hope you can help. Two weeks ago I purchased a Xenia rock with approximately ten or so stalks, the next day they started to die off. I went into the store and they told me that the Xenia is temperamental
<Can be; esp. when moved... to "differing circumstances">
and to try an Iodine cleanse which I did. I examined the rock and found what I thought was an Anemone but not sure what kind and it was eating the Xenia . Through internet research I found it to be a shag rug Nudibranch.
<Aeolidia papillosa? I doubt this is the species here... This is a cold-water animal. Could well be something very similar however that is tropical>
how can I destroy it I before it goes on to something else?
<Yes... I would siphon it/them out, or use a pair of long tongs to extract>
I do like the Xenia and it has destroyed about 90% of the rock.
Thank you for any help and answers you can give it is much appreciated
Kris
<Could you send along a few close-up pix Kris? Bob Fenner>

White spots on xenia -- 01/30/10 Hi, Thank you for your dedication to this web site. I am a regular visitor and have learned so much. I find you all to be very knowledgeable. I have a pulsing xenia, photo included, that has white spots which I am having difficulty identifying through web sites or store where purchased. The following is info on my tank: 75 gal, T5 lighting 80 watts high output, ph 8.2, phos 0, ammonia 0, nitrite and nitrate 0, KH 126, calcium 340, a little los so I added some liquid calcium, <? How? What product/s?> and salinity is 21. <1.021... too low> I have 4 power heads and a protein skimmer. The following corals; some mushrooms, pom pom xenia, frog spawn, another pulsing xenia, 2 coral grasses, large clam, bubble tip anemone, Sailfin tang, 2 peppermint shrimp, brittle star, urchin, emerald and porcelain crab, diamond blenny, 2 clowns, gramma. I do a 4 gal change once a week <Too little> and a 15 gal change with gravel clean once a month. I alternate flakes with brine and emerald delight. I add MicroVert, PhytoPlex, and Zooplex every other day. Everything seems to be doing good and now I notice these white spots. Any ideas? Thank you for taking the time to help me! Laura <Likely the appearance of your Xeniid is due to the water quality being off. Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/xensysfaq2.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Parasite Problems/Snake Oil Remedies -- 11/23/2009
Hello!
<Hello Ashley! JustinN here>
I have a problem in my tank and I believe it is related to parasites, but I'm not sure what to do!
<Lets see if we can help!>
I purchased a new Ocellaris clown a week ago from my LFS. I do not quarantine as I don't have the space for another tank (I know you will hate that!).
<You are correct, and I think you also now see the benefit of a quarantine configuration. Please do consider setting one up in the future -- remember, the tank doesn't have to run all the time, only when you're quarantining new purchases. If you quarantined fish, I bet we wouldn't be chatting now!
*grin*>
A few days later I noticed it had "clownfish disease" (or so my LFS owner thought at least).
<I assume that Velvet or Brooklynella are the 'clownfish disease' that is being referred to here -- is possible, not uncommon.>
I did a 5 minute freshwater dip and put him back in the tank. He looked mostly better, but a few days after that my Purple Firefish died suddenly.
It had one small white spot (about 1/2 cm or so in diameter) but no other obvious signs of distress or disease. I also noticed that my Banggai Cardinalfish had developed what appears to be fin rot. His fins are smaller, the base of each fin is red, and some are covered in a cloudy white film, one is even "glued" to his body by this film. The clown still had one area of missing scales but looked better than before.
<Sounds like a toxic water condition to me -- are you testing your tank regularly on your own?>
My LFS owner recommended I treat with Ruby Reef's Rally, but this is the third day of treatment and I see no improvement.
<And you will likely not see any improvement -- this 'medication' is akin to snake oil, a hoax... have a read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/homeopathfaqs.htm and here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/medfaqs2.htm -- search for "Ruby Reef Rally" within these pages for general consensus of these products...>
The Cardinalfish is only getting worse. Just prior to this outbreak I added a Pulsing Xenia Coral. It looked perky the first day, but it fell into a crack and I had to gently pull it out by the stalk as I could not get to the small rock it was on (after this I glued it to a bigger rock).
<Not likely a problem, I have done this before without deleterious effects to Xenia sp.>
Since doing that and adding the Rally treatment the Xenia has been droopy, is not pulsing, and is turning a dark brown color at the base.
<The Rally is the problem -- Stephen Pro did a study investigating Rally, and other similar 'cure-all' medications, and found that within a few days, a tank treated with Rally would have its Xenia sp. corals melt away into nothing -- very similar as to when copper is added to a reef tank.>
I have a 38 gallon tank with a bunch of live rock, a Galaxy coral, Frogspawn coral, many purple mushrooms, a Monti plate coral, 1 Blue Star Leopard Wrasse, 2 Ocellaris clowns, 1 Banggai Cardinalfish, 1 Mandarin Goby, 1 Skunk Cleaner shrimp, 1 Harlequin shrimp, 1 Sally Lightfoot crab, several blue-leg hermits, and a bunch of different snails. I use RO water from my LFS that they mix with aquarium salt and I do water changed bi-weekly so tank parameters are always normal.
<Are you testing these parameters, verifying their normalness? Please do provide actual figures -- much easier to provide advice.>
What can I do for the Xenia and the Cardinalfish? Should I continue treating with Rally, try something different, or just let it be? I am leaving town tomorrow night for the Thanksgiving holiday (but will return Thanksgiving night). Please help!
Ashley
<Stop treating with the Rally post haste, and add some activated carbon and/or Poly-Filter to remove the excess medication from your water -- your Xenia may not last much longer if you don't. Beyond this, I would test your water and verify where your parameters currently sit -- the issues sound most like toxic water conditions to me... please do provide further substantial details so we may paint a better picture here. Good luck!
-JustinN>

Xenia hlth. issues -- 11/17/2009
<Hey Joshua! JustinN here tonight -- combining both your emails together for simplicity of response!>
Hey guys! So..I have a problem (go figure) and I thought I would ask the "Oh So Wise" Gurus lol.
<*Sagely* Ask away, my son. ;)>
I have a 90 gal salt tank with metal halide (sorry I can't think of how many watts right now, and I'm not home). I'm running two Remora Aqua-C protein skimmers, I have a 4 inch DSB, and two 600-gal Hydor Koralia powerheads. I know, I need to get some more circulation, I'm working on it and adding a sump tank.
<Is not completely stagnant, better than many other situations... the sump will help though.>
Anyway, I have a blue Xenia which I bought about 6 months ago and it has been doing great! Grew from one base to 3 major bases now.
<The true 'seaweed'>
Over the past week, the polyps just suddenly sagged and it has looked pathetic ever since. I am pretty sure it is dying, since this happened to another Xenia I had before I bought this one. It is slowly shrinking into itself.
<This does occur on occasion naturally, a wax-and-wane of the population, if you will>
I haven't added anything, and just got done with a 20% water change and it made no difference. I make my own salt water and test it before use, and it looked fine. Everything else seems to be doing ok as far as corals and fish go.
<What other corals are you housing here?>
I have been fighting a Cyano outbreak for months now, and it is not completely gone, but has been drastically reduced to mostly on the glass and sand top. I have tested for phosphates, nitrates and ammonia, all at zero. (of course, the Cyano would just consume whatever is available so I consider it a false negative).
<Correct>
The only think I have noticed is an outbreak of deep red algae, which I assume is a type of Cyano, covering the rocks very rapidly, including the rock with the Xenia.
<If it is slimy as well, is almost certain to be Cyano as well... comes in many shades.>
So, I have been doing water changes and siphoning out as much of it as I can, and it has helped but the Xenia has not improved. Any suggestions?
Need any more info??
Thanks guys for all your help!
Joshua Lucero
<Need a bit more info than this to advise.... which is conveniently provided here!>
Sorry, I re-read my last email and there is more information that I should have given. The Xenia are on a rock all by themselves and "upstream" from any other corals (about 6 inches from the nearest), so I don't think chemical warfare is the culprit.
<Mmm, can still be the case -- allelopathy is a chemical situation, carried by the waters of the tank -- sweeper tentacles and the such, direct Cnidarian stinging would be the issue in closer quarters... what corals are housed here?>
I dose periodically with "Fuel" from AquaVitro, to keep a decent flow of nutrients in the tank (About twice a month), my pH is about 8.3 my salinity is in the range it should be on my specific gravity tool.
<Salinity numbers are important here, please do provide.>
My alkalinity is high (too much buffer, but corrected with water change because my calcium levels dropped to about 140).
<140? Is this a mis-type? This is exceedingly low -- perhaps your buffer addition caused a precipitous event, and your water balance is still skewed? Have a look here -- http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alkalinity.htm and related subheadings.>
They are in a place of good flow that isn't just from one direction, and the only other thing I can think of is that I dosed with some Amquel to help neutralize some of the dissolved organics that are causing the BGA to bloom. Amquel shouldn't affect xenia though right??
Joshua Lucero
<Well Joshua, the Amquel shouldn't affect the Xenia, but I have heard more than one anecdotal story of people who've had inexplicable problems when using this product in a reef setting... Amquel's main purpose is the neutralization of Chlor(am)ines and Ammonia from new treatment water -- in a saltwater setting, you'll optimally be using RO (or preferably RO/DI) makeup water before mixing your own salt. Treating the tank itself with Amquel will do nothing to improve your Cyano issue, and may well exacerbate it. What's needed to defeat the Cyano, is additional water flow, and regular water changes with very clean water. Have a read through here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/watrqualmar.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm
and related subheadings. Let us know if you have any further questions! -JustinN>
Xenia hlth. issues -- 11/17/2009
Hey Justin! Thanks for the quick response!
<Glad to help!>
I agree with your assessment of Amquel, I talked to one of my LFS guys about it last night. I was under the impression that Amquel neutralized nitrates, nitrates, chlorine and ammonia, which is why I put it in the tank. Didn't realize that it does all of that simply by neutralizing the ammonia and chlorine...sad day. Anyway, he said he has had some customers have the same problems. In fact, it is his theory that anything that forms a slime coat maybe hazardous to photosynthetic inverts, as he has lost some corals because of that.
<I would agree with this assessment -- this is not the first I have heard
of problems with Amquel in a reef tank.>
Guess it's going in the trash because I use RODI water so there is no need for it.
<Indeed>
My specific gravity is 1.022, and yes my calcium levels were very low.
<I would get this raised to 1.026 over the course of several days -- those within your care will love you for it!>
I guess I over did it on alkalinity lol.
<I'd say so! I'd work on re-balancing this sooner than later -- daily water changes to regain a control on ionic balance.>
I'll fix it right away by doing a few water changes and monitoring the balance of calcium/Alk.
<I'd go so far as to abstain from any kind of dosing in this critical time period -- get your water changes done to get your water back in balance.>
As far as corals go, here is what I have: 1 small green Sinularia, 1 purple/blue Ricordea, 2 red mushrooms, large cluster of Zoanthids, 2 clusters of green star polyps and a small Montipora. I have everything pretty well spaced out as far as I can in the tank.
Joshua Lucero
<This all should be fine -- the water conditions are far more likely the suspect here. Do let us know if you have further questions!>

Pulsing Xenia/Compatibility 9/23/09
I had a Camelback Shrimp and a Pulsing Xenia in my 14 gallon BioCube fish tank. Two days ago, (for the first time) I saw the shrimp eating the xenia.
A few hours later, the shrimp was on its side twitching and died this morning. Are the two related? I was not sure in xenias can be poisonous, or if this is a coincidence.
My water parameters are:
Salinity -- 1.025
Temp -- 78 Degrees
pH -- 8.1
Ammonia-- Undetectable
Nitrite -- Undetectable
Nitrate -- 0
Calcium -- 370
<Kristi, Camelback Shrimp should not be kept in systems containing mixed invertebrates.
They are known to munch on these, and therefore not safe in a reef tank. I'd do a look/see again, the shrimp
may have molted and is hiding in the rockwork. Now, to answer your question. Soft corals such as Xenia produce an arsenal of toxic compounds. These toxins not only deter most predators, but also can harm neighboring corals, thus helping Xenia colonies maintain a patch of reef for themselves. In that regard, it is possible the shrimp may have died from munching on the Xenia.>
Thanks!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
-Kristi

Help my waving hand... goodbye livestock... reading  8/11/2009
I have a 33 gal tank that has been established 2 years. It has mushrooms, Zoanthids, crabs, a shrimp, an anemone and 2 clowns + 2 blue damsels.
There is 20 lbs of live rock, + salt + a great light and filter. Everything looks and acts right,
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although the anemone
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has turned white with pink tips and one clump of waving hand has shriveled up. Any suggestions? Should I remove the waving hand? Th,ks!!
<... this mix of species is untenable. Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Re: Help my waving hand 8/11/2009
Update: here's my parameters. All but KH seems in check:
Ammonia is 0
PH 8.1
Nitrite 0.1 mg/L
<... needs to be zip>
Iron 0
Chelated Iron is 0
Phosphate 0.5 mg/L
<Way too high>
Calcium 480 mg/L (ppm)
Nitrite 20 mg/L
<... no>
Carbonate Hardness 85 mg/L
<... keep reading. RMF>