placement question

[da456789]

would it be a good idea to place a zenia and clove polyp on the same large rock ie 7-8 inches?

Thanks

[BigAl07]

I wouldn't do that. I don't have CLOVES but I do have Xenia and it's VERY aggressive. It goes where it wants and pretty much RULES that space. I'd put them on different rocks so that you can more easily "Manage" them... but then again if that's the "Look" you're after go for it. Just keep both in check and you just may help mother nature create another "Master Piece".

We'd LOVE pics

[Anselth]

I'm with Al. Xenia has a habit of overrunning anything nearby, and clove polyps don't seem to be too aggressive. Of course, if you keep the xenia trimmed back some, and on separate sides of the rock, it could work.

[djbacon]

agreed, they double in size as quickly as every 45 days

[da456789]

thanks for the info. As soon as the lfs gets some more glue going to put the xenia on the large rock and put the clove on a smaller rock in front. Will post pics when i get it done. I really like the motion of the xenia in the tank, any other corals that anyone can suggest that would have the same type of motion? Tank is 46bow with 4 39W t5 ho lights. Xenia is going to be high about 13 inches under the lights any idea on growth rate under t5's ho?

Thanks

[Anselth]

You could try some leather corals, they move with the currents.

[Kirblit]

All I can say is good luck gluing Xenia, it's very slimy. You would be better off with a rubber band and a small piece of rubble and then glue the rubble on the rock that you want the Xenia on, or just put them next to each other and let it do it on it's own.

[da456789]

the xenia is a 4-5 '' inch frag on a small piece of rock grown by the lfs under pc's . so all i should need to do is just glue it down to the large lr in the tank -- same for the cloves. debating on the leathers still have a few more weeks while the last batch of aragocrete cures. i think i remember reading that certain leathers put out toxins that can kill other corals is their any truth to this or running charcoal in the 304 fluval filter enougth to filter it out?

[Kirblit]

Oh that will work.

Yes most leathers, and some others, use toxins to deter other corals from overgrowing them (slows their growth), but it effects mostly SPS corals, softies should be fine, and as long as you use carbon 24/7 you should be fine. One of the biggest offenders of leather corals is Sacrophyton (toadstool) corals, they usually have the biggest effect on other corals in close proximity or down stream from them. Sacrophyton has also been shown to actually make Xenia grow better (Anthony Calfo pers. exp., and others) in captivity. This is still unknown as to why exactly. Overall mixed tanks usually do pretty well as long as you do frequent WC and run carbon the toxins don't really build up.