pulsing xenia question

[shavo]

hi all, i bought some pulsing xenia and it was pulsing when i bought it but now it really doesn't pulse with the same action as it did before i bought it. I noticed that it pulses a little better after the lights go out. I also was told that iodine helps them to pulse i added it a few days ago and nothing really has changed yet. Do these animals take some time to acclimate or is this kinda what it is going to be? or is this something to really be concerned about? for the most part it looks the same just doesn't pulse it gets fully extended and looks ok. any suggestions?
also i have conflicting reading on my calcium levels. With my test kit I have the liquid drip kind that changes from pink to blue and it tells me I am over 500. somebody else tested it yesterday and with this crazy mad scientist powder mixing and needle dripping into a tube thing and he told me i was completely low on calcium he said i was a little above 120. I double checked mine again when i got home and according to my test kit I am over 500.
anybody know how accurate my test kit actually is?

thank you!!

shavo

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, Iodine helps. Once a week is what I put. Don't overdo the iodine though. Xenia don't like alot of flow so make sure it's not blasted by a powerhead. AND make sure your water quality is good. Keep up with water changes. HTH

 

[shavo]

hey crissy, thanks for the info, i think i have them kinda being blasted i can move them out of the way and see if that helps.

 

[Anonymous]

If it look OK, I won't even bother with the dosing. Unless there is some organism that actively remove the iodine, it is always not a good idea to add it to any reef tank.

 

[dnorton1978]

I am guessing your calcuim test kit is in a white and blue box. Made by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals?? I have the same one, and I get a higher reading usually than my lfs. My difference is around 500 and his is 400.

As for flow on the xenia, mine gets hit by a hydor unit connected to my powerhead. As it sweeps around it gets hit pretty hard, but not on a regular basis. My xenia pulsates and looks fine. I am curious about our calcuim test as well.

 

[shavo]

yes that is the same calcium test kit I have. The guy that tested my calcium warned me about it and had a different kind all together that was very in depth, I didn't even follow what he was doing at all. It was a huge test kit just for calcium and he told me I was at about 120. I am not sure if his kit was rated with numbers scale that our kit is, but he told me I was a little low at 120. I thought that was alarming because I had it at 500 before I met him. I have my kit reading at about 560 right now and I am afraid to go higher. I am actually off the scale I m just judging it from the amount of drops and it raises I think 20 points per every drop.

let me know if you come up with anything about this kit, maybe I wil post in the other forum to see what they have to say about it.

thanks!!!

 

[Anonymous]

I don't trust Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. I have had there test kits and it's hard to tell the reading on some things.

Salifert.

 

[shavo]

About the question if something actively removes iodine, I heard that protien skimming removes iodine, anybody know for sure. and on my iodine bottle it says to use every other day. sounds like alot to me unless organisms use it up?

this hobby is crazy i don't have the time to come up with these questions.

 

[blackcloudmedia]

An interesting note on Iodine, I was preparing a piece of shrimp earlier, and my whole hand turned orange (the infamous iodine). I must have had something on my hands to react with it. Interestingly I was messing with concrete earlier. Just a note if your using shrimp you may be putting iodine in your tank already.