Cannot keep Xenia
 

Everything in my tank is thriving. I originally had a 55 gallon and had to upgrade to a 120 because my softies were growing out of the tank. A few years back I had a 90 and tried to grow Xenia but it never took. I got out of the hobby for a couple of years....so when I set up my 55g I remembered the trouble I had trying to keep Xenia alive.....all my other friends at that time had to literally take bags of it out of their tanks. Fast forward to 3 weeks ago. I was in the LFS and there was this one pound rock full of Xenia....I thought what the hell, I'll go for it. 3 Days after being in my tank they withered away. They didn't "melt" but they are closed so tight I can hardly see them. Everything else is doing great. All parameters are 0 except Nitrate which is between 5-10ppm. No issues with tank inhabitants bothering them. I have moved them twice Less light, more light, less flow, more flow ect....
I do run quite a bit of carbon however and have heard that Xenia do not like carbon....any thoughts?

When I first set things up the Xenia was nuts, got to the point I was either giving away or flushing.

Around the time I started my Ca reactor and started having higher alk readings in the tank, the Xenia stopped spreading and started shrinking. Though I've gotten more into SPS and added a few more mushrooms, I'm wondering/thinking the high alk might be the cause.

Xenia hate Aluminum based phosphate media. Are you running a phosphate media?

Interesting mark. I'll have to check my Alk readings. No phosphate media in my tank. Just carbon. It's funny how some can grow Xenia and other can't.