[dblondell]

hello I need help with a monti frag I have had for two weeks. I believe it is bleached but need guidance. here are my parameters 1.025, 8.4, nitrates 5 ppm, phospates .025 ppm, Calcium is high at 540 ppm, stopped dosing 5 days ago. tank is 55g, with coralife t5 ho quad lighting 2 10k bulbs and 2 true actinic bulbs. should I move down in the tank it is about right in the middle right now.

 

[dblondell]

first pic is when I received it second is today
thanks.

 

[frisbee]

What is your alkalinity at? If it's bouncing around this could definitely cause your coral to look like that. Keeping it stable is key, especially with sps corals.

 

[ynot65]

Why are you dosing ? Move the coral down or adjust your photo period. What is you photo period ?

 

[dblondell]

Alk is 8 and steady. 1 hour actinics then all for 12 hours then actinics for 1 hour. I moved it down about 3 inches from bottom. Dosing seachem reef advantage but stopped.

 

[Kpd535]

Lighting could be the problem here. Try bringing the time down from 14 hrs total a day. To something like 8-10 hrs.

 

[dblondell]

Ynot65 I had been dosing to bring calcium up it was staying at around 350 ppm. That was before I got the monti. Waited to get monti until calcium was around 420 ppm.
Thanks for all of your help

 

[ynot65]

What kind of salt mix do you use ?

 

[dblondell]

Kpd535
I moved monti down yesterday. I started it out in the middle thinking my 4 54watt light may not be strong enough. Could it be from not acclaimating to the lights by starting it out to high. Do you think it will recover.

 

[dblondell]

Ynot
Instant ocean reef crystals. Did a 25% water change last night.

 

[NFSkids]

How big is your tank?

 

[dblondell]

NFSkids
55 gallon, 20 gallon sump/refugime.

 

[chrisfrat]

What are your nitrate/phosphate levels? Also, did you light acclimate? There really is no such thing as too much light. To get to that point, you'd need lights brighter than the midday sun at the equator.

 

[dblondell]

Chrisfrat
tested this morning nitrates 5ppm, phosphate 0.25 ppm. As far as light acclimation I placed in middle knowing it came from LED lights. Thinking it would not be to bright in middle. Flow is moderate.
thanks for your help.

 

[Kpd535]

I'm going to disagree with the statement that "there is no such thing as too much light".....

 

[chrisfrat]

I'm going to disagree with the statement that "there is no such thing as too much light".....

If you have lights brighter than the sun at the equator, I'd like to get my hands on those

There is no such thing as too much light, but corals can absolutely be light acclimated incorrectly. SPS are frequently out of the water at low tide and can withstand that exposure to the sun on a daily basis.

 

[Kpd535]

But you are talking brightness and intensity. I agree with everything you say on that. But I'm referring to having the lights on for 14 hours per day. Photosynthesis and most light loving plants/corals also need a period of darkness. Too much light, as in hours per day, can be too much.

 

[dblondell]

Kpd535
I changed the light cycle to 12 hours total today. My light has moonlights that run all night should I turn those off. I moved it down near bottom with no change yet.

 

[chrisfrat]

But you are talking brightness and intensity. I agree with everything you say on that. But I'm referring to having the lights on for 14 hours per day. Photosynthesis and most light loving plants/corals also need a period of darkness. Too much light, as in hours per day, can be too much.

Ah, I see, and there I definitely do agree.

 

[Kpd535]

Dell, I don't think the moonlights will matter much, that's more for your pleasure. I think you will definitely start to see some results with a shortened lighting schedule. So now your lights are 1 hr blues 10 hrs all and 1 hr blues before lights out? Just realize it could take a few weeks to see results. Just keep the monti lower and keep testing your tank parameters to ensure its has nothing to do with that, but I know you already indicated your alk and calcium were in the right range. What's your phosphate levels?