Can't keep Montis?

Sidefunk

Sidefunk

New member
Every type of montipora I put in my tank has not survived. I have put in a bunch of different kinds including, two different orange cap frags, digitata, rainbow, some other kind which I am not sure of.

I have two frags of the rainbow, one of which is basically white with brownish polyps that don't extend. The other frag is pretty much almost dead except for one little spot which looks like it might make a comeback. Don't think it is monti eating nudis, but I really have no experience with those so I can't be sure.

Most of my other sps do well. My calcium is usually around 420 and alk around 8. I don't think PO is really an issue because the other sps seem okay but I don't have anything to test it.

Any suggestions or should I just stay away from montis (which would be a darn shame).
 
Need more information on your system. Phosphate is very important and should be tested if you have sps. Need information on tank size, flow, etc. Mg levels, phonsphate etc.
 
i also used to have this issue before my monti,digi and birdnest will die off.
after i dose iodine,everything start to grow back again.
Hope it helps..
 
Do you have big swings when you dose? Wondering if the alk fluctuates a lot or if it is pretty steady. I've noticed that as long as I am consistent with my water changes and I keep my levels steady, my corals seem happy.

Since I am a sucky chemist, I like to use the "volume principal" and I keep a larger water volume so that changes, accidental or intentional, are less drastic. While softies and sps seem to be hardier and can take swings beter, SPS don't do well when shocked and I try to make any adjustments very slowly. I prefer smaller weekly and even twice a week water changes vs the bigger 20 percent changes. I will do 10g gallons of water in my 190 gallon system 2 times in a week instead of doing a single 20 gallon change. I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but it's just as easy for me, and my system is happy (knocking on wood)
 
Forgot to ask/mention, do you change water regularly, and do you make sure that you introduce same temp and gravity when you do? I try to make my water as close to the system water in temp and SG when I change it out. Since I have 4 different tanks gravity feeding, they are all slightly different in temp, but all well within 1 degree. When I water change, I pump back into the sump, and the temp in my displays does not change per my digital laser thermometer. The sump, if it does change, is less than .2 degrees.
 
Thanks for the responses everyone. I don't dose b/c my levels are pretty darn stable at what I listed above. Temp usually between 78-80 and SG at 1.025. My system is only 7 months old now and I only have relatively small frags in there. I just remembered that I have two milli frags which are growing great and a bunch of other acro frags which the shop was not sure what they were that are doing just fine.

As to water changes, my tank is a 29 gallon biocube for which I change 3 gallons a week religiously (actually I missed last week for the first time but you get what I mean). I make sure the changes match as closely as possible. I would try more frequent smaller volume water changes but it is just not practical long term with my schedule and that fact that I have 2 other fresh water tanks that require my regular attention.

Also, I have the oceanic stock return pump (think it is like 240 gph) and two korilia 450s on a random timer.

Funny that I have read many times that monti caps are the easiest sps to keep but it turns that other corals in my tank do much better (i.e., they are alive)
 
well if the other acro's are doing great they may be getting to much light, i have hight lighting in my tank and the monti's do best at or near the bottom.
 
From my experience, they dont do well in a lower nutrient system. Are you running a bare bottom or other lower nutrient tank?

I have been running a bare bottom tank for over five years and I cant get digita to grow at all and caps struggle. Every other type of coral (95% SPS) does just fine in my tank.

A long time ago, I searched for ideas and the lack of nutrients is all I came up with, although I did some reading about potassium deficiencies. The hard part with potassium, its hard to measure(or at least it was at the time I was researching). Unfortunately, I just gave up and stopped keeping montis, but I will be curious to see what others have to offer.
 
Funny you should mention potassium because someone at the LF store said that as well and that apparently montis really like it. Unfortunately I am not much for testing and a quick check of Ca and Alk are probably all I'm willing to do. I have considered buying other tests but I usually just end up buying coral instead. Although that might change as I get more experience in keeping reefs and the various corals that I will undoubtedly want to keep.

Unfortunately for now the budget basically dictates that I work with what I've got. Maybe I will just hold off on montis for now and try one again in a few more months when my system is a little more mature.

Thanks for the input everyone.
 
I find when budget starts limiting my coral purchases its time to make a friend in the local reef club. :fun2:
 
Had to revive this thread as I am having some montipora issues. My orange montipora digitata has retracted polyps and the skin is now brown. A cap I recently acquired is looking really dull colored and am afraid it might die. All my parameters are within range and all the other sps corals are doing well. I am running bio-pellets and recently talked to a local reefer about this problem. He recommended I check my potassium levels with the red sea test kit. I am going to order one tomorrow and if low, will dose KCl. Hopefully this will resolve my issue. Anybody, confirm if potassium is the problem with most monti's? I am using IO for weekly water changes.
 
Need to know your Alk, calc, and Mag levels along with your PH average and your Salinity so that all of them can be ruled out...
 
Check your Mag is key for montis, and check for nudis. If you get that straight they seem to tolerate most other things all over the place.. However I did have some issues with some montis and a recent batch of RSCP, but it was only with select montis.

The "last resort" thing to check is electricity. First thing that went in my tank when I had bad equipment putting electricity in the water was my montis..

The Double "last resort thing" is K+, but unless you are never doing water changes, and using zeovit K+ supplementation shouldn't be an issue.
 
Last edited:
Ok, here you go Mock...:)

Alk 10.19 Hanna
Ca 450 Salifert
Mg 1440 Salifert
Nitrates 0 Salifert
Phosphate 0 Hanna (checked this 4X and got zero)
Salinity 1.026
pH: 8.0-8.1
Biopellets: Dr. Tims Biopellets

I got the Red Sea K+ Test kit and Hanna Phosphate meter

K+=380-400ppm

I dosed 20ml of K+

Could it be that I am running a ULNS and my alk would be better served at 8-9 instead of 10 dkh? I have shut the Ca reactor so the alk can drop to 8-9. Thanks.

MammothReefer, electricity in water, have never heard of that one. I have been doing weekly water changes. I dont believe my K+ is low since it tested within range. I think it could be my alk is too high in such low nutrient environment?

I have a garf bonsai that has its polyps out, dark purple tips with light purple body. It seems to be doing fine. My birdsnest seems to be doing well too.
 
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