Chili Pepper Montipora browning out

[JohnV8r]

I picked up a Chili Pepper Montipora frag on Sunday at an LFS that was fragged while I waited. After describing my tank and showing a picture of the tank on my iPhone, I was told by the LFS to put the monti in the middle 1/3 of my tank. I ended up putting the frag just below the half way point on my tank. Polyps have been mostly retracted for the last couple days and yesterday the frag turned brown. The polyps are still red, but are very small. I've never had a frag brown out this fast (2 days from purchase), but I've also never purchased a frag that was cut while I waited. A green monti cap that was purchased from a different LFS same day is doing fine at 17" below the lights

Tank is as follows: 48"L x 28"D x 30"T. Lighting is 2 x 250W 20K Radiums w/LumenMax Elite reflectors. From bottom of lighting to bottom of tank is 35". Frag was approximately 21-22" below the lights in a fully exposed position. Lighting schedule is currently 1.25 hours from 7am - 8:15 am and 4.0 hours from 6pm - 10 pm.

Tank chemistry as of yesterday is as follows:

NO3 = 5
Ca = 500
dKH = 8
Phosphate = 0
PH = 8.3
Mg = 1450
Spec Grav = 1.0255
Temp Range = 79 - 81

I never would have put an SPS as low as this frag is, but did so at the specific recommendation of the LFS salesperson who said Chili Pepper Montipora shouldn't be at the top of the tank. I'm also within the 15 day period that I may be able to take the frag back (though it's not dead).

I'm looking for some advice on what to do with the frag. Do I move it up and leave the lighting schedule the same? If so, how far up? Should I leave it where it is and increase the lighting schedule? Combination of both?

Thanks in advance.

 

[danil]

I think you're doing great with your reef if that's the only frag which browned out for you. All my frags do that and only few get back with some colors... So it is common and some would say - normal. That could happened due to change in water parameters, lighting or physical stress (when cutting and handling). It doesn't matter what your water parameters 'better' or 'worse' then in LFS its just difference what matter. That's why we have 'acclimation' procedure to smooth things out. But even with full acclimation protocol browning is common.

 

[JohnV8r]

I guess I've been lucky then. However, I'm still trying to figure out what my best move to get the frag to color back up is: Move it up, change the lighting schedule, both, or nothing.

Thanks.

 

[ghostman]

I wouldn't change the lighting schedule, as your other healthy corals may suffer. My chili pepper monti likes light, and you could probably move it up a bit. With proper water parameters, it will likely color back up quickly.

 

[chefzif]

+1 do not change lighting just give it time to color up!

 

[JohnV8r]

Talked to the LFS to find out how far under their MH's the mother colony was. Turns out it was 12". Don't know why I was advised to move the frag down to the 20" - 22" range. I'm up now at about 17" (with the monti cap). Already I am seeing better red polyp extension and there is a small patch on the front of the frag that is green again (could be that it always was). Hopefully it will come back quickly. It's such a great looking piece when it's colored up.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Cmbtmedic1]

Agreed I have the same piece and just moved it up...