Green Monti Cap turning Brown?

[tygger]

I can't seem to keep monti caps. I have mostly lps and softies and my second attemp at keeping a monti cap seems to be failing. I'm not sure, but it looks like the edges are slowly starting to turn brown.

My specs are:

calcium: 410 (Salifert)
pH: 8.35 (Hana probe)
Ammonia: 0 (aquarium pharm)
Nitrite: 0 (aquarium pharm)
Nitrate: 25 (Salifert)
Salinity: 1.025 (refracto)
Temp: 80-81deg

I just got my alk test kit so I haven't had a chance to test that yet.

Any ideas? Everything else in my tank is thriving, but the monti cap looks like its slowly declining.

Thanks

 

[Yinger]

nitrates are little high... what kind of lighting are you using and how's the flow?

 

[twon8]

test alk.
how much flow do you have in there?

 

[tygger]

I'm using a Mag9.5 as the main return and I have 2 MJ1200 and 2 MJ900 on a wavemaker. They are placed higher up in the tank because if I put them any lower, it blows the zoos and stuff on the bottom around too much.

Lighting is 2 250w MH.

I'll test alk tomorrow.

btw - while were on subject with caps, if i just place them on a rock, will it eventually encrust the rock? Thanks

 

[SPSFiend]

try moving them to a different spot in your tank. I did that with one of my montis and then it started growing about an inch a month.

Montis genereally encrust. If you have a monti cap, it will encrust onti the rock as long as one of the edges is touching the rock. The bottom doesn't really encrust. You need to let the live portion grow out into the rock or let it touch the rock and it will encrust.

 

[tygger]

Ok, my kh is low. Test results = 6.3.

Does it matter if I do the tests during lights on or off?

 

[Justin74]

Phosphates would be my guess.

-Justin

 

[tygger]

I only have a Aquarium Pharm. Phosphate test kit, no Saliferts... I don't seem to be having any problems growing coraline and algae is not really a problem in my tank. (either that or my cleanup crew is covering up my algae problem)