I cant grow monties...

[MHG]

So I got other SPS and all growing. A total of 22 different frags and colonies of LPS and sps. Only my two monti's (and my two frogspawns) wont grow at all. The purple bleached in 180 PAR light and has been that way for 3 months. I have polyps, but no growth and it is a very light blue. My recent orange monty was placed in about 90 PAR and did well. I moved it to 130 and now it is bleaching...


I feed heavily... Light bioload on the fish...

Suggestions?

 

[bellis31]

The only thing I see in your stats is that your calcium is kinda low, maybe bring that up to 420 - 450 and see what happens. I have an orange digitata and it grows up (branches grew 1/4" in less than a month) but has not yet encrusted over the glue on the rock.

 

[MHG]

Oh well the orange one is a gonner. Tissue is starting to recede ...

 

[benchland]

i've experienced a similar issue. i have found that a drop of lugol's solution does wonders for my monti's and frogspawn. i have cree led's as well, my monti's are about 4-5" off the substrate. some corals that are purple when i get them develop a kind of royal blue/baby blue under the led's, purple in some cases is just not feasible it seems for some sps under led's.

 

[Alkamist]

bring your Ca up, i noticed when mine started to drop coral growth slowed down.

 

[MHG]

I have been increasing my calc every week but as my frag population grows so does the demand. Right now I am 11ml a week. I adjust once a week...

I have not tried lugols yet.. Is that iodine?

 

[OneReef]

I have found it difficult to accurately measure PAR with LEDs. I have to go more by what the coral looks like than the PaR number. Halide PAR and led par don't seem to equate.

 

[RRaider]

If your calcium is falling that much a week it's time to start dosing more often.

 

[OneReef]

I have been increasing my calc every week but as my frag population grows so does the demand. Right now I am 11ml a week. I adjust once a week...

I have not tried lugols yet.. Is that iodine?

Iodine is not the problem. I'd look elsewhere.

 

[MHG]

Sorry I misspoke. I am dosing 11ml per day not per week. I test and adjust every week...it's just hard to know how much to up it. If I go by the reef calculator I need to add a gallon a day...that's obviously not right... Soi test and if it is low, I bump the dose up...

 

[cfredallen]

The Reef calculator tells you how much you need to add for a 1 time dose to bring it to where it should be. If it is a really large dose then you would need to spread it out over several days. Once you get CA to the level it should be at, then base your daily dosing off of ALK and dose equal parts ALK and CA

 

[MHG]

Well the reef calculator tells me I need to add 175 ml to go from 360 to 400. I tested this morning and I had 360. I added 6ml and I am at 400... So something is off and I am obviously using the calculator wrong....

 

[RRaider]

sounds like you are choosing the wrong supplement. How many gallons does your system hold and what are you dosing?

 

[cfredallen]

Well the reef calculator tells me I need to add 175 ml to go from 360 to 400. I tested this morning and I had 360. I added 6ml and I am at 400... So something is off and I am obviously using the calculator wrong....

I am not sure that you are using the calculator incorrectly at all. If the tank in question is the 60G that is listed in your sig that sounds about right. I would question your CA test kit. I don't know of any CA additive that would raise CA 40ppm in that big a tank with only 6ml. I use 30ml/day in my 125 mixed reef just to maintain. (I use B-Ionic)

Also how soon after dosing are you testing? Testing immediately after dosing can result in false high readings.

 

[Gills 619]

looking at your parameters, your tank is to clean. Monti's like a higher nutrient tank

 

[MHG]

I use an RSM test kit. Normally I dose 3 times a day via my apex and a dosing pump. I test every Saturday morning. I am using ESV B-ionic original. Today after testing I added the 6 ml and tested 2 hours later. I adjusted my daily up by 4 ml and will test again tomorrow and again in the middle of the week.

My tank only has frags so if your 125 mixed reef is taking 30, then we are in the same ball park...

 

[rogerwilco357]

I would raise the alk and Ca. po4 at zero are you running ulns type of system with pellets , gfo,carbon alot of stripping are you supplementing with amino's or anything else to feed these corals?

 

[MHG]

I am running pellets and gfo... And yes I am dosing amino acids, vitamins, reefsnow, poster eggs, reefsmoothie , and other items afeter testing like potassium and iodine , but Very small amounts.... Another response mentioned they like dirty water so I guess I will need to try again after I get more than 5 fish...