Ideas needed for keeping plating Monti

[Loralie]

I currently have a 92 corner bow that is an SPS/Zoo/clam tank. My parameters are well within range

Nitrates 0
amonia 0
ph 8.2
calcium at 400

I run 2 250 halides and 2 VHO actanics.
The zoos, clams and several varieties of SPS that do very well. I also have a neon encrusting monti that thrives, but usually within a couple of weeks of putting monti cap or birdsnest in the tank it bleaches....I can't figure it out. I have tried large frags and small. I have tried several different colors to no avail...HELP!

 

[Tammy3770]

alk, and mg?

 

[yetti]

I have the exact same problem. I don't know about the mg because I need to test, but my Alk always tests high. I think it's something with Instant Ocean because I tested the water the other day before I did a water change and it registered high.

 

[Tammy3770]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6566060#post6566060 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yetti
I have the exact same problem. I don't know about the mg because I need to test, but my Alk always tests high. I think it's something with Instant Ocean because I tested the water the other day before I did a water change and it registered high.

if your alk is testing high what is your ca testing?

 

[yetti]

500......

 

[Tammy3770]

I'm stumped,
test for nutrients and ph and everything else,
and I assume you have plenty of lighting.
but it has to be something.

 

[MiddletonMark]

What's your salinity at, and have you verified it against another measuring device?

How do you acclimate to your lights?
Are they wild or fragged corals?

 

[finneganswake]

So far, every coral that I have that has bleached was able to regain its color when I placed it in an area that received lower light. My personal belief on bleaching is that it is a by-product of the belief that all sps corals need high light and the over-illumination of many tanks--I'm going to guess that less than 10% of the people that have 400W MHs actually need them considering that experts say they are only needed in tanks that are deeper than 36". Over-illumination leads to photo-inhibition, which can be just as bad for the coral as under-illumination.

 

[binski]

Your lighting could be too intense after transport. Are you slowly aclimating the corals to your lighting scheme? Start dim and gradually move up over the course of a few weeks.

binski

 

[yetti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6566130#post6566130 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tammy3770
I'm stumped,
test for nutrients and ph and everything else,
and I assume you have plenty of lighting.
but it has to be something.

PH and everything else is always right on the button.

 

[yetti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6566171#post6566171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MiddletonMark
What's your salinity at, and have you verified it against another measuring device?

How do you acclimate to your lights?
Are they wild or fragged corals?

1.026 and yes, that's multiple equipment. I'm redundant on everything.

I've received all frags that have had problems.

 

[yetti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6566276#post6566276 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by binski
Your lighting could be too intense after transport. Are you slowly aclimating the corals to your lighting scheme? Start dim and gradually move up over the course of a few weeks.

binski

Yeah, this is actually my last test. I don't believe I have rushed things, but it is possible. The next frag I get I'll make sure just to see.

 

[finneganswake]

To the two of you that are having bleaching problems--what is the depth of your tank and how much lighting do you have? It sounds like your water parameters are where they are supposed to be, so I'm going to have to play heretic and suggest that maybe your bleaching sps are getting too much light for their own good. I only use a 150W MH with actinic supplementation on my 50g and the colors are great--IMO, much deeper than that of most tanks of this size that use 250 or 400W MHs.

 

[yetti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6566511#post6566511 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by finneganswake
To the two of you that are having bleaching problems--what is the depth of your tank and how much lighting do you have? It sounds like your water parameters are where they are supposed to be, so I'm going to have to play heretic and suggest that maybe your bleaching sps are getting too much light for their own good. I only use a 150W MH with actinic supplementation on my 50g and the colors are great--IMO, much deeper than that of most tanks of this size that use 250 or 400W MHs.

I have a 30g, 36x12x16 with PC lighting. 130w....

 

[finneganswake]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6566565#post6566565 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yetti
I have a 30g, 36x12x16 with PC lighting. 130w....

That actually might be too little lighting. I have 2x65W pc actinics on my tank and they really don't put out a whole lot of light--they're used purely as supplementation. How high in the tank are the frags that have bleached?

 

[Loralie]

All the pieces I have lost are frags from fellow reefers. Most of the frags have come from lighting equal to mine. I have 3 maxi 1200's in th etank for flow as well as a 30 gallon sump. I will try a longer acclimation and start in a protected area to see if that might be it. As I stated though all the others do very well. I have several Milli's, encrusting monti, calli tort, miami orchid, a.nana, a couple of staghorns...ect

 

[donfishy76]

I have had monti's bleach in the past, mostly due to (in my calculations) heat problems. I left them in the tank and after a few months, colors came back with no trouble.
Now, some Monti's can smother themselves with excess slime, so be sure to have a current going in there, at least somewhat.

Maybe check for monti-eating nudibranchs, ...

 

[yetti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6566760#post6566760 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by finneganswake
That actually might be too little lighting. I have 2x65W pc actinics on my tank and they really don't put out a whole lot of light--they're used purely as supplementation. How high in the tank are the frags that have bleached?

Top 1/3 of the tank....

 

[finneganswake]

Hmm... I'm a little stumped, but that's mostly because all of my bleaching events were taken care of by lower lighting, but that doesn't seem to be the case with yours.

 

[MiddletonMark]

Do you have a numerical value on the Alk ... or just `high'?

If Ca is 500, seems odd that Alk would be elevated [unless SG is elevated]. Just my take, though.