Montipora bleaching

[Toby_Kourtney]

I've got 2 montipora capricornis. One is orange and the other is supposed to be green with purple polyp. The green one is a very pale color now and the orange one is bleaching around the edges. I've tried lowering them in the tank for a few months, putting them higher, feeding the fish more, dipping them, running gac pretty much everything I can think of and they still look like crap. They are in a 125 gallon with a 6 bulb sunpower 10 inches AWL (only 4 bulb on because my Lps can't deal with all 6 bulb on) for 8.5 hrs. Parameters are as follows
Calcium: 425 (salifert)
Alk: 10 dkh (salifert)
Mag: 1300 (salifert)
Nitrates: 2 (red sea)
Phosphates: 0.00 (hanna)
Here's some pictures.

 

[crawlerman]

I also had a similar thing happen and it was low salinity. Didn't realize I had dropped my salinity by taking out small amounts for dipping and acclimating. Monti's and millipora were the ones that showed the change. Colored back up and started growing again as soon as I raised salinity.

Also, check underneath them for monti eating nudibranch. They will hide underneath until cover of darkness.

 

[Toby_Kourtney]

My salinity it at 1.026 and I've already dipping and checked for nudibranches. The montis are turning completely whites like something is eating them they are just a lighter color. I was thinking a nutrient deficiency and maybe it is bit I'm not able to get my phosphates to raise above 0.00

 

[Toby_Kourtney]

The montis are not turning completely whites like they are being eaten just lighter colors in certain areas. Spell check changed my words around.

 

[Randy27]

I'd wait for a couple hours after the lights go out, then check out the edge of the bleaching areas with a flashlight. I think you'll see some monti eating nudis. I'm treating a big green monti colony right now for them with dip every 5 days.

 

[DrChop]

I had bought a couple monti frags at Palooza in November and 1, my favorite, the Mystic Sunset bleached real bad and dissolved about 4/5 of the frag. I have since saved it and brought it back to a really nice growing frag. Odd part was that the other frag, a Red Hot Chili Pepper piece had zero issues. Same seller and both in the same tank. I think I introduced the Sunset too high too fast though. I was dipping it in Red Sea Reef Energy A&B every other day prior to feeding the system and that pulled it out. My lfs was doing that to a couple frags one day when I went in and they told me the stuff works miracles, so I tried it...And it does! Might try direct dosing the subject with a baster

 

[DrChop]

Here's the piece as of last night.

 

[Rixar]

I think you are malnourishing your coral, Can add some products with amino acids and food, FUEl of Seachem, Zeovit coral vitalizer, Zeovit aminoacid, etc...

Also try to feed the fish with a little frozen food, in order to raise their levels of phosphate, phosphorus is a vital element for any form of life.

You can try to measure your potassium levels, aquariums with low levels of nutrients and potent skimers can make this mineral deficit.

 

[Toby_Kourtney]

I checked for nudibranches the last 3 nights and no luck. I've upped my feeding up to 2 cubes of frozen food a day a 2 sheets of nori. I guess I'll just wait and see if it gets worse.

 

[crawlerman]

If it's not nudis then I would say low nutrients. I've never used T5's but just throwing it out there since you are only running half of the bulbs. Could they be starving for light?

 

[Toby_Kourtney]

I've got green slimer midway up the tank on the same level as the montipora and it's doing fine. I'll try to lower the light slowly and see if it helps.

 

[organism]

I think you are malnourishing your coral, Can add some products with amino acids and food, FUEl of Seachem, Zeovit coral vitalizer, Zeovit aminoacid, etc...

Also try to feed the fish with a little frozen food, in order to raise their levels of phosphate, phosphorus is a vital element for any form of life.

+1, I had exactly the same monti issue and it turned out to be low nitrates. After I fixed the nitrates my phosphates got too low and the same thing happened. Now I use Pohl's xtra special, feed frozen 3x a day and pellets/flake 1x, everything looked great again about 2 weeks in. I keep nitrates between 5-10 now to be safe, acros love it too.

 

[Toby_Kourtney]

+1, I had exactly the same monti issue and it turned out to be low nitrates. After I fixed the nitrates my phosphates got too low and the same thing happened. Now I use Pohl's xtra special, feed frozen 3x a day and pellets/flake 1x, everything looked great again about 2 weeks in. I keep nitrates between 5-10 now to be safe, acros love it too.

Brilliant!!!!

 

[Ray68]

I just had same thing. I was dosing Red Sea Nopox didn't keep close eye on nitrate and phosphate got too low killed two monti's

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