Montipora digitata PE much better after WC

[bitwise]

I have a small ~3 inch brown (with a little purple tinge) montipora digitata that at times will show very little PE. Sure enough, the day after my weekly 25% water change with reef crystals, the coral always looks much better, and the PE is much greater.

My parameters are quite stable.

Has anyone seen anything like this before? I'm wondering if there are some trace elements that the salt mix is adding that my water is limiting out on. Ideally I would have a system that constantly changes over the salt water. This isn't an option for me with a 18g tank in a small apartment.

 

[jayball]

I have a small ~3 inch brown (with a little purple tinge) montipora digitata that at times will show very little PE. Sure enough, the day after my weekly 25% water change with reef crystals, the coral always looks much better, and the PE is much greater.

My parameters are quite stable.

Has anyone seen anything like this before? I'm wondering if there are some trace elements that the salt mix is adding that my water is limiting out on. Ideally I would have a system that constantly changes over the salt water. This isn't an option for me with a 18g tank in a small apartment.

I have a blue hammer and some frogspawn that will let me know if I have been slacking on waterchanges. I would have to assume that it is a trace element issue.

 

[bitwise]

It would be really nice to know what element(s) are the cause.

I'm going to try and determine how many days it takes until I start to see a decline in PE, if the number is < ~7. Otherwise, I'll settle for weekly water changes.

 

[Reef Frog]

My tank likes a water change too. Everything perks up. It could well be due to replenishment of the minor & trace elements. Decreasing disolved orgsnics could play a part as well.

 

[Moser]

More likely nutrient shifts or replenishment of things like Iodine or Potassium.

Mo

 

[toothybugs]

More likely nutrient shifts or replenishment of things like Iodine or Potassium.

Mo

This is exactly why I have a potassium and iodine test kit. I don't dose either of them, but if things start going south, they come out to rule out or confirm suspicions.