Montipora Setosa is loosing color

[LittleJack]

Please Help!

My Montipora Setosa is changing the color dramatically in a really short time.
Pictures are taken all in one month. Polyps are almost not visible and some areas are brown.
Parameters are all fine except pH is 7.7 (since I started the tank 2 years ago).
I also reduced lightning a couple weeks ago by increasing the height above the tank to 10" and reducing the intensity of my Radions.

 

[Reef Bass]

IMHO, the setosa responded to the reduction in light by browning, which is a common reaction. Give it more light, either by increasing the intensity, the photoperiod, or by moving it up.

 

[Jay uk]

That isn't only browning its striping, there's some dead bits on it.

Maybe kh or po4.

 

[joekidwell]

What is the coral the coral to the right?

 

[blakers82]

It looks like a Ricordia (mushroom).

 

[blakers82]

What are your parameters looking like? And which test kits?

 

[franklypre]

You are likely going to have a low alk or a high level of nutrients if you test kits are correct. 7.7 PH is an indicator that the params are not OK.

 

[Spirofucci]

It looks like it wasn't that healthy to begin with.

Most of them like a lot of light, so moving it up might have been a better option.

Also, as stated above, I'd check all your params, and go from there.

What intensity did you have your Radions?

 

[LittleJack]

Thanks guys. That's a lot of questions. The coral was healthy for months. No bad spot at all. I will try to answer.
I use Salifert Test Kits for pH and Po and API for the other tests.

Temperature: 79
Salinity: 1.024
KH: 8
NO2: 0
NO3:0
PO: 0
pH: 7.7
Calcium: 450

The 2 Radions are now 9" above the water surface. The intensity max is 75% over 3 hours during the peak sun.

Additional Info: I use Kalkwasser from Seachem with a Kalkreactor from Two Little Fishes, working through the Top Off Water. I add trace elements weekly. Waterchange weekly 20%. I do Vodka Dosing/MB7.
I think it's the light. I changed it too fast. I remember that I changed the intensity from 90% to 75% in one week. But still I'm confused with the pH. I was never able to change pH to a higher standard than 7.8 or 7.9?! How to do that?
I also bought a new more powerful Skimmer...thought this would help with the Gas Exchange and pH...
:headwally:

 

[Reefer1225]

Not sure that lighting would do that. Your parameters are not bad, except PH which would suggest something is up with dKH and CA. Could be bad testing. I personally don't trust API for dKH and CA. Use Salifert for those. Use Hanna for Phosphate. I bet if you recheck your parameters using those test kits, it may lead to your answer. Just not sure if lighting did that....

 

[LittleJack]

Not sure that lighting would do that. Your parameters are not bad, except PH which would suggest something is up with dKH and CA. Could be bad testing. I personally don't trust API for dKH and CA. Use Salifert for those. Use Hanna for Phosphate. I bet if you recheck your parameters using those test kits, it may lead to your answer. Just not sure if lighting did that....

My pH is bad since 2 years...Should I use a ph Buffer? I've got Reef Buffer from Seachem. All corals are fine, except this Montipora. Even my Acropora (same location) is wonderful.

 

[Reefer1225]

Your Kalk doesn't raise your pH? That is weird. I wouldn't add any buffers, may make it worse. If only this coral is infected and everything else looks good, then maybe not water parameters. It definitely looks like tissue is receding. Maybe a bacterial infection of some sort? I am stumped. Maybe others with more experience will chime in. If it gets worse, I would consider fragging healthy parts.

 

[brettinteriors]

Watch alk. Don't make any big changes. Ph tests are inaccurate unless you have a in tank ph probe and will vary by .3 ish throughout the day night cycle. . By the time you took water put it in a vile and tested it would change. I run a reef keeper and graph ph.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[StaghornE]

I've seen low ph in tanks that are in rooms where there is a lot of traffic or small rooms that don't get a lot of fresh air. You would be surprised how buildup of ambient co2 can effect your ph. If you think this may be the case, As an experiment I would run your air line from the skimmer to a window or directly outside to draw in fresh air. This has proven to raise ph in many cases. As for the Setosa it didn't appear to be to healthy from the get go.

 

[Spirofucci]

If all your other sps is doing fine and your params are fine, don't worry so much..... maybe the setosa will come back!

Another way to check to see if low pH is due to retained C02, is to check it in the tank and then put some tank water in a container swish it around in a well ventilated area and wait 30 minutes and recheck. It he pH is higher, it probably means retained C02 and then do what StaghornE says.

 

[LittleJack]

Thank you guys. I will try a couple of things and keep you updated!

 

[LittleJack]

Update! Montipora looks more white...:worried:

 

[Reefer1225]

Sorry to hear that. Looks like its going. I see some algae starting to grow on it. I would consider fragging the good parts and throwing out the infected parts.

 

[LittleJack]

Ok, Here the latest update.

I fragged the Montipora. During this time I dipped the coral for 15 minutes in Coral Rx. I changed the lighting slowly back to 70% to 75% max intensity and placed the frags in the lower area with good flow. Further I bought Pohls Coral Vitalizer for 50 Bucks and started to add 2 drops per day between 10PM and 11PM. I reduced my Vodka dosing to 0.5 mL per day as well.
Today my wife told me that even on the really bad part of the coral she could see the first polyps showing up!!!:dance:
If you check the pictures careful you can see them! This hobby is exciting...
Now I changed even my salt mix to E.S.V. B-Ionic. Wow, this stuff is cool. You can mix your salt water by yourself. Very clean and accurate! I measure by mass/weight. Very fast dissolved and no residues.