Montiporas and 1 Acro polyps recede....everything else ok

[mess7777]

I can't seem to figure this one out. It's been about a week now that 2 of my montiporas, a pokerstar and a green digitata have shown no polyp extension. Joining in on the fun is a tri-color acro. All other SPS are fine.

It seemed to coincide with a repair done on my LED lights that included adding a couple of red LEDs. After 2 days and no polyps I moved this part of my lighting setup to another area of the tank but they are still not coming out.

It doesn't appear to be dying, they still have color.

I also had 2 acans which were shrivelled up at the same time. As of the last 2 days they are puffing up and almost back to normal.

I have also had a bit of an alk swing, from 6-9 over a couple days and now back down around 8. I have a better alk kit on order, API is garbage.

Other parameters :
P - .06 (+/- .03 hanna checker)
N - 0
Mg - 1300
SG - 1.025
pH - 8.0
alk - 7
Ca - 380 (waiting on CaCL order so i can bump this up, all out at moment)

My carbon is overdue for a change so I'll do that today. Am I better to wait this thing out, or does anyone have experience on what ****es off montiporas that other acros don't care. My bonsai, hairy acro, birdsnest, stylophora are all doing just fine.

Thanks in advance for any advice someone may have.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Sounds like a bit of a shock with the new red LEDs and the alkalinity swing. Different corals will have different tolerances for these types of events.

Be careful with the red light and introduce it gradually. Intense red light has been shown to bleach coral.

Just wait it out and let the animals adjust. Might want to hold off for a week or two changing the carbon since new carbon will clarify the water, allowing even greater light penetration and intensity (you could shock the corals all over again).

 

[mess7777]

Still nothing coming out at all. My new purple bonsai now also seems disinterested in putting out it's polyps...I can at least see them with that one but fear it's heading the same direction.

I am starting to think my flameback angel is nipping them and maybe that causes them to just stay closed as a protection measure. Unfortunately, now that they are closed up I can't say for sure because it isn't going near them. I never caught the fish in the act of doing this before, but it's starting to be the only thing that makes any sense.

The final issue is that my phosphates seem to be spiking, up to .15 from .09 earlier in the week. i did a GFO change to get this under control. I have no idea where all these phosphates are coming from, maybe the bottom of the flake container has the phosphate filled food? i am at the end of the container and only the real tiny crushed flakes are left.

Hope it isn't that flameback, such a nice fish....I would hate to have to exile it.