Monti's Dying

[MechEng99]

So, while I was out of town this weekend, a couple of my Monti's started to go downhill. Thankfully, my fiance was home, and was able to let me know.

My M. Confusa (spongodes...whatever) is completely white, but still has polyp extension. It has receded along the base fairly far. My M. Peltiformis has lost the majority of color, but still has polyp extension. It too has receded along the base. My Sunset Monti has lost some color in one area.

Specs:

Salinity: 1.027 refractometer
Amm: 0 API
Nitrite: 0 API
Nitrate: 0 API
Phos: 0.03 Salifert ===> explained later
pH: 8.4 API ===> explained later
Calcium: 350 Red Sea ===> explained later
Alk: 9.2 dkh Salifert
Mag: 1350 Salifert

When my fiance called me, I told him to stop dosing because I thought maybe the pH had risen too high. My test kit isn't the best for it...and it's reading 8.4. This is one possibility. So, that's also why the calcium is a bit low. I'll bring it slowly back up.

Then, I had the thought that I had recently changed my phosphate media. I also changed brands. I used the recommended dosage. But, I figured that since I had recently done it...and the monti's were recently going, that they could be related. So, he unplugged the phosphate reactor. Now I'm having a small outbreak of algae.

There are no pests noticeable (already checked for nudis). Additionally, all other corals look great (acroporas, other montis, etc).

Any ideas??? I don't know if my actions have made a difference yet, but figured I would ask. We have performed several water changes as well.

Tank Specs:

40g SPS dominant
20g sump/fuge with chaeto and caulerpa
Tunze 9002 skimmer
Phosphate Reactor
2 x 150W 10k MH + 1 x 130W dual actinic PC
Koralia 3 + 2 modded MaxiJet 1200's + 1 other powerhead
Carbon 4 days/month
Remote DSB
1 x 70W 14k MH over sump

Thanks in advance. If pictures are needed, let me know. All help is appreciated!!!

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

corals all in the same general area? under the same light?
i would check the lights...possibly be a UV burn...

 

[MechEng99]

They're not in the same area, not under the same light. The bulbs also have protective glass over them as well. Additionally, even the shaded areas of the corals are bleached (leading me to think it's a water issue.)

The only thing I've noticed about the corals in common is that they're all yellowish Monti's (varying shades, of course.) I have a yellow acropora, and it's fine.

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

if they are all monties, could it be you have a monti eating nudibranch?

 

[MechEng99]

I've already checked (and I've had them before, so I know what to look for.)

Plus, I've got about 15 other Monti's in the tank, that are all right beside the affected corals, with no problems.

:-/ I'm stumped.

 

[MechEng99]

Ok, I'm bumping this back up with pictures. Both corals pictured are still extending polyps, but have lost almost all zooxanthelle.

The first picture is of my Monti "confusa, spongodes, whatever" before:

Now (minus a piece I chopped off to look at):

Underside: (Notice the hole)

Topside: (the brown spot is the top side of the hole)

M. Peltiformis before:

M. Peltiformis now:

All other corals seem wonderfully fine and happy. The hole on the "confusa" really makes me wonder...looks like a type of burn. (Shields are intact on MH's). But, the bleaching is entirely covering the coral. Please help!

 

[MechEng99]

P.S. Sorry about the picture size. Oops.

 

[coraldiva]

Damn, that sucks. Those were nice looking corals. I had a problem a little while ago where my montis expelled their zoanthelle. All my parameters were fine. I never figured out why, but all their color has come back since then.

 

[madadi]

same thing happened to me. it looks EXACTLY like yours. it happened to all my montis and caps. someone suggested to me that i add potassium. i went to ihearb.com and bought potassium chloride. its not made for the fish tank but it works. you can buy any kind of potassium supplement thats made for the tank if you feel more comfortable. i had to add a lot though so it was cheaper to add the ihearb potassium chloride. after about a week or so, the montis and caps got their color back. the only one that is still white now is the green confusa just like yours. its right under 400w MH bulbs so that might be the problem. i would try to raise your potassium to sea level and see if that works for you.

what kind of salt are you using? not all are low in potassium.

 

[SuperNerd]

^^ I was just about to ask about K+ too.

 

[SuperNerd]

madadi:

What test did you use for potassium?

 

[snorvich]

Testing for K is a pain. Have you recently changed salt? I use RBS which has adequate K but am currently unable to test for it. The only other thing i can think of is an ALK swing but then you would see other symptoms. I know that K is important though (s.b. 380)

 

[MechEng99]

Huh...never thought of that! I was using a mix of several different salts (IO, Reef Crystals, and Red Sea Coral Pro...I figured a mix would give me everything I needed.) Someone on here suggested that I not do that, so I switched to just IO since it was on sale. Is IO known for being low?

Well, I'll try it. Nothing else makes sense to me. At least I have a long weekend so I can figure this thing out! I'll keep you posted.

Anyone else want to back up their theories or disprove them?

 

[madadi]

i didn't test for K even though I'm a big fan of "if i don't test for it i wont dose it"

someone on here was using the same salt like mine and had about the same water volume as i do. i use RC salt. he dosed about 1 bottle and a half of potassium chloride till he reached normal level of 380ppm i believe. he also mentioned that he noticed a significant improvement in the color of montis as he was getting closer to his target PPM. you should watch for that. he did test with a K test created by fauna marine, or was it zeovit? i know one of them makes it.

anyway, this is the potassium chloride i got. dosed about a bottle and a half at a tsp per day in a 150gal total system volume. hope the link works

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=777

 

[madadi]

also i want to add that the potassium kits available to the hobby are not very reliable. i just added it blindly, so use it at your own risk. i did get good results but its not something ill want to dose periodically since i don't test. tropic marine pro salt i think has a good level of K. you might want to look into that if your worried about K level. like mentioned before, most reefers don't worry about potassium it just seems to be something that is more popular in pro biotic systems like zeovit and ultralith.

montis seem to respond more to K in my experience, maybe having 15 different montis in a 40gal breeder that MIGHT need potassium more then other corals has something to do with the color loss.

 

[yeldarbj]

I'm having similar problems too but with my digitatas and confusa, but not to the extreme of your pictures yet. I'm afraid that is their next step. I have a german blue polyp digi, a purple digi and a green digi that I have had for a long time and they have always looked great and grown extremely fast. Just this week, they are not extending their polyps at all, but still have their color. Now my monti confusa is starting to do the same. I also have 4 monti caps that all look perfect. I've never had monti eating nudis, and would be very surprised if I had them now. What's the best way to find them? At night?

Nothing in the tank has changed with the exception of adding a flame angel that I bought from someone who was breaking down his tank. He had had it for almost a year and it never picked on any corals of his, and I have not seen it pick on any corals in my tank either. All my other sps look fine.

Any other ideas?

 

[MechEng99]

Best way to find Nudi's is to look at the base. If you have them, you'll find a very sharp jagged line of where they are eating. I have a thread on them somewhere on here. They're horrible & I hope you don't have them. Flame angel might be picking; you just don't notice it.

Well, I went around looking for potassium chloride...nothing local. I'll have to order it. Until I can get some here, I'm going to do several massive water changes over the weekend. I'm making water right now. I don't know if I can save these two corals, but I'm going to try.

I found some interesting articles on the Zeo forums. Their description of a low potassium tank is exactly like what my tank is.

Thanks everyone that has helped thus far. I'll keep ya posted.

 

[yeldarbj]

I'm going to look closely tonight for any nudis. I really don't think I have them. So far, I don't see any tissue damage on any of the digis or confusa, just no polyps. I also have a melanurus wrasse that I think would devour them at any opportunity.

Did you happen to save any links on the articles on the Zeo forums? I might have to look into the low potassium possibility.

 

[bureau13]

Is Reef Crystals salt known to be low in K? Is it lower than IO (that would surprise me, as I thought RC was basically IO+calcium). My montis have been doing poorly for a while, and a while back I changed from IO to RC....hmmm. And, I know another guy in a similar situation who also made that change. Double hmmmm.

 

[yeldarbj]

I've always used RC and my digis have always done great until the last week. That's why I'm so perplexed. I haven't changed anything chemically...same kalk, same 2 part dosing, same water parameters.