My corals are bleaching too!

[Eastamherstbias]

Montis (orange/pink, rainbow, blue/orange digitata) are losing their color, Maxis/Zoos/acros are fine . Here are the stats. Mangrove does appear to be flourishing.

1.025
alk 10.2
calc 400
PH 8.4
NITRITE NEAR 0
AMMONIA NEAR 0
NITRATE NEAR 0
I am at month 6 with my mh bulbs
RO/DI is 0-1ppm

Two Changes over the last couple weeks. I used a different kind of salt (a fellow reefer who moved out of the area gifted it to me)

I usually use instant ocean and am out of the other kind.

The second change is that I made my own blend of food for the fish. I bought a whole bunch of frozen fish food and put it in a blender and froze it. (it seemed like a good idea). I will go back to mysis and flakes.

 

[pascal32]

have you added any corals in the last month or two? There are some nudi's that like to munch on monti's. memory serving correct they are mostly out at night and like to hide under to montis. try a CoralRx Dip or flash night at night (or possibly both!)

Do you happen to have a log with KH values? the change in salt might have caused a swing in KH.

other than that the usual digital phosphate test and calibrate your refractometer (i'm a broken record on those two )

 

[Eastamherstbias]

No new corals for a few months. I dip everything. The issue is in both the frag tank and the main tank. All connected. I have been letting it all grow out. I have two units to check salinity but they match. I do need to start a log so I don't know but I try to keep it all stable.

 

[pascal32]

I would still check for nudis - I've had stuff make it through dips before.

You run carbon?

 

[Eastamherstbias]

I just check no bugs. Yep, I change the carbon every two weeks. Gfo every month.

 

[Conesus_Kid]

I would guess alkalinity swing as well. In my experience, montipora are the "canary in the coal mine" when it comes to alk fluctuations.

 

[cardiffgiant]

I think that blurry might be onto something with the Kh change with the salt mix. Oddly, I've not had much luck maintaining Kh over 8, but lots of successful reef keepers keep it at 10. What's your magnesium level?

FWIW, I go about 6-8 weeks on ROX 08 carbon.

 

[cardiffgiant]

I would guess alkalinity swing as well. In my experience, montipora are the "canary in the coal mine" when it comes to alk fluctuations.

Agreed. Though, they can recover nicely. I had a large piece (several square inches) of tyree sunset monti that appeared to completely die. It was white and the skeleton began to break away from the rock over the course of 6 months. Over the past two weeks, there are small sections that have come back.

 

[boosted chemist]

Doesn't instant ocean suck ? ( more of a fowlr salt ? ) maybe upgrading salt added trace elements and"shocked the system"

 

[Conesus_Kid]

Doesn't instant ocean suck ? ( more of a fowlr salt ? ) maybe upgrading salt added trace elements and"shocked the system"

Gary M. is an Instant Ocean user and I'd say he's had a little success in this hobby.


The trick is to test your mixed saltwater BEFORE doing a water change and tweak your levels with inexpensive BRS supplements.

I've been using IO for over a year now and have been pleased with its consistency and price.

 

[boosted chemist]

but im also sure gary knows what EXACTLY to add to his mix to make it proper, on the other hand austin just changed salts, so if he didn't add any trace elements before, this MAY of shocked the system.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Yes, I think the salt mix screwed me up. I always use Instant Ocean. I just got free salt so I used it for two changes. Everything else is pretty stable. Hopefully, I will get everything back on track.