Help with monties

[D-Nak]

Any time I have a problem, I go back to the basics -- I make sure my tank is at accepted standard parameters. This allows others to not look at potential problems that may occur as a result of deviating from the norm, but focus on other potential issues. For example, raise your temperature to 78 degrees. And don't let your meters/test kits register any phosphate. Turn off your CA reactor. Keep lighting consistent at a 8-12 hour cycle. Doing things like this will allow us to zero in on the real issue. Granted, you may have had success running at low temps and high phosphates for a while with no issues, but the problem with this is that you're so close to the edge of the road, so to speak. One little thing will push you off the road.

Once your tank is at 78 degrees, we can rule out temperature issues. Once your phosphates are at 0, we can rule out that. Keep in mind that a zero reading is never truly zero. I see this happening a lot with tanks with refugiums that contain a lot of macroalgae such as chaeto. The chaeto is absorbing phosphate, and if it's healthy, it should continue to grow. If you have enough to support your tank, then the phosphate reading will always be 0. The assumption here is that there is phosphate present, but chaeto (and coral to some extent) are removing it.

Turning off the CA reactor will help bring down the CA to 400. While most agree that there's no harm in high CA levels, the goal is to maintain parameters of sea water, which -- as mentioned -- will allow us to help figure out what the problem is with the montis. Could it be that there's too much affluent from the reactor? Maybe too much CO2 and it's getting into the tank? Maybe it's causing a low pH? I don't think you mentioned what your pH reading is. Bring down the alk to 7-8 as well.

Finally, I frequently see people experience problems as you mention -- odd ones -- but when asked how frequently water changes are done, the answer is usually "oh, well, I rarely do water changes" as if to imply that water changes wouldn't mitigate the problem because there's a long track record of success with minimal water changes. I think it's great that people can get away with not doing water changes, but the reality is that if one were to do regular water changes -- frequent ones -- they could probably get away without having a skimmer, a CA reactor, the need to add supplements such as mag and trace elements. That really says a lot about the importance of water changes. Maybe there's an element that montis need that's now very low, and only water changes can replenish it.

The agreed upon component to success with all reef tanks is CONSISTENCY. Once you have your parameters at standard levels (and don't rush to do this or chase numbers to get there) and they are consistent for a few weeks, we can then reassess your tank for potential causes of the problems with your montis. Unfortunately, unless you have a pest, there won't be a quick fix to your problem, so we need to think of a long term solution.

[ColtonMeng]

^this this and this.

I've got my phone going off every Friday at 6:00 PM to remind my lazy butt to go do a 10% water change, regardless of issues or not. I'd rather spend a little money every week on salt than spend a ton more on a tank wipeout.

That, and I need to vacuum out this crappy sand bed. I'm in the slow conversion to BB!

[D-Nak]

I forgot to ask... what are your settings on the Radions and how long have you had them? I have mine set to 85% max and it doesn't look bright. However, I've fried SPS in the past when I went to 100%. They bleach, then get covered with algae on the dead spots. It looks very similar to your photos.

[tkeracer619]

You ideally want lower then .03ppm po4. My tanks usually run around ~.013ppm.

I prefer the 736 ULR phosphorus meter for reef tanks but the one you have will work.

[sanababit]

Thanks for your comments, my ph is at 8.03 to 82.7 per my apex, i habe used a calcium reactor for a long time and rarely had any problems, i maybe have figured out why my params are high, because my corals arent using calcium and alk, somehow there growth is slow or has stopped, might PO4 be the culprit, i can always shut it off, but when i turn it back on, wont problem of my corals not consuming bring my alk and cal back up

My lights are radions g2 with a radiant curve for 10 hours maxed out at 85% for 3 hours, and two t5 runned for 5-6 hours, they have been installed for almost a year, the problem started 1-2 months ago

I am in the process of cleaning out my sump completly, removing a lot of detritus in there

Sana