Plating Montipora bleaching

don_chuwish · 06/11/2013, 09:31 PM

Hello,

We've grown this wonderfully multi-tiered monti out from a small 2" frag over the past year or so. Even have a frag from it that's been growing well. But over the past week or so they both started developing bleached spots.

Only cause I can think of is a change from 250W MH to a 120W Razor about two months ago. I did a very gradual acclimation over about two weeks and never got it above 90%. Light is about 12" over the water and the Montis are 8" to 12" deep. I've already backed the LED down to 80% max. FTS back in mid April:

The bare spots have been spreading and I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to stop it. Do I need to cut back to healthy flesh? Will flesh regrow in to those areas or keep fading away?

Any advice appreciated!

- D

cloak · 06/12/2013, 02:09 PM

Is your alkalinity kept stable, or has it been bouncing around lately? Sometimes this will cause sps corals to bleach like that. There's a term for this, but I can't remember it right now.

If you haven't already, you might want to post this in the sps forum. GL.

don_chuwish · 06/12/2013, 02:23 PM

Thanks, alk is a challenge. Along with pH. I dose Bi-onic several times a week but it's a manual thing so not as regular as I'd like.
I have acros, digitata, birdsnest and another monti that are all doing fine, so hadn't really worried about parameters to be honest.
Right now:
Temp: 77
Alk: 9
pH: 7.9
ammo: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
Salt: RedSea Coral Pro
sg: 1.025

Maybe I'll try getting this moved to SPS.

Thanks again!

droberts · 06/12/2013, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

Is your alkalinity kept stable, or has it been bouncing around lately? Sometimes this will cause sps corals to bleach like that. There's a term for this, but I can't remember it right now.

If you haven't already, you might want to post this in the sps forum. GL.

I agree when I have an alk swing my sps bleach out and my montis are always the first to show signs of a swing. Also have you had a temp swing I've lost sps due to to high of a temp in the summer

don_chuwish · 06/12/2013, 06:15 PM

Temp has gone up to 80F a few times. On cooler nights the house cools down and the tank will drop to 76.5 before the Apex turns on the heater - then off at 77.5.

Will the bleached spots stop growing and eventually recover & flesh out again?

njdevilsfan · 06/13/2013, 04:38 AM

Look on the bottom side for nudis

don_chuwish · 06/13/2013, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njdevilsfan

Look on the bottom side for nudis

Thanks! I haven't seen anything but hermits (they love to camp out on the Monti's for some reason) and sometimes Asterina stars - top or bottom. Really couldn't say if the Asterinas are doing anything.

- D

eyesinthedrk · 06/13/2013, 07:00 AM

If you're having alk and ph issues then you need to track cal and mag as well. cal alk and mag need to be in line in order to keep all three.

JustinGr · 06/13/2013, 07:13 AM

Mine did this when I switched form MH to AI SOL Blues. It took a hit, I had them at 30%, 40%, now at 50% on the White and 60% on the blues. I made the mistake of starting at 50% for the white. It took out my SPS except for the Monti. It has recovered and it took almost a year to do so, but I have new growth starting again.

I'd back it down and do a gradual increase over a few months.

don_chuwish · 06/13/2013, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyesinthedrk

If you're having alk and ph issues then you need to track cal and mag as well. cal alk and mag need to be in line in order to keep all three.

Yes, the 'Big Three'. My ATO is kalkwasser so Ca is usually taken care of, every time I check Mg it's fine. But I took the advice and just checked:

Mg: 1200
Ca: 340-360 <- lower than I expected!
I'll start adding the Ca half of Bi-onic more often along with the kalk.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustinGr

Mine did this when I switched form MH to AI SOL Blues. It took a hit, I had them at 30%, 40%, now at 50% on the White and 60% on the blues. I made the mistake of starting at 50% for the white. It took out my SPS except for the Monti. It has recovered and it took almost a year to do so, but I have new growth starting again.

I'd back it down and do a gradual increase over a few months.

Thanks, I really do think it has to be light related - the more shaded areas of it look fine. I'm just surprised how long it took to start showing the problem.
I'll just have to back it down and wait it out. All things reefing take time!

- D

06/11/2013, 09:31 PM	#1
don_chuwish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 345	Plating Montipora bleaching Hello, We've grown this wonderfully multi-tiered monti out from a small 2" frag over the past year or so. Even have a frag from it that's been growing well. But over the past week or so they both started developing bleached spots. Only cause I can think of is a change from 250W MH to a 120W Razor about two months ago. I did a very gradual acclimation over about two weeks and never got it above 90%. Light is about 12" over the water and the Montis are 8" to 12" deep. I've already backed the LED down to 80% max. FTS back in mid April: The bare spots have been spreading and I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to stop it. Do I need to cut back to healthy flesh? Will flesh regrow in to those areas or keep fading away? Any advice appreciated! - D

06/13/2013, 04:38 AM	#6
njdevilsfan Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: texas Posts: 658	Look on the bottom side for nudis __________________ SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES - NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS Current Tank Info: 210lps,75anemone,60frag,20

06/13/2013, 07:00 AM	#8
eyesinthedrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 675	If you're having alk and ph issues then you need to track cal and mag as well. cal alk and mag need to be in line in order to keep all three. __________________ Everybody knows you never go full retard. Current Tank Info: SPS dominated, 125 gallon dt with 3 Apollo reef LED pendants, Apex Controler. 100 gal basement sump, 100 gallon basement fuge, euro reef skimmer, reef octopu s cr140 calcium reactor. Phos an reactor.

06/13/2013, 07:13 AM	#9
JustinGr Clown Pimp Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Bloomington, IN Posts: 644	Mine did this when I switched form MH to AI SOL Blues. It took a hit, I had them at 30%, 40%, now at 50% on the White and 60% on the blues. I made the mistake of starting at 50% for the white. It took out my SPS except for the Monti. It has recovered and it took almost a year to do so, but I have new growth starting again. I'd back it down and do a gradual increase over a few months. __________________ Thank You, Justin Grant Current Tank Info: Reef:75 Gallon, 90# LR, SSB, 2x AI SOL Blues Managed by Neptune's Apex, Inland Aquatics Dump Style ATS, 2 Koralia on wave maker, and MP 10 on custom wave.

06/12/2013, 02:09 PM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Is your alkalinity kept stable, or has it been bouncing around lately? Sometimes this will cause sps corals to bleach like that. There's a term for this, but I can't remember it right now. If you haven't already, you might want to post this in the sps forum. GL.

06/12/2013, 02:23 PM	#3
don_chuwish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 345	Thanks, alk is a challenge. Along with pH. I dose Bi-onic several times a week but it's a manual thing so not as regular as I'd like. I have acros, digitata, birdsnest and another monti that are all doing fine, so hadn't really worried about parameters to be honest. Right now: Temp: 77 Alk: 9 pH: 7.9 ammo: 0 nitrite: 0 nitrate: 0 Salt: RedSea Coral Pro sg: 1.025 Maybe I'll try getting this moved to SPS. Thanks again!

06/12/2013, 06:15 PM	#5
don_chuwish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 345	Temp has gone up to 80F a few times. On cooler nights the house cools down and the tank will drop to 76.5 before the Apex turns on the heater - then off at 77.5. Will the bleached spots stop growing and eventually recover & flesh out again?