Monti problem?

[big]

My large two year old Orange Monti seems to be bleaching some.
All normally tested prams, trates, calcium ,PH, temp levels, alk. , phosphates,and magnesium, are as usual except trates being a bit higher than normal, about 15 right now. (I gave away a large amount of my Chaeto this week to a local guy that needed it more than I). I think my night feedings of some Corals is the issue here. I do not think there is any long term problems once my remaning Cheato grows some more.
One other issue is that about a week ago I found a few brown Flatworms. I was thinking this may have a relationship?? I removed all that I could find and am no longer seeing any. Lighting and flow have not been changed either in this tank. Only close contacts are with some GSP's on one corner of the Monti. I do not think warfare is an issue, but there are a couple of Leathers in the tank , but not anywhere close by. Close looking at it,shows no aparent critters on the Monti either that the eye can see.
Any ideas on what is my problem? I do remember a short period of time about a year back of some loss of color with this Monti, but that time it improved with upping the lighting time period, with I am again doing with no seeable improvement in the Monti............. Thanks for any helpfully suggestions........Warren

 

[cmaxwell39]

There seems to be a number of potential problems. First off I would try to get the trates down.
Do you run carbon? If not you might want to run some. Leathers fight with chemical warfare that can really affect sps.
Are the green star polyps overgrowing the monti? If so you may want to trim them back. If not I don't think there should be a problem with them.

 

[big]

Thanks, my trates are nomally ziltch......... I have just been feeding the wifes night feeders a bit too much of late............

Yes Carbon is a good idea , I have not run any of late , will do so today. That just slipped my mind, too busy of late to keep up with everthing.
As to the GSP's, I do not think there is any problems there???? They just touch on one small corner. But I do need to watch them for over-growth and spread-over everywher the little Coral weeds grow........I tear them out and clue patches to my back glass, it is almost completly covered with them in some sections.
Thanks again........ Warren

 

[nietzsche]

i dont know, ive had nitrates at 15-20 ppm before with no problems in color coloration or growth
If your alk is below 7 DKH montis usually go down hill.
Ive also head leathers and shrooms in the past in the same tank (28) with no problems and I didnt run carbon either. If you could post pictures or specific parameters that would be a good start to rule some stuff out

 

[big]

Yes I think we all have had a nitrate spike at one time or another. I too do not feel that a temporalely higher level of 15 or so would have an effect or cause the bleaching.I was just stating what the prams where.
It is defiantly not looking good. Here are two shots of it. One a couple months back and the second a current shot...........
I have not had a Coral die or lose one in a very long time, but this guy is worrying me.
I am now running Carbon and will,( if no change for the better shows soon,) do a light reduction for a week to induce a "rest period".......
All normal prams are OK, unless there is an issue that I do not have the equipment to test for. I think the only major test I do not have kits for would be Iodine, but I do do a bi-weekly dose of trace elements, whenever I have fallen beghind on PC.s

 

[nycbob]

wow. it doesnt look good. anything u did prior? like rearranging things in the tank?

 

[big]

No Bob,
You are right, it does not look good. I can't for the life of me come up with a cause...........No changes in the tank..............
If anything , everything else seems to be doing very well. I am about to start looking at possibly a parasitic critter too small to see. I am gone to do some "Googling"..........
Wish me luck, I will keep you all appraised as to any progress.

 

[nietzsche]

you havent let ALK drop low, have you? do you have any other montis besides this one? any other SPS in your tank?

 

[big]

I am upping my Hardness a bit after seeing the Monties decline. It had been between 7 and 8, I am raising it a bit. Lack of attention on my part do to a lost of my wife's Mom family last week. I just have not been keeping up as well as normal.......
The Monties are the only SPS Corals currently in the tank, although there are some "harder to keep" of other types of corals in this tank.
In retrospect, after starting this thread I looked at my diary and saw that I had not run carbon in about 5 weeks..For the last year or two I alway had run it.... Just missed doing it. Too may family issues to deal with in the last few weeks may have lead to a bit of neglect on both carbon and hardness..........Leason learned again.........
I also do have a few too many leathers in the tank that I need to get rid of. They just seem to become like old friends after a while and hate to totally eliminate Leathers after the years of keeping them. But if I am going to add more SPS Corals over time I do know the Leathers need to go... I just had always thought the Monti was just about Dummy proof.
I did start a large run of carbon in the sump a day or two ago and did an addition partial.......Maybe with upping the hardmess a bit and the carbon things will improve...........
Ijust have to wait and see now.
One possitive thing I am seeing is the proper colors at the growth area returning. Hope that is a good sign.

 

[nietzsche]

as long as there isn't algae growing on it and has polyps it should make a slow recovery, good luck!