Why is my montipora bleaching?

[jupoc911]

Did you add more actinics. If everything has been the same and this is something new I really think feeding the tank more will color up the coral. Remember nothing good happens fast and it may take a few weeks to a few months to show improvement.

 

[snakeblitz33]

If it lives. Lol

 

[siptang]

Snake - If I remember correctly, you don't do many water changes. Do you think it may be some other element missing besides cal, alk, mag? Your water and lights are sounding really good to me so I'm just trying to find out...

 

[snakeblitz33]

I've been doing weekly water changes for the past month since I noticed it wasn't growing. Three weeks ago it started bleaching. Today, one of them is starting to color up again since I have been feeding the tank a lot more food. I use instant ocean sea salt, however, once I am done with that salt mix, I plan on switching to pre-mixed Seachem Reef salt from the fish store.

 

[siptang]

i see, you know something I learned from all my mistake from the past is that 1 mistake only takes a day but recovery takes weeks, even months sometimes. Maybe something was off but you put it back where it's supposed to be but it's taking it's time to recover.
My red monti was too close to one of my acro frag and it was bleaching on that side. Removed it and in 3 weeks all of the colors came back but I sure thought that part was done for...
as long as you see the rims are white, i don't think you have to worry about growth as much.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Not really worried about growth - but I am concerned if the whole thing bleaches out.
I think my main problem was that I was keeping my tank way too clean. With a phos reactor, oversized skimmer, and refugium with chaeto - and not feeding flake food but every other day with a minimal fish bioload has caused it to stress from not enough food in the water to capture to eat.
So, I made up some home made fish food and I am testing to see if it will come back at all.
So far, it's still staying alive.
I think part of the problem is just being such a really freakin' small tank. I never have had a successful reef under 55 gallons.
maybe I should add some sand to the refugium... I could probably put a good 6" of sand in the fuge area...

 

[geoj]

I had ran bio-pellets and it was a good lazy mans way of feeding not very good of a carbon dose for cleaning. The only prob is it costs a lot and as the bio-pellets age they turn to mush. I will likely try it again but for now one thing at a time.

 

[siptang]

I see, let me know how this works seth, I'm very interested in it's recovery. I swear, you learn new things everyday even though you do for a LONG time lol.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Yeah, learn new things and adapt to the situation.
I'm going to run a series of tests on the tank this evening or tomorrow. Just to see where everything stands. I might be switching to a better salt mix sooner than expected.
I'm dumbfounded. I can't figure it out. Water changes, clean water, constant stable temp, stable calcium and alkalinity, plenty of light and water flow. I'm at a loss.
On the other hand, red and purple coralline algae is growing everywhere. Heck, I might try to give it to a friend and see if it can get any better and just turn my tank into a glorified fowlr. .
I'm steadily planning and working on my next tank though! Won't be long now.

 

[geoj]

It takes time to see any change, and if you do give it away try it again with a cheap frag, keep going through it you will figure it out...
It has been a week lets see up-date pic.

 

[wilsonreef]

I've had Monti's do this as well. I just think it's necrossis. Sometimes this happens for no apparent reason. My suggestion to you is to break off all the pieces that have not died out and throw the rest away. It will keep going until the whole thing is gone.
Carl

 

[ibew41]

wow an almost 10 month thread in corals 2 weeks since he posted this site has really slowed down

 

[trevscout]

im having the same issue... I bought a monitpora frag about a week ago and yesterday i noticed its turning white as well as my staghorn coral.. ANd can someone please tell me what this is, it looks like a white devils hand but im not sure..

 

[tthemadd1]

Water parameters? Temp? Any swing in temp between day or night?

 

[trevscout]

i did have my tempertaure go up to 85 from 78 2 days ago

water is salt 1025
nitrates 20
phosphates 0
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
alklinity 10

 

[tahoereefer]

Thanks for the thread. It got me to sign up!

This is happening to me too after a long time of healthy, fairly fast growing Montipora.

I have always had a few hermit crabs...small ones, but when I switched up to a much larger tank, I ordered more hermit crabs. They sent me some HUGE ones..about the size of half of my fist. One night I noticed they were pretty much eating the coral...so I removed them. The Montipora has continued to get worse and I'm wondering now if it could also be a snail or two in there just further exasperating the problem.

Before, if a piece would break off and flip upside down, it would bleach white from lack of light, but when I would flip it over, it would heal fairly quickly. This time, it's like it's slowly rotting away.

I do have brighter and better lighting in my new 125 gallon set up (everything else water wise is in the normal range), but I didn't think Montipora had a problem with bright light. ?? And compared to some lighting, I don't think my light is too bright? Any thoughts on the lighting?

http://www.**************.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21460




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(4) 36" 39W Actinic
(2) 36" 39W 10,000°K
(2) 36" 39W Purple


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