Montipora care issues, but not with other SPS

Reef Craver16 · Feb 24, 2014

Hey guys, I seem to not be able to keep Montipora, I've tried red M. Cap, Sunset Monti, and Reverse Superman. My Sunset lasted longest, encrusted a bit more on the frag plug then bleached out and died over approx. 3 weeks (bleaching). I have other SPS such as acropora, pocillophora, stylo, birdsnest and ponape bords nest, as well as monti spongodes (which grows like crazy). But these encrusting montipora just don't make it. My Phosphates read out undetectable, nitrate generally under 5ppm. dKh approx. 8. calcium is at 480. all other SPS LPS and Softies grow fine. I have them under full spectrum china leds about 30inches off the water even on low power, which other coral thrives. I've tried increasing light, lowering light better flow, but nothing. Any ideas??
BTW never seen Nudis.

Connie · Feb 25, 2014

What's your mag? You need a little phosphate in your water. They may be starving.

RedReefer · Feb 25, 2014

Sounds like your water is too clean. I know that sounds crazy. I also was having trouble keeping color in my montipora. I started feeding more and cut my water changes to 15% a week. I also cut off my GFO & carbon reactor and after 2-3 weeks they colored back up. I had good growth and decent color on my acropora, but I couldn't grow monti's. In my old (higher nutrient) tank montipora would grow like crazy. Hope this helps.

ritter6788 · Feb 25, 2014

Are you dosing anything?

Tylermacdonald15 · Feb 25, 2014

Maybe you have some sort of monti eating flatworm or nudibranchs targeting only the montiporra

revhtree · Feb 25, 2014

I bleach monti's out with my leds easy!

Reef Craver16 · Mar 1, 2014

I have been dosing Kent Liquid Calcium and also their part B alk. I dose their magnesium as well, but I don't have a test kit for it. I usually do 5ml per week, and also water changes 10% every 3 weeks or so..
So possibly having to clean of water, but also the leds.. even though they are on he lowest setting. I tried moving my sunset monti over to my other tank and will see. It has a nice bioload and less intense lighting. Ill just stay away from monti for now. Thanks for the imput guy.

Sdoutreefer · Mar 9, 2014

Reef Craver16 said:
I have been dosing Kent Liquid Calcium and also their part B alk. I dose their magnesium as well, but I don't have a test kit for it. I usually do 5ml per week, and also water changes 10% every 3 weeks or so..
So possibly having to clean of water, but also the leds.. even though they are on he lowest setting. I tried moving my sunset monti over to my other tank and will see. It has a nice bioload and less intense lighting. Ill just stay away from monti for now. Thanks for the imput guy.

I've had montis die on me while other SPS were thriving. I can't figure out why either. Some I bleached on accident by putting them to high in the tank and others bleached out on the sand bed. Maybe someone knows, but are mist encrusting montis low light?

Adrnalnrsh · Apr 14, 2014

Doing any better since you moved them?

gar732 · Apr 14, 2014

My montis seem to be my "canary" corals and they let me know if something is amiss. Stability is the most important thing when it comes to keeping sps and when I've seen things like you are describing an alk swing is usually the culprit. It's not enough to have good levels, you have to maintain them consistently. Also you should be testing for mag.

paintballer768 · Apr 16, 2014

This is a bit of a mystery to me too, except to make it more confusing - my capricornis and superman are taking off but my sunset is not. I know my superman is not a M. Danae but some wild caught monti with the same color scheme. I'm not sure what's up but I might try to cut back on my water change % and let the tank get a little "dirtier." Have you tried this?