first timer w sps ?

[dparson]

i was given a "purple monti" from my lfs. the color is all washed out because the people that brought it to him had insufficient lighting and he wanted me to try it and see if i could bring it back. i have never kept any sps and didnt want to waste money on it. so i decided to take it and see if i could do the sps. i put it around 18" below my lights to acclimate it. i run 20-48" t8s overdriven for a total of 1100w. 12 actinic and 8 6500k.all zoomeds bulbs. the coral now has purpled up as far as the polyps go but the rest is still colorless. any suggestions? i dont know what the rest of the corals color should be. i use reef trace and the vitamins. feed reef bugs and phytoplex. the tank is 25" deep. 1.026 sg 80deg 0 amm trite and trates. 480 cal 8.4 approx on ph. i dont have a mag test but lfs said it was good last time tested.Sorry this post is so long but i wanted to give all info up front. ;-)

 

[Stray32]

That's a ton of light, how big is your tank?

 

[dparson]

8' 250g home built

 

[Stray32]

SPS = calcium, strong lighting, and strong flow. I think you have the lighting covered. Keep your calc levels up and place the monti in an area with good flow, and he should perk up in no time.

 

[dparson]

thanks for the quick info. i am checking in on my cell so please excuse any mis-spelled words.

i have a koralia 4 pointed directly at it. too little?much? i also have the returns from the sump i could aim (900 gph) or a couple of seio 2600s. just let me know what kind of combination and i will make it happen cause i really wanna be able to frag it one day and give a healthy piece back to john at the fs as a "thank you" for the gift.

David

 

[Stray32]

Should be fine where you have it.

 

[KingRicky]

I'd like to see a picture of your tank.

 

[beaslbob]

Sounds like you're doing fine.

at least finer then I would.


my .02

 

[Reef Pets]

Sounds like the tank was set up for SPS conditions. Just make sure that your perameters are in check... Calcium, Alk, Mag and of course clean water conditions.

 

[Phatboy]

Id like to see the tank also if thats possible.

 

[dparson]

its nothing much to look at yet. i still havent decided on the way to finish the front of the canopy. but i will post a pic when i get home.

beaslbob nice to hear from you.how are you and the wife?
and before you say it i know that i am about at the point of overstocked! LOL but i think i can add just one more fish right? and oh yea the "grass" died off!

the only stock i have is a few richordea and other mushrooms, colt coral, gsp and now the monti. along with a pair of orange o. clowns, a very large yellow tang, queen conch and misc other snails for clean-up.

 

[dparson]

This pic is from right after I put all 20 bulbs in. I need to take more pics. and yes that tang is below a seio 2600 just to give a reference as to the size of it.

 

[dparson]

Here is a pic of the monti. the color before was solid white. so there have been some changes in the color and now you can see the polyps even though I am sure that they arent out. But just the little change is promising. Any suggestions as to what type of monti this is and what it should and hopefully will look like would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Phatboy]

Sweet tank man. Good luck with the monti.