Montipora bleaching or fading

[Rowan Savage]

Hi, this is my first time keeping Montipora and I woke today to see it had faded any ideas as to why? I moved it down in the tank and polyps were still extending.

Alk 8.4
Cal 400
Mag 1250
Nitrates 1-2
Phosphates 0.6

The tank is a 12g running an ai prime.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Phosphates are high and nitrates are low. Unbalance can cause issues. Also what settings are u using on your light? These guys generally like intense light

 

[Rowan Savage]

Thanks My intensity is pretty high and it was at the top of my rock. So maybe it’s the nitrates and phosphates

 

[Rowan Savage]

my ai prime settings are

UV 119%
violets 116%
royal blue 79%
blue 60%
green 4%
deer red 4%
coolwhite 19%

 

[Crabs McJones]

my ai prime settings are

UV 119%
violets 116%
royal blue 79%
blue 60%
green 4%
deer red 4%
coolwhite 19%

Let's ask #reefsquad

 

[HotRocks]

How long have you had the frag?

 

[Rowan Savage]

i've had the frag about a week along with some birdsnest and stylophora frags which seem to be doing fine

 

[Flippers4pups]

How long has your tank been running?

 

[Rowan Savage]

How long has your tank been running?

The tank is about 8 months old

 

[Rowan Savage]

sorry! just realised i mistyped my phosphates are actually 0.06.

 

[reef r madness]

my ai prime settings are

UV 119%
violets 116%
royal blue 79%
blue 60%
green 4%
deer red 4%
coolwhite 19%

 

[reef r madness]

I was using that same setting ...AB + and had the same thing happen to mine..I'm running nanokaren now...

 

[Rowan Savage]

I was using that same setting ...AB + and had the same thing happen to mine..I'm running nanokaren now...

Thanks! hopefully that is the problem i will try that as soon as i get home.

 

[Flippers4pups]

The only thing I can guess is that given it's still acclimating to your lights and water parameters. There would be a possibility of pest, can't see from the pictures. Dipping any coral is highly advisable.

The only other thing is that water parameter swings may be the case with such a small volume of water. If adding top off water (assuming your using RO/DI water, not tap) by hand, there could and would be SG swings, as well as alkalinity....etc.

Montipora are like canaries in a coal mine. When things are off, they can be the first to let you know.

 

[Rowan Savage]

The only thing I can guess is that given it's still acclimating to your lights and water parameters. There would be a possibility of pest, can't see from the pictures. Dipping any coral is highly advisable.

The only other thing is that water parameter swings may be the case with such a small volume of water. If adding top off water (assuming your using RO/DI water, not tap) by hand, there could and would be SG swings, as well as alkalinity....etc.

Montipora are like canaries in a coal mine. When things are off, they can be the first to let you know.

Yeah I don’t have an auto top off but I top off more than once a day so that could be a factor on the pest side I will have a closer look at the coral, thanks