Montipora loosing color

[CoralFanaticDano]

Hi guys this is my first post here. Happy to now be a member of the community and thank you for taking the time to read my post.
I have a 25g Nano mixes reef tank that's 50% sps (mostly still frags) one of my Montipora's is loosing color and looking a little burnt in spots and somewhat pale also getting a little pinkish. Not nearly as vibrant as when I put it in... Its been in my tank for about 6-7 weeks. Mostly all of my other corals are doing well except this one. I have a feeling i'm probably giving it too much flow, but I think it may have been loosing color when I had it in another spot with low flow.
*Its Placed about 1/2 of the way up in my display with high flow (near MP10) close to direct flow but slightly lower than the power head. Lighting is AI Hydra26 HD (mostly running blues except for 3 hours of 12% whites)
*Tank parameters:
CAL 430 - 455 (Hanna checker)
ALK 9.0 - 9.3 (Hanna checker)
MAG 1350 (Red Sea test)
Salinity 1.025
Temp 78
PO4 <10ppb (Hanna ULR checker)
NO3 Undetectable (Red Sea test)
Using Red Sea salt and auto dosing red sea two part. Manuel dosing Acropower and Red Sea Trace colors 1-2 times a week.
I target feed reef roids twice weekly. 20% water changes every two weeks.



Thanks again guys! I'm relatively new to SPS I definitely still have a lot to learn.

 

[Reeferdood]

First off......

I would raise the magnesium to @1440 and bring up your nitrates to @ 10-20 ppm.
I used to have issues with certain montipora until I made those changes.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Welcome to reef2reef!

As @Reeferdood said, you have a your P04 higher than your N03. Running some GFO to bring down your P04 is needed. Bringing up your N03 can be done by feeding a little more, turning off your skimmer during the day and back on at night or dosing KN03 (potassium nitrate).

I just went through this with my montipora capricornis, though I was P04 limited and high on N03. Paled out.

Got my P04 up to 0.02 and it's coloring back up, even showing some growth (white edges)

 

[Saintnovakai]

Welcome to reef2reef!

As @Reeferdood said, you have a your P04 higher than your N03. Running some GFO to bring down your P04 is needed. Bringing up your N03 can be done by feeding a little more, turning off your skimmer during the day and back on at night or dosing KN03 (potassium nitrate).

I just went through this with my montipora capricornis, though I was P04 limited and high on N03. Paled out.

Got my P04 up to 0.02 and it's coloring back up, even showing some growth (white edges)

No3 definitely is the issue. On the reef, No3 is 0 but corals are bombarded by micro food particles that aid them in their feeding. In your tank the only nutrients may show up as nitrate and phosphate but you could simulate the reef by feeding a lot if you want to keep your levels low.

 

[CoralFanaticDano]

Wow guys thanks a lot for the replies. Sounds like you don’t think it’s too much flow, but my nitrates and phosphates are off kilter. That definitely makes sense. As I know that can effect color.

So in general I should have my No3 slightly higher than my Po4?...
Also what would you guys suggest as ideal amounts of No3 and Po4 to maintain for my system if I want semi low levels? (Like what ratio)

Thanks Reeferdood I will try raising my Mag to 1440 as well.

 

[Saintnovakai]

Wow guys thanks a lot for the replies. Sounds like you don’t think it’s too much flow, but my nitrates and phosphates are off kilter. That definitely makes sense. As I know that can effect color.

So in general I should have my No3 slightly higher than my Po4?...
Also what would you guys suggest as ideal amounts of No3 and Po4 to maintain for my system if I want semi low levels? (Like what ratio)

Thanks Reeferdood I will try raising my Mag to 1440 as well.

Well it depends on your setup really. Lighting affects corals absorption rate/growth rate amd some runner nutrients a tad higher to avoid bleaching due to starvation. My suggestion is to look at mike Palettas "Tanks of some masters" article. This will give you a good baseline as no one here can really see and estimate your tanks behaviour. You have to do it. Afterwards you can look at part two of this artivle where he tells what the masters feed in order to support the levels in articel one.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

And its pretty hard to give a monti to much flow. I have one getting absolutely blasted and its growing and colored well.

My tank has undetectable nitrates and about 5ppb phosphate and they do fine. It might just be adjusting to your tank. Though I'd reccomend higher no3 as well.