Montipora not looking too good

[Reefer_Marc]

Hey everyone!

So i have a problem with my two Montipora. One Setosa and one Digitata. Got them at the same time about 1.5 months ago. Also got a stylophora, but that one just bleached 2 weeks ago, morning it looked good and in the afternoon just white. But thats not my issue now.
So the Setosa looks ok, dont see much polyp extension (not sure how much is normal) but on some edges it started turning brown. Also the Digitata. It doesnt really have color, sometimes i can see some of the polyps but not much. Tried a few different placings, its now in high flow high light but nothing changed, and the tips starting to turn brown too.
All other corals seem fine (blasto, acan, duncan, stylo, frogspawn and hammer, a stylo and some softies).
Fish all do well too.

I broadcast feed the corals with coral plankton almost daily, and once or twice a week i use the fauna marin min s. I spot feed the corals from time to time (about once a week).

Parameters are:
Alk between 7.5 and 8 (fluctuates and i dose every few days)
Temp 25C
Salinity 1.025
Calcium 415
Magnesium 1440
Nitrate 6
Phosphates 0.08

Attached is pictures of the coral and an overview shot for the placements.

Any idea what can cause this or what i could do? Not much experience with sps yet, except the big stylo which is half a year in my tank and growing quite nicely.

Thanks everyone!

 

[ReneReef]

The way your toadstool leather is reaching, I think your main problem is lighting.

In your build thread you mention “2 AI lights”.
By the shadowing I would guess two primes or two 2-puck hydras.
Two primes would be way to little for your tank size. Two 2-puck hydras might cut it, if you run all channels at 100% during the mid day peak for 6 hours.

 

[Reefer_Marc]

Thanks for replying!
Its two AIs, sadly im not really sure which ones since they come as „Read Sea MAX 26“ as seen in the pic. They have 2 LED pucks on each light.
They came together with the tank when i bought it newly as a pack.
Attached you see a printscreen of the lights in the myAI app, my schedule plus intensities. I got it as a template from the AI website and adjusted a bit. The intensities as shown are at peak. I checked with a PAR meter few months back and thought it was alright. On the top rocks i get about 250 to 280, while the bottom gets from side to middle about 70 to 150 par.

But i also noticed the shadowing, especially on the bigger stylo and was thinking of checking out maybe a LED bar that runs across the full size of the tank, something like that. Do you think its the lights? And what light bar could you recommend?

 

[ReneReef]

You have two AI hydra 26.

Yes and no, problem is the spread. Currently the output in Watt is just way too little to light your entire tank. But there probably are spots underneath the lights that have enough light.

By the looks of your purple Stylo in the middle, that too is very much under lit. Growth fans out, and it lacks white growth tips. To see a purple Stylo in full glory, aim for a PAR of at least 300.

The hydras have strong spots. So you need to hang them really high to get the spread you need. Then you can turn them up, all blue and white channels at 100% for 6 hours. Yes, seriously.

Adding a LED bar won’t solve your problem. Then you would need to replace your lighting all together. I like the GHL mitras lightbars.

 

[Reefer_Marc]

What height would you recommend to mount the lights above the tank? I used the arms that were included in the tank, currently they sit about 24cm (~10 inches) above the waterline.
And what wattage do you think would suffice? I know i can turn the channels up to reach 90 Watts per light, instead of the current 67 watts each.
And would moving the lights (more to the inside or to the edge) be required? Since more spread, not that it gets too much light in the middle if they overlap or too much get spilled to the left and right of the tank.

If the light is adjusted, do you think that will be enough for the tank or should i look into upgrading/replacing? The lights are 6 years old now, but im not really a fan of the thought of replacing it all

 

[Dburr1014]

You have two AI hydra 26.

Yes and no, problem is the spread. Currently the output in Watt is just way too little to light your entire tank. But there probably are spots underneath the lights that have enough light.

By the looks of your purple Stylo in the middle, that too is very much under lit. Growth fans out, and it lacks white growth tips. To see a purple Stylo in full glory, aim for a PAR of at least 300.

The hydras have strong spots. So you need to hang them really high to get the spread you need. Then you can turn them up, all blue and white channels at 100% for 6 hours. Yes, seriously.

Adding a LED bar won’t solve your problem. Then you would need to replace your lighting all together. I like the GHL mitras lightbars.

I do agree for the most part but, watch the uv channels. At 100% you will burn the lens.
Keep them below 50%.

Also, OP, run activated carbon. The leather will kill the sps if you're not running it at least once in a while. Coral warfare is real.

 

[Reefer_Marc]

I do agree for the most part but, watch the uv channels. At 100% you will burn the lens.
Keep them below 50%.

Also, OP, run activated carbon. The leather will kill the sps if you're not running it at least once in a while. Coral warfare is real.

Thanks for your input! I will check the uv channels to make sure they are not too strong.

Actually hadnt thought of that, definitely will look into it, thanks!

 

[Reefer_Marc]

So i adjusted the levels on my light a bit, i pumped it up (not fully yet, adjusting slowly) and im planning to hang the lights on the weekend and make sure i get a good spread and then pump it up fully over time.
I will also chrck at my lfs for some carbon, because of the leather. I noticed before when it looked unhappy, the nearby corals didnt open as much and some seem irritated that are close to it, but never correlated it, so i will try that as well.

Do you guys think this is the reason that my montis look like that currently? Or might there be another reason they are not really opening and developing brown spots, not being that colorful? The fact that they already survive almost 2 months i guess means the tanks not too bad for them?

Can i still save them or are they too far gone? Especially the digitata

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

So i adjusted the levels on my light a bit, i pumped it up (not fully yet, adjusting slowly) and im planning to hang the lights on the weekend and make sure i get a good spread and then pump it up fully over time.
I will also chrck at my lfs for some carbon, because of the leather. I noticed before when it looked unhappy, the nearby corals didnt open as much and some seem irritated that are close to it, but never correlated it, so i will try that as well.

Do you guys think this is the reason that my montis look like that currently? Or might there be another reason they are not really opening and developing brown spots, not being that colorful? The fact that they already survive almost 2 months i guess means the tanks not too bad for them?

Can i still save them or are they too far gone? Especially the digitata

I think if you are able to rent a par meter from your LFS, it will really help you. Corals turning brown is one of the indications of low light. Corals take months to die from low light, so surviving for 2 months doesn't indicate anything.

 

[Reefer_Marc]

I think if you are able to rent a par meter from your LFS, it will really help you. Corals turning brown is one of the indications of low light. Corals take months to die from low light, so surviving for 2 months doesn't indicate anything.

Then i will try that and focus on the light and see if it helps.
Thanks for your feedback!