What is going on with my Kung Pao Monti?

[josvanmeer]

Hello everyone, I am trying to understand what is going on with my beloved monti frag, is it bleaching?

Here is before adding to the tank high up in the tank on a frag rack and the second picture is putting it for weeks on same level but on the rock its turning like dark grey? What is going on? The only color thats left is the top edges

 

[CJB]

It is hard to diagnose in the picture what I am seeing. Investing in a polarized camera clip on lens will help us with further problems. I had similar issues with my montis and if all your parameters check out it can be a flow and lighting issue. What does you lighting Schedule look like and as well as your flow? How are your parameters? On the colored part are polyps still appearing? It could also be adjusting to the new placement in the tank. A dark grey color could mean it is unhappy. I had a bright orange lepto completely gray out on me and I moved it around the tank until I found it’s sweet spot and it is bright orange again. Do you have any micro bubbles in the tank? Those can irritate montis. More information is always helpful. Beautiful monti by the way I hope we are able to figure this out and restore it to its former glory.

 

[josvanmeer]

It is hard to diagnose in the picture what I am seeing. Investing in a polarized camera clip on lens will help us with further problems. I had similar issues with my montis and if all your parameters check out it can be a flow and lighting issue. What does you lighting Schedule look like and as well as your flow? How are your parameters? On the colored part are polyps still appearing? It could also be adjusting to the new placement in the tank. A dark grey color could mean it is unhappy. I had a bright orange lepto completely gray out on me and I moved it around the tank until I found it’s sweet spot and it is bright orange again. Do you have any micro bubbles in the tank? Those can irritate montis. More information is always helpful. Beautiful monti by the way I hope we are able to figure this out and restore it to its former glory.

Parameters couldnt be better to my liking they are currently:
1.025 SG
2ppm Nitrate
0.10 Phosphate
450 Calc
9 Alk

Might be a flow problem, I think the gyre might be crapping out or needs a thorough cleanint but I have new ones coming. The polyps are still green.

 

[josvanmeer]

Also believe or not that color in the last picture is accurate and was taken with a lens filter.

 

[CJB]

Parameters couldnt be better to my liking they are currently:
1.025 SG
2ppm Nitrate
0.10 Phosphate
450 Calc
9 Alk

Might be a flow problem, I think the gyre might be crapping out or needs a thorough cleanint but I have new ones coming. The polyps are still green.

Phophate is a little on the higher side but is acceptable. I’d say give your gyre a good cleaning. From what I can tell it doesn’t appear to be bleaching. That is a completely white color. Maybe move it back to the frag rack if you can to see if it does better there for now and if it does it is a lighting and flow issue. How is everything else doing?

 

[josvanmeer]

Phophate is a little on the higher side but is acceptable. I’d say give your gyre a good cleaning. From what I can tell it doesn’t appear to be bleaching. That is a completely white color. Maybe move it back to the frag rack if you can to see if it does better there for now and if it does it is a lighting and flow issue.

Im getting two new gyres in today with the hydros waveengine so that might be the solution I am looking for.
Also not pictured, but right next to it on the rockwork are: Purple Millepora, Wolverine Acro, Superman Monti digi and a Blue monti digi and they are all doing great.
Out of all of these you would think this Kung Pao would actually be one of the easiest ones to deal with so I am scratching my head with it

 

[CJB]

Im getting two new gyres in today with the hydros waveengine so that might be the solution I am looking for.
Also not pictured, but right next to it on the rockwork are: Purple Millepora, Wolverine Acro, Superman Monti digi and a Blue monti digi and they are all doing great.
Out of all of these you would think this Kung Pao would actually be one of the easiest ones to deal with so I am scratching my head with it

Yeah montis are supposed to be the easier on of those. It’s more than likely a flow issue. Update us in a couple days when you install the new gryers.

 

[josvanmeer]

I will thank you

 

[CJB]

I will thank you

No problem hope we’re able to figure it out!

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Hello everyone, I am trying to understand what is going on with my beloved monti frag, is it bleaching?

Here is before adding to the tank high up in the tank on a frag rack and the second picture is putting it for weeks on same level but on the rock its turning like dark grey? What is going on? The only color thats left is the top edges

What are you doing for nutrient export? And what are you dosing?

 

[josvanmeer]

What are you doing for nutrient export? And what are you dosing?

Nylon Filtersocks, Aquamaxx Cones Q 1 Skimmer, tons of Seachem Matrix and other biomedia etc. I only dose Reef Energy

 

[josvanmeer]

Also dose zoo and phyto twice a week, the Seachem stuff. Probably not anything potent but its something

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Nylon Filtersocks, Aquamaxx Cones Q 1 Skimmer, tons of Seachem Matrix and other biomedia etc. I only dose Reef Energy

Ditch the matrix

 

[josvanmeer]

Ditch the matrix

Care to explain why?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Care to explain why?

EasySPS food

I thought easy reef sps evo also have three different forms of phytoplankton. Is it still necessary to use easy boost or just easy sps evo?

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

EasySPS food

I thought easy reef sps evo also have three different forms of phytoplankton. Is it still necessary to use easy boost or just easy sps evo?

www.reef2reef.com

Here are those corals now. Btw this my “scrap” tank. Basically zero testing. I test alk maybe once a month.

 

[CJB]

Here are those corals now. Btw this my “scrap” tank. Basically zero testing. I test alk maybe once a month.

Got any scraps to spare?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Got any scraps to spare?

Always. I usually sell my high end stuff but I have a ton of easier sps.

 

[josvanmeer]

EasySPS food

I thought easy reef sps evo also have three different forms of phytoplankton. Is it still necessary to use easy boost or just easy sps evo?

www.reef2reef.com

I dont know if Seachem Matrix is causing issues to be honest my nitrates are always super consistent I test then twice a week and they always show up around 2ppm. Im not even using the high capacity stuff either. I have been using it for months now surely it would have been causing issues earlier.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I dont know if Seachem Matrix is causing issues to be honest my nitrates are always super consistent I test then twice a week and they always show up around 2ppm. Im not even using the high capacity stuff either. I have been using it for months now surely it would have been causing issues earlier.

I disagree. I ran mine for a couple months before the issues started and ended as soon as I removed it. Honestly it’s hard to see what’s even wrong with your monti but “grey” means it’s metabolic process is shutting down (dying). Try taking a pic with your lights set to 6.5-10k if you can