What is on my Monitpora plate? Cyano / Dino?

[Polymate3D]

Hello everyone.

Simple question of what is growing on my montipora plate coral. Its suppose to be a orange colour one. Previously I had major water issues and the polyps was close up, but as you can see in the picture, the polyps are open in this case. Tank only has soft corals otherwise and there all good. Recently done 2 50% water changes within 2 weeks of one another to help reset a lot of water quality concerns.

I don't have calcium or magnesium tests yet, but there on my list

1.026sg (was 1.027, reducing slowly)
8.1 Ph
0<10 Nitrate
0.1 Phosphate

The coral itself is in around 150 PAR which is only a basic light (Fluval EVO). This comprises of just white and blue LED's (Assuming 445nm)

Just looking for a diagnosis of what we think it is so I can start taking steps to resolve them. Thanks in advance

- Paul

 

[Dburr1014]

Yikes, pretty rough shape.
Looks like a basic hair style algae growing. I see some bubbles, maybe some cyano mixed in.
That light might not help and you should be running GAC (granular activated carbon) to help with leather toxins in the water.
Was it ever doing good with that light?

 

[mtraylor]

Looks like bubble and hair algae. What is your alkalinity?

 

[Widdlyscudds]

I agree with bubble and hair algae I would start by gently blowing it off with a turkey baster and going from there. might need a good scrub down

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

It looks like algae on the dead parts of the coral. 150 par is too low for this coral, it needs higher light and higher flow.

 

[Dburr1014]

This ^^^
Definitely blow it off and I think you'll see some cyano come off it in strips.

 

[Polymate3D]

Yikes, pretty rough shape.
Looks like a basic hair style algae growing. I see some bubbles, maybe some cyano mixed in.
That light might not help and you should be running GAC (granular activated carbon) to help with leather toxins in the water.
Was it ever doing good with that light?

Im going to squirt a turkey baster over it and see if anything clears. I haven't run any carbon and never consider it a problem, so thanks for the heads up!. I joined a Fluval EVO group and asked for pictures or peoples setups under stock lights and multiple where growing Montipora & Stylophora. Even at lower depths than mine are.

Thanks for the ideas. I shall start to figure out my next steps!

 

[Polymate3D]

Looks like bubble and hair algae. What is your alkalinity?

Alkalinity was 11.2 when I last tested it on 29th. I haven't dosed anything, so to me seemed a bit high but everything else is happy

 

[Polymate3D]

It looks like algae on the dead parts of the coral. 150 par is too low for this coral, it needs higher light and higher flow.

I shall move it to a higher flow section of the aquarium then. Lighting wise, I have a 3 year old and so a sealed top is most ideal, hence I stuck with it. PAR is around 200 in the top 4 inches so I shall try to make that work.

Looking like SPS is a step to far until I can resolve this. Thanks so much for all your input!

 

[exnisstech]

Looking like SPS is a step to far until I can resolve this. Thanks so much for all your input!

Don't be afraid to try another at some point. Sometimes coral just die and we never really know why. I have never been able to keep torches alive. I've never been able to keep zoas either but I can keep many SPS. I'll typically try a coral twice then add it to my list of things I can't keep if it dies. I have 3 tanks running and some coral do bad in one tank and perk up in another even tho parameters and lighting are very similar and I have no idea why.