Why can't I keep Montis alive?

[EMeyer]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone has insight into this one. I seem to have a specific problem keeping Montis alive. Its not general water chemistry; a wide range of other corals including Acros are doing well. Its Montis, always Montis. In all my tanks.

The symptom is always the same. First the tissue between polyps loses color and dies. I'm left with colorful polyps protruding from a bare grey/brown skeleton. They cling to life for a few weeks or months in this condition and eventually die.

I maintain approximately NSW levels, and they are stable within the ranges listed, with little fluctuation.
Salinity 35 ppt (conductivity meter religiously calibrated with a standard prepared with an analytical grade balance)
Alkalinity 6.9-7.5 dkh
Ca 420-450
Mg 1290-1350
NO3 2 ppm
PO4 0 (Seachem - not enough to tell exact number but enough to say its <0.1)

My tanks are lit with black box LEDs, with mostly blue (~75% of PAR from blue, ~25% from white channel). I've tried light levels ranging from 80-200 PAR. My usual schedule is 1 hr at 150 PAR, 6 hours at 200, 1 hour at 150.

I've tried them in a range of flow, from very high Acro type flow to low zoa type flow... my explorations of flow and light conditions have not found any conditions that work.

ICP analysis didnt reveal any surprises in my water....

I've chased theories for a while now (Mg was a favorite for the last couple months) without any success. Monti growers, whats the secret? What conditions do you consider to be most important for success with Montis?

Thanks for any insights.

 

[vetteguy53081]

They require good flow, calcium, moderate lighting and potassium

 

[vpoiu1263]

 

[EMeyer]

They require good flow, calcium, moderate lighting and potassium

Thanks.
Calcium is in the typical range. I forgot to mention, I have also tested K (another favorite theory about Montis). Mine was slightly low at 390, I dosed slowly to 420 and havent seen any benefits.

Do you have any numbers to attach to "moderate lighting"? My best results were at low light (probably 50 PAR) but I know people grow them at higher levels than that...

 

[EMeyer]

Thanks. I have considered this and spent a lot of time searching for nudis. I have never found any. All my montis are currently in a bare bottom frag tank and I've never spotted any nudis.

I dont have any experience with them, but the pictures I've seen show nudis creating bare patches on the corals. That definitely doesnt happen to mine. Mine just slowly lose tissue evenly across the whole colony. It isnt from the base or from the tips or in patches, its the whole frag or colony at once.

I dont know how diagnostic that is. Can MENs create the symptoms I describe, with no patchiness at all?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks.
Calcium is in the typical range. I forgot to mention, I have also tested K (another favorite theory about Montis). Mine was slightly low at 390, I dosed slowly to 420 and havent seen any benefits.

Do you have any numbers to attach to "moderate lighting"? My best results were at low light (probably 50 PAR) but I know people grow them at higher levels than that...

25% white and 75% Blue.

 

[Leadfooted]

They require good flow, calcium, moderate lighting and potassium

Mind sharing more about the importance or desired levels potassium. My Caps and a few low grade montis grow like crazy but I have a few high end like Beach Bum and Kung Pow that haven't budged hardly a bit for months.

EMeyer, what types of monti's have you tried?

 

[EMeyer]

Mind sharing more about the importance or desired levels potassium. My Caps and a few low grade montis grow like crazy but I have a few high end like Beach Bum and Kung Pow that haven't budged hardly a bit for months.

EMeyer, what types of monti's have you tried?

So many. A dozen different encrusting types, 3-4 plating types, and 3-4 branching types. I have a really diverse collection of Monti skeletons with a handful of polyps clinging to life.

 

[Nikita1981]

Have you tested for iodine or had an icp test done which includes iodine? I have had the same problem as you, could keep acro, birdsnest, stylo etc. but monti no way. Died within days/weeks in the tank.

My icp showed nothing special, only too low iodine. Once I bought a bottle and put one drop every other day within 3 weeks the montis that were hanging on a thread stopped deteriorating and within another 3 weeks I had healthy polyp extension. Another month later growing and thriving.

 

[EMeyer]

Thanks for the suggestion. Hobbyist kits show zero iodide so I have recently started dosing at low levels similar to what you suggest.

I appreciate the timeline. I have considered that part of my problem may be that they respond slowly to changes to perhaps I need to wait longer after each adjustment.

Just frustrating when everyone describes them as easy corals

Thanks for the feedback everyone!