How hard are montes to grow?

Jl330 · Oct 31, 2017

My lfs keeps getting Monte frags in but they aren't super cheap so I don't want to waste my money if they'll die. I keep lps and softies now but want some more diversity.

Crabs McJones · Oct 31, 2017

Jl330 said:
My lfs keeps getting Monte frags in but they aren't super cheap so I don't want to waste my money if they'll die. I keep lps and softies now but want some more diversity.

What is your lighting setup? Montipora require pretty intense lighting.

jrwoltman · Oct 31, 2017

They grow well under the right lighting. You would be better off reaching out to local reefers to see who has some to PIF, trade, or sell before spending $ at your LFS. Where I am, people are always giving frags of it away. They are easy to break off and break easily. Good luck.

Jim

HB AL · Oct 31, 2017

jrwoltman said:
They grow well under the right lighting. You would be better off reaching out to local reefers to see who has some to PIF, trade, or sell before spending $ at your LFS. Where I am, people are always giving frags of it away. They are easy to break off and break easily. Good luck.

Jim

Exactly what I was gonna say, they grow like weeds for me, what kind are you looking at that are high $ ?

Seanb1 · Oct 31, 2017

I bought a 3 small pieces last year, red, purple, green/blue.
The red if I broke it all apart would cover a dinner plate easily.
The purple maybe half a plate and the blue green a quarter plate.
Grows fast if you ask me.
Sb reef light for lighting.

Paul B · Oct 31, 2017

They also grow like weeds for me and I have to constantly break them because they grow to close to the glass and I can't clean it. But they are very brittle and even a large hermit crab falling on one will break it. All of mine grew from one tiny 1/2" piece. My lighting is not particularly bright and my nutrients are very high.

Jl330 · Oct 31, 2017

crabs_mcjones said:
What is your lighting setup? Montipora require pretty intense lighting.

I have a 55 gal and I'm running 2 165w black boxes.

I had to turn down my intensity because I was bleaching my frogspawn.

Crabs McJones · Oct 31, 2017

Jl330 said:
I have a 55 gal and I'm running 2 165w black boxes.

I had to turn down my intensity because I was bleaching my frogspawn.

The blackboxes absolutely can grow monti's. They can grow pretty much any coral you put under them.

Jl330 · Oct 31, 2017

crabs_mcjones said:
The blackboxes absolutely can grow monti's. They can grow pretty much any coral you put under them.

That's what I have heard. I might grab the cheap piece and turn it loose to see what happens.

xjiang7 · Oct 31, 2017

They are among the fastest growing and hardest sps corals

HB AL · Oct 31, 2017

Weeds

Jl330 · Oct 31, 2017

Before I grab it, my water isn't always perfect. Tank has been up since August so it's still getting to that stable point. Will that kill it?

Paul B · Oct 31, 2017

My nitrates are 160, does that answer your question!

Jl330 · Oct 31, 2017

Paul B said:
My nitrates are 160, does that answer your question!

Nice. Dude at the store talked me out of it.

There's a big frag of the light blue kind for $20 and a small frag of red for $50. I think the red is too high but I might grab the other one.

tdileo · Oct 31, 2017

If you are successfully keeping soft corals and maybe even LPS (I bought my montis before any LPS) then I would suggest you get them. I love the look of them and they can help you make some money as they grow because they’re fast and can be resold to others or your LFS pretty easily.
As long as you do water changes to keep your alk and Ca at okay levels the montis will survive and grow just fine for you. If they have polyps and white edges they are happy and growing!

Ferrell · Oct 31, 2017

Ok so I’m a newly bitten reefer. I kept fish for many years successfully and finally am at my forever home with new tank build in progress.
So excuse the newb question. I think I’ve read that some montis are encrusting, finger like and spiraling. Do all montis grow in the spiraling shape or just certain species of montis. Which ones grow in the spiral shape? Thank you in advance for your help

Jolly Roger · Oct 31, 2017

The ones that grow out are in a spiral or a cap style is called a montipora capricornis or a cap monti. Its the first Sps I got to actually grow...

Ferrell said:
Ok so I’m a newly bitten reefer. I kept fish for many years successfully and finally am at my forever home with new tank build in progress.
So excuse the newb question. I think I’ve read that some montis are encrusting, finger like and spiraling. Do all montis grow in the spiraling shape or just certain species of montis. Which ones grow in the spiral shape? Thank you in advance for your help