Monti bleaching

[Bleigh]

This red Monti has been looking great, then all of a sudden it started losing color. It’s about time for me to replace my light bulb (August 30 is the exact date). Could this be causing it or should I be looking at other causes? My nitrates are a little high, but I’ve been bringing them down with small, regular water changes. I did also start making my own water recently. Could I be doing something wrong there? I’m using the Red Sea mix and keeping water between 1.025 and 1.026.

 

[jda]

Looks dead. Sorry.

Even if you had a 24-30 month old light bulb, it would not cause this. I would look elsewhere.

 

[Mjrenz]

Have you tested your water to ensure the tds is 0 before mixing the salt? Dosing anything? It would also help to know all the parameters

 

[Katrina71]

I'm not liking the Monti pic.

 

[Hemmdog]

Temp swing? Red Sea coral pro or blue bucket ? All parameters ?

 

[AiKkz]

Wouldn’t happen if you switched salts to IO!! Jk
It’s not the old bulb, they only decrease 5-10% after a year of use. Have you changed flow recently? How high are your nitrates?

 

[JoeD_]

HIGHLY doubt it was any of the things you mentioned. The other other thing that would make sense, seeing as you were losing color is perhaps not ENOUGH nutrients in the tank and it slowly starved... OR, too much light.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Make sure your PH is in range. The two times I have had a similar issue it was due to low PH.

 

[Bleigh]

I’ll have to test everything. I’ve been doing 10% water changes every other day and a larger water change on the weekend trying to get the nitrates down. They’re around 25ppm according to the Red Sea test as of this morning. I’m using the coral pro salt. I’ll just put a picture below. So I figured that with the regular changes most things should be about where they should be. And that dosing anything would just make for crazy swings with it being only about 20 gallons of water. But I’ll test everything tonight.

 

[Bleigh]

Ph looks like 8.2, maybe a tad higher. All my test kits are Red Sea.

I do not have a tds meter. I may need to get one. Everyone in the area (Charlotte) said that the city water was good enough to use the ro/di buddy, which I believe is a 3 stage unit. But I suppose there may be contamination. Somewhere on the way to my house.

 

[AiKkz]

I’ll have to test everything. I’ve been doing 10% water changes every other day and a larger water change on the weekend trying to get the nitrates down. They’re around 25ppm according to the Red Sea test as of this morning. I’m using the coral pro salt. I’ll just put a picture below. So I figured that with the regular changes most things should be about where they should be. And that dosing anything would just make for crazy swings with it being only about 20 gallons of water. But I’ll test everything tonight.

How long has the Monti been in your tank?
Have you always used RSCP?
Have to moved ur lights (up or down) or raised intensity? (Dimmable for T5’s)
And check params and see how consistent they are (check for swings)

 

[vetteguy53081]

Seems to me like either temp or salinity swings and the frequaency of water changes may have changed the stable environment they desire/require.
Alk swings and low PH but 9.0 is very acceptable and don't forget calcium as well as good flow. Light could affect them but I don't believe so in this case.

 

[Bleigh]

How long has the Monti been in your tank?
Have you always used RSCP?
Have to moved ur lights (up or down) or raised intensity? (Dimmable for T5’s)
And check params and see how consistent they are (check for swings)

It’s been in my tank for a few months. Perhaps March or April, I’d have to go back and check to be sure.

I was buying the pre-mixed Red Sea from my lfs before I got the ro/di unit. And I have the stock biocube lid. I haven’t moved it. How often do you test to check for swings in a parameter?

 

[Bleigh]

Seems to me like either temp or salinity swings and the frequaency of water changes may have changed the stable environment they desire/require.
Alk swings and low PH but 9.0 is very acceptable and don't forget calcium as well as good flow. Light could affect them but I don't believe so in this case.

I’ve always done at least weekly water changes. My nitrates jumped crazy high about 2 months ago and I’ve been working on getting them down. When I say maybe higher for ph, it’s either 8.2 or 8.3. I’ll start doing the other tests here in a bit and start posting the results.

 

[Bleigh]

Seems to me like either temp or salinity swings and the frequaency of water changes may have changed the stable environment they desire/require.
Alk swings and low PH but 9.0 is very acceptable and don't forget calcium as well as good flow. Light could affect them but I don't believe so in this case.

I will say, I have had some temp swings this summer. With it being such a small volume of water, it doesn't take long for it to start climbing upwards. I think a chiller will def be a purchase I make in the not too distant future.

 

[AiKkz]

It’s been in my tank for a few months. Perhaps March or April, I’d have to go back and check to be sure.

I was buying the pre-mixed Red Sea from my lfs before I got the ro/di unit. And I have the stock biocube lid. I haven’t moved it. How often do you test to check for swings in a parameter?

I check twice a week usually, and 25 nitrate isn’t that high!! Do you use a ATO? If not then I’m sure you’re getting decent salinity swings like vetteguy said!

 

[AiKkz]

Unless your LFS said it was Red Sea to increase price per gallon, when it was really IO.. I wouldn’t put it past them!

 

[Dana Riddle]

Are there other corals in the tank? If so, how are they doing?

 

[Bleigh]

I check twice a week usually, and 25 nitrate isn’t that high!! Do you use a ATO? If not then I’m sure you’re getting decent salinity swings like vetteguy said!

Not yet. The new sump has a built in ato. I don’t have a lot of evaporation with the biocube lid though. I would guess maybe about a 1/4 a cup per day. I should measure one day just to see though.

 

[Chad Sepulvado]

Interesting. All of my high end montis are doing great, but my simple red Monti cap didn’t make it. Can’t explain it.