Monti Cap question

Funwithreefer · Mar 22, 2020

So I got this green monti cap about a month or so ago. It’s been growing well and the little polyps were noticeably opening. Over the last couple weeks it’s turned this beige color and I can only see a few little polyps opening up. My other monti cap, to the left, is about the same height in the tank and is doing well. All other softies and LPS are doing really well. Parameters are 8.2 ALK, 475 calcium, 8.2 Ph, .05 phosphates, salinity 1.026 and nitrates between 10-20 ppm.

Lighting is just the original LEDs in the hood of a biocube 32.

Could it just be dying or is it maybe getting too much or too little light?? Thanks for any help!

Brew12 · Mar 22, 2020

Funwithreefer said:
So I got this green monti cap about a month or so ago. It’s been growing well and the little polyps were noticeably opening. Over the last couple weeks it’s turned this beige color and I can only see a few little polyps opening up. My other monti cap, to the left, is about the same height in the tank and is doing well. All other softies and LPS are doing really well. Parameters are 8.2 ALK, 475 calcium, 8.2 Ph, .05 phosphates, salinity 1.026 and nitrates between 10-20 ppm.

Could it just be dying or is it maybe getting too much or too little light?? Thanks for any help!

My first guess would be too low of flow. Lighting could be an issue depending on the color spectrum you run your lights.

Edit: My experience is that lighting impacts the shape more, flow is important for coloration and overall health.

Funwithreefer · Mar 22, 2020

Brew12 said:
My first guess would be too low of flow. Lighting could be an issue depending on the color spectrum you run your lights.

I should have included in OP. It’s a biocube 32 and I’m just running the stock LEDs on the hood.

Brew12 · Mar 22, 2020

Funwithreefer said:
I should have included in OP. It’s a biocube 32 and I’m just running the stock LEDs on the hood.

It could be a lighting issue then. You can try running your channel 1 lights a little longer. Fortunately, coral do tend to adjust to lighting if we let them. It could start to recolor on its own in a few weeks if lighting is the issue.

Flippers4pups · Mar 22, 2020

Could be too much light. I'd drop it to the sand bed for awhile.

Funwithreefer · Mar 22, 2020

Brew12 said:
My first guess would be too low of flow. Lighting could be an issue depending on the color spectrum you run your lights.

Edit: My experience is that lighting impacts the shape more, flow is important for coloration and overall health.

It actually gets a decent amount of flow. Between the pump return and two 660 gph power heads I have a hard time finding a spot with low flow.

Funwithreefer · Mar 22, 2020

Flippers4pups said:
Could be too much light. I'd drop it to the sand bed for awhile.

That was my first thought was too much light. It was green for a while and just seemed to have turned beige. It is growing however which is why im hesitant to move it.

Funwithreefer · Mar 22, 2020

Brew12 said:
It could be a lighting issue then. You can try running your channel 1 lights a little longer. Fortunately, coral do tend to adjust to lighting if we let them. It could start to recolor on its own in a few weeks if lighting is the issue.

With the blue lights on it does still have a greenish hue to it but not nearly like when I got it. Right now I have the channel one lights on from 10 am to 6 pm. Do you think longer than that?