Monti STN

bif24701 · Jan 18, 2017

One of my montis has some STN on some tips. My system is fallow, removed all fish for treatment. I've added nitrates but have no reading on my Hana ULR PO4 checker. Most of my SPS are pale and growth has mostly halted. I try to feed often but have some Aiptasia and don't want to end up feeding them also. I have a good population of aiptasia eating nudis going now, they have started to clear it up.

What are some other things that would cause STN from the tips?

ALK, 10
Cal, 425
Mag, 1450
NO3, 5ppm
PO4, 0, zero
Temp, 79
pH, 8.25-8.4
Have great flow
Lights are Kessil AP700s

I know my system works and parameters are rock solid! I have Kalk in my ATO so nothing ever changes. Before I removed my fish things where looking very good. Now my corals look like crap and the only thing changes is my feeding amounts and fish.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 18, 2017

bif24701 said:
What are some other things that would cause STN from the tips?

slow Alk burn?

happyhourhero · Jan 18, 2017

I would let your alk fall down to more like 8-8.5 and see if that helps. I honestly barely cut back my feeding at all when my tank was fallow. Pods exploded and corals stayed happy.

bif24701 · Jan 18, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
slow Alk burn?

Maybe, my ALK did slowly get up to about 11 until it started dropping. I'll decrease my Kalk and allow it to fall for a few weeks.

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 18, 2017

bif24701 said:
One of my montis has some STN on some tips. My system is fallow, removed all fish for treatment. I've added nitrates but have no reading on my Hana ULR PO4 checker. Most of my SPS are pale and growth has mostly halted. I try to feed often but have some Aiptasia and don't want to end up feeding them also. I have a good population of aiptasia eating nudis going now, they have started to clear it up.

What are some other things that would cause STN from the tips?

ALK, 10
Cal, 425
Mag, 1450
NO3, 5ppm
PO4, 0, zero
Temp, 79
pH, 8.25-8.4
Have great flow
Lights are Kessil AP700s

I know my system works and parameters are rock solid! I have Kalk in my ATO so nothing ever changes. Before I removed my fish things where looking very good. Now my corals look like crap and the only thing changes is my feeding amounts and fish.

What does you Kessil lighting profile look like?

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 18, 2017

bif24701 said:
Maybe, my ALK did slowly get up to about 11 until it started dropping. I'll decrease my Kalk and allow it to fall for a few weeks.

My alk runs 9.8-11 and my Montipora are doing okay. I assume you have a Montipora digitata or something similar if you're talking about tips being burnt?

bif24701 · Jan 18, 2017

happyhourhero said:
I would let your alk fall down to more like 8-8.5 and see if that helps. I honestly barely cut back my feeding at all when my tank was fallow. Pods exploded and corals stayed happy.

I'm not afraid of feeding for nutrients sake, just dealing with this aiptasia problem. I'll try to use more coral specific foods like Reef Chilli.

bif24701 · Jan 19, 2017

AllSignsPointToFish said:
My alk runs 9.8-11 and my Montipora are doing okay. I assume you have a Montipora digitata or something similar if you're talking about tips being burnt?

Not a digitata, it had some small humps and pumps. Before I removed my fish ALK was more like 9-9.5, so that could be part or it.

bif24701 · Jan 19, 2017

AllSignsPointToFish said:
What does you Kessil lighting profile look like?

I'll get a screen shot of the schedule and some pictures when I get home this afternoon.

bif24701 · Jan 19, 2017

AllSignsPointToFish said:
What does you Kessil lighting profile look like?

Here is my lighting. I don't make any changes really, just set and forget.

bif24701 · Jan 19, 2017

AllSignsPointToFish said:
My alk runs 9.8-11 and my Montipora are doing okay. I assume you have a Montipora digitata or something similar if you're talking about tips being burnt?

I'm not even certain what it is,

Had been doing very well, tripled in size over the last 3-4 months.

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 19, 2017

bif24701 said:
Here is my lighting. I don't make any changes really, just set and forget.

I was curious if you had too much light, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 19, 2017

bif24701 said:
I'm not even certain what it is,

Had been doing very well, tripled in size over the last 3-4 months.

You may even try increasing your light a bit. Maybe you don't have enough light.

authentic · Jan 19, 2017

Monti eating nudi?

bif24701 · Jan 19, 2017

authentic said:
Monti eating nudi?

No, did have them about 8 months ago. Have not seen any since. I had a good dipping program that got them all dead.

bif24701 · Jan 19, 2017

AllSignsPointToFish said:
You may even try increasing your light a bit. Maybe you don't have enough light.

I don't think so, I've got at least 300+ if not 400 in that area. Verified. I've attempted going higher a few times and only end up bleaching and scorching corals. These AP700s are not 2 360s put together. It's a whole different beast.

Like I said I had great growth/color before removing the fish.

I think I'll work to lower ALK and feed more.

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 19, 2017

bif24701 said:
Like I said I had great growth/color before removing the fish.

What are you doing for phosphate control? I wonder if you need a little phosphate in your water? I always have around ~0.03ppm phosphate in my tank.

bif24701 · Jan 19, 2017

AllSignsPointToFish said:
What are you doing for phosphate control? I wonder if you need a little phosphate in your water? I always have around ~0.03ppm phosphate in my tank.

I think it is a problem actually. When I started adding Nitrate my PO4 dropped like a rock. I pulled my GFO. I still run cheato but removed most of it, also add vinegar to my Kalk.