Monti with bright patches.

ssunthar · Mar 2, 2021

Hi Experts, I am new to hard corals.. got a monti recently.. started seeing some bright patches after a few days, no major changes to its plate colour... hope it is not bleaching.

Here are some pics, Pic 1 - before (lights on when i took the pic). Pic 2 - now (pic taken with no lights).

Here are my water parameters:
KH: 11 - 14
PH: 7.8 - 8.2
Ca: >500
Temp: 26°C
Salinity: 1.026
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0

Appreciate any help and suggestions.

Highgrade · Mar 2, 2021

Overall health looks good. I would say that those spots may be from something either roughing it up like a snail or even from detritus/sand settling on the tissue for too long. How is the flow in that part of the tank?

USMC 4 LIFE · Mar 2, 2021

I would disagree.

Looks pale for a Montipora. This is often times an indication that’s its receiving too much light (par) and/or aquarium nutrients are low in conjunction with too high of an alkalinity value (Alk and nitrate/phosphate have to be balanced.

I would slowly bring down your alkalinity to 8-9, bring down calcium to under 500, and raise your nitrate to around 5. Also check your magnesium and phosphate levels.

Highgrade · Mar 2, 2021

I said overall health meaning its not dead or dying. Nothing about color, which could vary depending on lighting and the camera/filter used.

Agreed the ALK/CA is a bit high and nutrients are low. Usually spots like the ones in questions are related to detritus or sand settling to long on the tissue causing tissue necrosis.

The monti in question looks like a JF Green Eggs and Ham. Increased nutrients or decreased lighting should help with coloration.

ssunthar · Mar 2, 2021

Highgrade said:
Overall health looks good. I would say that those spots may be from something either roughing it up like a snail or even from detritus/sand settling on the tissue for too long. How is the flow in that part of the tank?

Thanks, mine is a 200L AIO tank.. flow should be medium at that part of the tank.

ssunthar · Mar 2, 2021

USMC 4 LIFE said:
I would disagree.

Looks pale for a Montipora. This is often times an indication that’s its receiving too much light (par) and/or aquarium nutrients are low in conjunction with too high of an alkalinity value (Alk and nitrate/phosphate have to be balanced.

I would slowly bring down your alkalinity to 8-9, bring down calcium to under 500, and raise your nitrate to around 5. Also check your magnesium and phosphate levels.

Thanks, and a little worried now. As mentioned I am new to hard corals (not been extremely successful with soft corals either but not killing them as I used to). To add on the water parameters:
Lighting: basic NemoLight (and, I am not measuring par values.. and yes, I should invest on the par calculator). Placed the monti in the middle of the tank where the light and flow are medium (as suggested by LFS).
Phos: 0.5 - 1.0
Mag: not testing (realised my API kit doesn't include mag test)
Any suggestions on how to bring down alkalinity & calcium (been struggling with high cal for a while now).

ssunthar · Mar 2, 2021

Highgrade said:
I said overall health meaning its not dead or dying. Nothing about color, which could vary depending on lighting and the camera/filter used.

Agreed the ALK/CA is a bit high and nutrients are low. Usually spots like the ones in questions are related to detritus or sand settling to long on the tissue causing tissue necrosis.

The monti in question looks like a JF Green Eggs and Ham. Increased nutrients or decreased lighting should help with coloration.

Thanks, will keep an eye on my other inhabitants... do often see the stars and snails near the monti and they sometime even push it a little. Thanks for the ID and suggestions... any recommendation on how to manage ALK/CA will be much appreciated. Hoping to help this guy to be healthy.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 2, 2021

Some possible causes:

Lights too bright
to much or little water flow
Alk high
CA High
Mag High
PH Low
Salinity high
Monti eating nudibranchs which are tiny

Moderate light and water flow
Temp 77-79
salinity 1.025
ph 8.1-8.3
mag 1300
CA 440
Alk 8-9
Nitrate < .04
Phosphate < .04

EuphylliaAddict · Mar 2, 2021

USMC 4 LIFE said:
I would disagree.

Looks pale for a Montipora. This is often times an indication that’s its receiving too much light (par) and/or aquarium nutrients are low in conjunction with too high of an alkalinity value (Alk and nitrate/phosphate have to be balanced.

I would slowly bring down your alkalinity to 8-9, bring down calcium to under 500, and raise your nitrate to around 5. Also check your magnesium and phosphate levels.

Great advice I'm working on exactly these.

ssunthar · Mar 2, 2021

USMC 4 LIFE said:
I would disagree.

Looks pale for a Montipora. This is often times an indication that’s its receiving too much light (par) and/or aquarium nutrients are low in conjunction with too high of an alkalinity value (Alk and nitrate/phosphate have to be balanced.

I would slowly bring down your alkalinity to 8-9, bring down calcium to under 500, and raise your nitrate to around 5. Also check your magnesium and phosphate levels.

One more question... was told to keep nitrate at 0.. any suggestions on how to increase them? At 5 it is not harmful to the other animals right (mine is a mixed reef tank). Thanks again.

EuphylliaAddict · Mar 2, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Some possible causes:

Lights too bright
to much or little water flow
Alk high
CA High
Mag High
PH Low
Salinity high
Monti eating nudibranchs which are tiny

Moderate light and water flow
Temp 77-79
salinity 1.025
ph 8.1-8.3
mag 1300
CA 440
Alk 8-9
Nitrate < .04
Phosphate < .04

Would you call 9.4 dkh too high? I accidentally overdosed and it was up over 20dkh a week or so ago. My parameters are close and I've taken lighting to 6hrs t5, with 8 hours of peak lighting... The acro I added a month ago hasn't died yet and look great, I just have a little high po4 and no3 is low, I'm thinking of turning my fuge offline until nitrate comes up to 10ish-15ish... Any suggestions will help.

ssunthar · Mar 2, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Some possible causes:

Lights too bright
to much or little water flow
Alk high
CA High
Mag High
PH Low
Salinity high
Monti eating nudibranchs which are tiny

Moderate light and water flow
Temp 77-79
salinity 1.025
ph 8.1-8.3
mag 1300
CA 440
Alk 8-9
Nitrate < .04
Phosphate < .04

Wow, thanks for the suggestions, much appreciated.

ssunthar · Mar 3, 2021

EuphylliaAddict said:
Would you call 9.4 dkh too high? I accidentally overdosed and it was up over 20dkh a week or so ago. My parameters are close and I've taken lighting to 6hrs t5, with 8 hours of peak lighting... The acro I added a month ago hasn't died yet and look great, I just have a little high po4 and no3 is low, I'm thinking of turning my fuge offline until nitrate comes up to 10ish-15ish... Any suggestions will help.

So nitrate can go up that high? It is not harmful?

ssunthar · Mar 8, 2021

Hi Experts, was working on the water parameters including wc... but looks like no positive impact on the monti... it is more pale now and seeing lesser polyps opened. Today i also saw brown coloration which looked like algea. Anything I could try to save the monti? Thanks.

ssunthar · Mar 11, 2021

In need of help and advise.... this is the pic from today.

ssunthar · Mar 11, 2021

My water parameters currently (API):
KH: 14
PH: 8 - 8.2
Ca: >500
Temp: 26°C
Salinity: 1.026
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: 2

ssunthar · Apr 3, 2021

Hi everyone, a quick update.. tried all the suggestions and after much fight I lost my monti. Very sad but valuable lesson learnt. Thanks for all your help.