Pale colors in Montipora

[WillB]

I’ve been wondering about this for a while. When I bought this monti my tank was not very stable yet. This was maybe 5 months ago. Since then I have been pretty rock solid. It slowly lost color until it settle as this pale red. It was a deeper red originally. It’s still showing good growth and eats as far as I can tell. Anyone have any ideas?
Salinity 1.025
Calc 450
Alk 7.7
Mag 1350
Nitrates rest in the 0-5 range
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
PH 8 last time I checked
Temp has been high at 82-84 lately because San Diego in the summer. Heater never comes on but it wasn’t at this level when the coral originally became pale
Don’t test phosphates but I run some GFO

Dose b ionic 2 part and mag with dosing pump spread out through the day

Lights are reefbreeders V2

Don’t remember the number of gpm but flow is a lot

Tank is 7 months old almost 8

 

[jda]

I would go with lighting first, parameters second and then flow last. Nitrate with some "color" on the test kit in the 0-5 range is perfectly fine. I would not run any GFO unless you can test for phosphate with the Hannah Ultra Low checker - having slightly elevated phosphate is probably better than not having any. Zero P is a problem, 1 or 2 parts per billion is not.

 

[TexasTodd]

Fish? I only see one. What are you running your RB at?

 

[WillB]

I would go with lighting first, parameters second and then flow last. Nitrate with some "color" on the test kit in the 0-5 range is perfectly fine. I would not run any GFO unless you can test for phosphate with the Hannah Ultra Low checker - having slightly elevated phosphate is probably better than not having any. Zero P is a problem, 1 or 2 parts per billion is not.

The phosphate thing is kinda what I’m thinking too. I can’t imagine it’s lighting unless it’s getting too much. And I can see it’s polyps moving well in the flow. Iv been wondering if my tank has too low nutrients for a while so it’s good to hear it from someone else!

 

[WillB]

Fish? I only see one. What are you running your RB at?

3 fish. A six line and 2 clowns. RB are max at 15% white and I want to say 60 or 70% blues but I have to double check. I think I’ll pick up a Hannah phosphate tester

 

[Patrick.S]

I had really pale montis in my tank and the cure for me seemed to be some neglect. I started doing fewer water changes and also added sand to a tank that was bare bottom. I would suspect your tank is a bit too clean

 

[jda]

Photon V2 is not known for getting exceptional color out of SPS. However, you should be able to get good color. I would take the GFO off and get a Hannah Ultra Low Phosphorous checker. Zero phosphate is bad. Having any is fine. It is more about throughput than an absolute number.

 

[WillB]

Thanks guys! I’ll quit the GFO for a while and skip a water change this week. This is a little bit of a bummer because I was kinda proud of how on top of it iv been with this tank compared to those in the past. Too much of a good thing I guess

 

[WillB]

I know that zero phosphate is bad. I always just thought that it was so hard to ever reach zero that I would never actually come close enough to worry about it

 

[WillB]

Photon V2 is not known for getting exceptional color out of SPS. However, you should be able to get good color. I would take the GFO off and get a Hannah Ultra Low Phosphorous checker. Zero phosphate is bad. Having any is fine. It is more about throughput than an absolute number.

Maybe I’ll switch them out after a while. For now they’ll have to be good enough though. I’ll settle for good but this monti is showing poor haha

 

[TexasTodd]

How long have you had the RB? I can tell you my montis do not like much light under it. They'll die under main area and only grow way off to the sides. You don't have many fish, combined with water change and gfo you are likely too low on nutrients. Too low there makes corals more sensitive to light. Can you get a PAR meter from a friend? I don't think they read correctly with LED, but it will give you an idea. I have montis doing well at around 60 PAR reading on RB light. My guess is your light is set a bit too high. BTW, I also have a very healthy Squammy clam on my sandbed where the PAR reading is also about 60 which would not be enough under MH or Flo.

 

[WillB]

How long have you had the RB? I can tell you my montis do not like much light under it. They'll die under main area and only grow way off to the sides. You don't have many fish, combined with water change and gfo you are likely too low on nutrients. Too low there makes corals more sensitive to light. Can you get a PAR meter from a friend? I don't think they read correctly with LED, but it will give you an idea. I have montis doing well at around 60 PAR reading on RB light. My guess is your light is set a bit too high. BTW, I also have a very healthy Squammy clam on my sandbed where the PAR reading is also about 60 which would not be enough under MH or Flo.

I’ve had this RB since I set the tank up in January. I’ve always used RB though without issue. I’ll try increasing nutrients and if that doesn’t work turn down my lights

 

[WillB]

I’ll ask my local Facebook group if anyone has a par meter

 

[ctpeasy]

I had really pale montis in my tank and the cure for me seemed to be some neglect. I started doing fewer water changes and also added sand to a tank that was bare bottom. I would suspect your tank is a bit too clean

This ^