Ranbow Montipora turned all green

[Arsenix2001]

I added sps to my tank about 3 months ago, a couple birds nest, monti caps and rainbow monti. I have 3 kessil 160s over a 38 gallon with one in the center spot lighting the Sps area about 4 " above the water. They are about 8" from surface. Running 75% intensity. Ive been trying to get a purple monti digi to color up which is happening slowly. All sps are showing great growth including the rainbow but its all green and blah. See photos for day after placement, today and lighting. Too much light maybe?

 

[minus9]

Water parameters? You could safely turn the lights up 5% and see how everything reacts? I used three 160's on my 22g full of sps, with great results.

 

[BradB]

The polyps change color with age. Really colorful frags grow into plain colonies with colorful edges.

Something happened to your growth rate. Either it sped up, and all the new growth is green and nothing is old enough to be the other color. Or it slowed down, and all the old growth is green and there is no new growth. Hard to tell from a photo, especially because that doesn't look like the most common rainbow, but should be easy to see in person.

 

[Arsenix2001]

The polyps change color with age. Really colorful frags grow into plain colonies with colorful edges.

Something happened to your growth rate. Either it sped up, and all the new growth is green and nothing is old enough to be the other color. Or it slowed down, and all the old growth is green and there is no new growth. Hard to tell from a photo, especially because that doesn't look like the most common rainbow, but should be easy to see in person.

The growth has sped up, its hard to see but it has completely encrusted the frag and is growing on to the live rock, originally it was a square in the center of a large plug. Even the new growth on the edges is green as well.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Maybe the kessil pointed directly at it from the water line is doing it? No led expert. Thoes rainbow monti are finicky concerning color by the way. I wouldn’t change anything over this.

 

[Dilan Patel]

Ive had mine turn all green and then super rainbowish lol. Mine was dependednt on lighting. This is it when it was rainbow color. i was probably hitting it with 450-500 par...The weird thing is I grow it on the bottom of my tank and it has better color than this lol more vibrant. I would cut a piece off and place it somewhere else. I will try an get a pic of my frags

 

[Arsenix2001]

Thats worth a try. What is the best way to and tool to use to cut a frag off of these? Its in a tight spot to get to.

 

[Bob Weigant]

I have mine very low under kessil 360N’s and it seems to love it

 

[Dilan Patel]

i would use bonecutters and cut a chunk of the rock

 

[minus9]

Having used three 160's in the past, I would try to space them a little better and have them 6" to 8" off the water. You can always increase intensity when you raise them. This will even out the spread and intensity, while minimizing hot spots.

 

[Arsenix2001]

Having used three 160's in the past, I would try to space them a little better and have them 6" to 8" off the water. You can always increase intensity when you raise them. This will even out the spread and intensity, while minimizing hot spots.

My problem is the cross brace and my lack of planning when initially doing rockwork. My high rock is dead in the center so I have to angle the middle light to miss it, if I pull back too far, it starts to hit my softies. I fried a blue mushroom before from light spillage that is just recovering . now. Bear in mind this tank is 6 months old and If i get to around a year with no major problems I plan to upgrade to the 90-120 gallon with sump range, so I dont want to go messing with stuff too much. Adding the SPS was an afterthought after having good luck with everything else to see if I could keep them alive. I think I will try fragging it to a lower light spot, I have a few bare areas as an experiment. Other than being all green, all the sps seems to have ok color and great pe. I dont risk damaging the colony if I chop a chunk off the back I cant see too well do I?

 

[minus9]

Didn't realize you had a cross brace, kinda puts a damper on odd number of lights. You should be fine fragging it, but off it's just about the color, then I would leave it alone and give it some time.

 

[Arsenix2001]

Didn't realize you had a cross brace, kinda puts a damper on odd number of lights. You should be fine fragging it, but off it's just about the color, then I would leave it alone and give it some time.

Sound advice. Patience Im learning is key. Will give it some time.