What's going on with this red monti cap?

[Gribbles]

Been in my tank for about two weeks now
Par is 150
Alk I'm trying to dial in - it is around 9 to 9.5
pH swings from 7.95 to 8.1
Salt 1.026
NO3 40
PO4 .15

No inhabitants that are bothering it as far as I'm aware. I also can't keep my stylo or seriatopora to stay alive - slowly turned brown and died.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Can't say for sure but it looks dead. Nutrients are WAY too high, po4 should be .06 and no3 should be under 10, also PH swings aren't good for tank inhabitants

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I think the light might not be strong enough, 150 par is a bit low for monti cap. Is there is any flow in the tank? They like higher light and higher flow.

 

[JoJosReef]

I aim for 250 par on my red monti cap. It looks like your tank is a bit young, too, and SPS might not be very happy in that environment.

 

[Gribbles]

Can't say for sure but it looks dead. Nutrients are WAY too high, po4 should be .06 and no3 should be under 10, also PH swings aren't good for tank inhabitants

The pH swing is just the natural swing throughout the day. I don't think it's dead, the edges are nice and red still. The main body is just pale.

 

[Gribbles]

I aim for 250 par on my red monti cap. It looks like your tank is a bit young, too, and SPS might not be very happy in that environment.

Tank has been up for about 6 months. I'm slowly raising the par about 5% a week

 

[Gribbles]

I think the light might not be strong enough, 150 par is a bit low for monti cap. Is there is any flow in the tank? They like higher light and higher flow.

Lots of flow. 2 mp40s and a maxspect jump gyre. So much flow the gyre only is at 20% and the mp40s don't go above 50%.

 

[fishyjoes]

I've got a red monti cap at about 100 par (measured with parwise) and it's growing quite quickly so I wouldn't say 150 par is necessarily too low.
Probably depends on the amount of flow and nutrients in combination with the amount of light and/or parameter stability.
Mine is in a somewhat moderate/low flow area and I have low nutrients (trying to raise nutrients generated an algae outbreak that gobbled nitrate and phosphate down to 0/0) - but my other parameters are very stable (alk 9.3, calcium 420, magnesium 1380)

 

[MrGisonni]

Tank looks young. Be patient. 150 par is on the low side, and nitrates and Phosphates are high. Up about 30 ppm of nitrates and to about .2 is ok...... for many coral, but strive for .03 to .1 phosphates and nitrates under 20 ppm in general depending on your inhabitants.

 

[Gribbles]

I've been dosing vinegar the past three weeks to help lower nitrates and feed bacteria, filter feeders etc. I'll keep doing that to get nitrates down. Currently dosing 50ml a day.

I'll also continue to increase the PAR. How fast can I go with that?

What immediate actions should I take to help? I have an AWC changing ~1.5% per day.

 

[MrGisonni]

Keep up with water changes and slowly increase lighting. Maybe a few % weekly.

 

[MrGisonni]

I don't carbon dose myself except for what's provided as sort of a by product of All for Reef, but I believe it's going to have more of an impact on your nitrates than your phosphates. If you're phosphates don't move I might try a little bit of gfo something like rowaphos, but in a very small amount maybe in a filter sock where it'll get good flow. You don't want to drop those phosphates too quickly or too much.