What's wrong with this monitpora?

[stanleo]

I have had it about two weeks. None of the other corals are having problems. I have LPS, SPS and softies. This is the only monitpora I have. Just noticed this today. I think it is spreading. Is it dying? I did not do a dip before putting it in the tank. I have learned that I need to start doing that. I think I saw a monti eating nudabranch on it when I read about them after getting the coral. I took it out and gave it a lite scrub in RO water and a scrub out of water. I put it back in and haven't seen any since but I know that's not saying much. Could this be damage from that? I have been having a bad time of getting it glued down. I can still see the tiny polyps with a magnifying glass. What should I do? These are the last test results from Wednesday after a water change on Tuesday. Parameters are stable.

Temp 78F
Salinity 35 ppt
pH 8.1 API
Alkalinity 9.2 dKH Red Sea
Calcium 480 ppm Red Sea
Magnesium 1520 ppm Red Sea
Phosphate .03 ppm Salifert
Nitrate 2 ppm Salifert

I don't know if you can see it in the pic but the edge of the white part is brown all the way around. It is near an intermittent powerhead and about ten inches from the surface. Lighting is a Red Sea Reef LED 90. Light schedule is ramp up starting at 8am for an hour from 0-100% on white and blue light. Ramp down starts at 6pm from 100%-0.

 

[stanleo]

bump

 

[moz71]

Just a guess but might be too much light too soon. My need to acclimate slowly. Going up to 100 percent for a long time on your schedule. And only 10 inches from surface I am guessing too strong monti’s don’t need high intensity. I have kesssis and only go up to 60 percent and shorter time period and my monti is growing fast and about 12 inches down.

 

[ScottB]

Your parameters are all fine (as you know) so no issue there. Leaves me pondering the same three things you likely are:
a) ReefLED 90s can push some PAR. How deep is the monti and how hi off the water level is the LED? Can you borrow a PAR meter and do you know the lighting the monti was under before?
b) Powerhead flow. Indirectly, montis can take good flow. Directly not so much. I have acres of the stuff and they've learned to grow AROUND the direct flow of my return nozzles and 1 MP40. Along the edges tho, they are brown.
c) Monti Nudi. Keep an eye out. I use Bayer dip, it will knock them off but it is the eggs to worry about.

 

[RichReef]

Are the polyps white?

 

[stanleo]

Just a guess but might be too much light too soon. My need to acclimate slowly. Going up to 100 percent for a long time on your schedule. And only 10 inches from surface I am guessing too strong monti’s don’t need high intensity. I have kesssis and only go up to 60 percent and shorter time period and my monti is growing fast and about 12 inches down.

Your parameters are all fine (as you know) so no issue there. Leaves me pondering the same three things you likely are:
a) ReefLED 90s can push some PAR. How deep is the monti and how hi off the water level is the LED? Can you borrow a PAR meter and do you know the lighting the monti was under before?
b) Powerhead flow. Indirectly, montis can take good flow. Directly not so much. I have acres of the stuff and they've learned to grow AROUND the direct flow of my return nozzles and 1 MP40. Along the edges tho, they are brown.
c) Monti Nudi. Keep an eye out. I use Bayer dip, it will knock them off but it is the eggs to worry about.

Could definitely be the light then. I have the light 7 inches from the top of the water and a glass cover on the tank. Monti is 10 inches below the water line. I will move it lower if I can. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Most likely it's still acclimating to your lights and water parameters. I consider montipora caps as my "canary in a mine". When they pale or don't do well, I know something is off. Just me.

Once they take off, they can take up real estate very quickly. My red started out as a chip and in 4 years has become this:

Keep your water parameters stable long term and they will grow like crazy!

 

[moz71]

Most likely it's still acclimating to your lights and water parameters. I consider montipora caps as my "canary in a mine". When they pale or don't do well, I know something is off. Just me.

Once they take off, they can take up real estate very quickly. My red started out as a chip and in 4 years has become this:

Keep your water parameters stable long term and they will grow like crazy!

Dude!!! That beautiful!! Can’t wait for mine to get that big!! It’s on its way

 

[Flippers4pups]

Dude!!! That beautiful!! Can’t wait for mine to get that big!! It’s on its way

Thank you!

 

[DSC reef]

Another thing I noticed, is your montipora purple by chance? It doesn't seem to be a capricornis and if it continues to whiten I would lower it in the tank as some montipora like encrusting types usually did better IME in lower light.

 

[stanleo]

Another thing I noticed, is your montipora purple by chance? It doesn't seem to be a capricornis and if it continues to whiten I would lower it in the tank as some montipora like encrusting types usually did better IME in lower light.

It is purple, yes.

I think the bleaching if that's what this is got worse since yesterday so I put it lower in the tank. Now it is just 4 inches from the bottom. I thought I read that they need high light but maybe I was wrong. I hope it does better here.

That birdsnest at the top grows really well and always has nice polyp extension and is just 4 inches from the water line.

I posted on Facebook asking if anyone has a PAR meter I could borrow.

I looked last night for the nudibranchs and didn't see any. Again, I know that may not be saying much.

 

[stanleo]

Most likely it's still acclimating to your lights and water parameters. I consider montipora caps as my "canary in a mine". When they pale or don't do well, I know something is off. Just me.

Once they take off, they can take up real estate very quickly. My red started out as a chip and in 4 years has become this:

Keep your water parameters stable long term and they will grow like crazy!

That is absolutely stunning! Can I ask what the coral is to the left of the monti with spindly tentacles?

 

[DSC reef]

It's possible you have montipora undata which typically did better in lower lighting than say capricornis.

 

[ScottB]

Montis do vary in their light preferences. In my experience, the cap versions like more light than many of the encrusting ones.

My orange cap has grown up to the waterline and the PAR there is 700+. While I have some reverse sunset that is shaded out and still growing.

 

[stanleo]

Here is a pic with the blues off.

 

[DMG Reef]

You didn't do it any favors by scrubbing it with RO water. The one time I accidentally got freshwater on an acro, it bleached too. The good news is that it recovered. But it took some time. You should use a good coral dip, not RO imo.

 

[Flippers4pups]

That is absolutely stunning! Can I ask what the coral is to the left of the monti with spindly tentacles?

Thank you! Birds nest that's out of control! Lol

 

[stanleo]

It's possible you have montipora undata which typically did better in lower lighting than say capricornis.

I think the bleaching stopped. It hasn't gotten any bigger for a couple days. So I just cemented it in place though I don't know if it will stay in place, I stink at doing that. Thank you, I think it must have been getting too much light like you all said.

 

[DSC reef]

I think the bleaching stopped. It hasn't gotten any bigger for a couple days. So I just cemented it in place though I don't know if it will stay in place, I stink at doing that. Thank you, I think it must have been getting too much light like you all said.

Your welcome, looking forward to growth pics!

 

[ScottB]

I think the bleaching stopped. It hasn't gotten any bigger for a couple days. So I just cemented it in place though I don't know if it will stay in place, I stink at doing that. Thank you, I think it must have been getting too much light like you all said.

Through some trial/error gluing frags, the easiest way I got to was:
Toothbrush off the rock where ur going to place it.
A gob of glue on back of frag
Stick ball of epoxy to that
Another gob of glue on the other side of the epoxy
Mash it to the rock

Only the biggest turbos can break it loose.