Why are my rainbow montis.... not rainbows?

[KK's Reef]

I have a pico tank that's about 9 months old now. Mostly LPS, a few zoas, and some SPS.

A rainbow monti frag was one of my very first coral. Over a couple of months time, the green and yellow polyps turned orange. I thought maybe that it was a Fruity Pebbles sold as a rainbow. Soooo, I bought another one. Again, in a month, the green polyps turned yellow. Then in another month, it turned from yellow to orange.

The coral itself is healthy, growing, and encrusting. Just wondering why I can't keep the polyps green. I upgraded from a Kessil A80 to a 360X. I have an 8 hour photo period that peaks twice at 70% intensity. Color (white) peaks at 10%. The 360X is 8 inches from the water line, and the montis are three inches below the surface.

My nitrate is less than 5 constantly, and my phosphates are always between 0.05 and .15. Flow is moderate. I dose phyto twice a week, and Red Sea AB+ once a week. Salinity is 0.34 - 0.35 ppm, Alk is 8.5 - 9.5, calcium is 440~ish, mag is 1260~ish.

What am I doing wrong and how can I get the coral to color up (green) again?

 

[jim_fitz]

i think the reason most people buy a rainbow monti is that the growing edge is a different colour
as it grows and as you have found its just not as impressive
i have 2 large pieces in my tanks and its quite plain im afraid

 

[Timfish]

Light intensity and spectrum as well as nutrients can be very specific for some corals to make the flourescing and chromo proteins for the desired colors. You may need to go to the source and match their conditions to regain the colors you want. Keep in mind it may take weeks to months for the colors to change completely so be patient.

 

[LeftyReefer]

Mine seem to keep the green color, with bits of other colors mixed in here and there. The flesh is mostly organge, but my polyps stay mostly green. I've had it for almost a year and half. Fresh growth starts out white, then turns pink, and then finally orange, but all my polyps start out yellow and then turn green and then stay green.

 

[Tim340]

Mine seem to keep the green color, with bits of other colors mixed in here and there. The flesh is mostly organge, but my polyps stay mostly green. I've had it for almost a year and half. Fresh growth starts out white, then turns pink, and then finally orange, but all my polyps start out yellow and then turn green and then stay green.

this is the Sun set monti

 

[LeftyReefer]

Oops. you are correct. Forgot what I had.
That is a sunset, not a rainbow. sorry.

 

[KK's Reef]

My hunch was also lighting and/or nutrients. I'll slowly ramp up the lighting over the next couple of months and see what happens.

Do montis generally like cleaner or dirtier water?

 

[reefsaver]

Sounds like you have everything pretty well dialed in.
Maybe your RODI filter needs some maintenance?
The best way to keep the color of coral you get at say an LFS is to ask them what parameters they keep their display tanks at and try to mimic their water as close as you can get it.
If they use a different salt, I would slowly convert the salt I used so every water change I would replace 15% of the old salt with new salt, almost like changing a dog over from some food you usually buy.
Target feeding corals should show results if you are sticking to a good regiment.
You might have to ramp up WC's at some points but it should stabilize.
Maybe it's a flow issue, I've heard flow is more important than lighting. If you have optimal turbulent flow it will translate to better gas exchange, higher rates of respiration, the zooxanthellae that live in symbiosis with the corals and give it color photosynthesize at higher rates.