Can't grow monti cap's?

[Wet Sleeve]

my old 90G grew monti caps like no tomorrow, ive recently set up this 180G (total water) 135G display, roughly 5 months old and monti caps just seem to fade away after a few weeks and die, kinda at a loss because i keep fragging pieces off a colony i have in my 20 long that gets a WC every 5 months, never gets tested and has a HOB with no skimmer.. dont know the Nitrate or Phos levels in it, dont want to.. it's an emergency system but my monti caps grows like no tomorrow...kinda frustrating.

135G perimeters

Salinity 1.025
cal 450
KH 9.0 - 9.3
MG 1260-1300 ( system is using allot lately dosing 35ML a day and won't budge)
NO3 10PPM
PO4 0.25
Salt : Red Sea Coral Pro

I've tried multiple positions in the tank, high,low,medium with the same result..i don't understand how they grow in my 20L but not in my 135.

Anybody have any idea's?

[vanbro1]

Flow and lighting

[homer1475]

Nitrates are too high.



I recently experimented with nitrate dosing. Due to a faulty test kit my NO3 got up to 10PPM and both my monti caps lost flesh. Got NO3 back to under 4ppm and their flesh is regrowing.

[RobZilla04]

You mention you don't test the frag system. So how do you know you aren't stressing the coral by moving them from a tank with completely, and I mean completely different parameters?

As mentioned above check nitrates, phosphates and alk at a minimum. Or you can just continue with the insanity (doing the same thing over expecting a different result).

[gargoylenest]

id guess shock from parameter change unless you do acclimatation between the 2 tanks

[alton]

Caps are the weeds of SPS and grow in most conditions. What light are you using in the 135 and the 20 L ? Also did you start with dead rock or live in the 135?

[Djbeasley05]

Originally Posted by homer1475

Nitrates are too high.



I recently experimented with nitrate dosing. Due to a faulty test kit my NO3 got up to 10PPM and both my monti caps lost flesh. Got NO3 back to under 4ppm and their flesh is regrowing.

My nitrates stay between 20-30 ppm and my monti grows like crazy. I think stability of nutrients has a lot more impact than the actual level. Just my experience.


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[homer1475]

Originally Posted by Djbeasley05

My nitrates stay between 20-30 ppm and my monti grows like crazy. I think stability of nutrients has a lot more impact than the actual level. Just my experience.


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I would tend to agree with you. The one monti came from my old tank where nitrates where around 50, still grew fine with great colors. Same monti has been in 0 nitrates for almost a year(slow growth/pale color) before I started to add nitrates.



Once I started to see them bleach/loose flesh, is when I got a different test kit and saw my nitrates were 10. Could have been the rapid change that caused it. Your guess is as good as mine.



I find most corals do well(even SPS) with a small amount of nitrate (<4ppm) and small amounts of phosphate( I keep mine around .031).

[Uncle99]

Monti don't like change at all.
But once going, grow fast.

[Djbeasley05]

Originally Posted by Uncle99

Monti don't like change at all.
But once going, grow fast.

Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick.


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[oldhead]

Originally Posted by Djbeasley05

My nitrates stay between 20-30 ppm and my monti grows like crazy. I think stability of nutrients has a lot more impact than the actual level. Just my experience.


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Originally Posted by Djbeasley05

Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick.


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two different people?

[Djbeasley05]

Originally Posted by oldhead

two different people?

Its an office quote. The tv show “the office”


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[oldhead]

Lol I thought maybe you had a stroke

[FoxFace Fish]

Originally Posted by oldhead

Lol I thought maybe you had a stroke

[Wet Sleeve]

Lighting is 3x 165w Black Boxes...100% blue's 60% whites, flow is Gyre XF250..i have two Hydor pumps on the sides but i should be receiving my Mp40s this week to add with the Gyre.

Near my 90G's life i had nitrates creep up to almost 70PPM and none of my caps were bothered.. grafted, red,pink,green were all showing good colour and growth.

i'm a little stumped why they're so offended by my water.

And i started with dry rock
Carib-Sea live sand.

[Djbeasley05]

Do you use the same saltwater for both tanks?


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[Wet Sleeve]

Originally Posted by Djbeasley05

Do you use the same saltwater for both tanks?

i recently switched to Red Sea on the 135, 20g is still using a old box of Vibrant sea i have.. however this weekend i used like 4g of water left over from my WC on my 135 for the 20g and the monti could not care less about it.
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[alton]

Get yourself a cheap foot candle meter and see how close the light levels are on both tanks? Or borrow a PAR meter if possible. If you started with dry rock it maybe just new tank syndrome? If the light levels are close maybe wait a few months and try again after your tank matures.

[top shelf]

Fwiw I added a red monti just over a month ago to my tank from lfs. When I got it part of it had bleached and now it's colored up nicely and growing well. My po4 is .03 no3 is .2 both tested via salifert. It just shy of halfway up the tank under a maxspect razr 120w w/t5 supplement. It rececieves fairly moderate flow.