Help with help with Ca, Mg, and Ka

[jordanbevis]

Hello all! I’m a slightly new reef keeper, I’ve been at it for about 9 months anyways, I’m starting to dip my toes in LPS and SPS. I’ve had success with Frogspawn, goniopora, and Duncan’s, and have some new trumpet coral that’s doing well. However, the first monti cap I got was munched on by my Blenny, and was basically skeleton until I took the Blenny out, and now it’s getting its color back!! But I got a small green cap from my lfs a week or so ago, and put it high up in my tank with relatively low flow, and it was practically skeleton within days. I also have a chalice that was one of many things Justin Cook fragged for me, and it wasn’t doing to well at first, but it’s slowly bouncing back from when I put it in!! It just started regaining color 2 days ago. I definetly think that at least part of it will make it! But anyways, is there a reason why some stony coral makes it and not others? (Basically my monti) lol. I’m running Fluval Sea marine spectrum on a 29 standard. I haven’t tested the ca, mg, and alk in a while because I don’t have the proper test kit anymore, but last time I checked everything was within normal range. All my normal params were good too. Thanks in advance!!

 

[jcook54]

So many variables Jordan. Let's see... What kind of lights are you running? The green monti is typically pretty hardy but if you put it right at the top, you may have given it too much light. That's one of the few things I can think of that would bleach it out that quick. Even somewhat "underpowered" lights can put off a lot of PAR when a coral is placed an inch or two under the surface.

Whenever a person asks for help with their tank the standard reply is "What are your parameters" Testing the water is a good habit to get in to in order to troubleshoot. Sometimes asking for parameters without offering any guidance can seem really dismissive but knowing the basics of the water can go a long ways to figuring out a problem. I always test for Calcium, Alkalinity, Nitrates and Phosphates. If you have tests for these, please post them and we can go from there. If not, you can take your water to a LFS and get some idea where they are.

All of that being said, another reason for the decline in the green monti could have been in transport. It's been chilly lately and in my experience, a coral can cool down in transport without being harmed but if it's warmed back up too quick, they get really annoyed. When it's cold outside I like a really fast drip to make sure the temp gets back up. I've set up a nice long acclimation drip and realized the water it was sitting in (Even after 20 minutes) was really quite cold. In this scenario I used a turkey baster to swap enough water to get the temp more equal.

 

[jordanbevis]

I’ll take some water to the lfs tomorrow so I can get a batter idea lights are fluval sea marine spectrum. I’m thinking that It was probably transport. I always put my heated seat on and place the bags when transporting but acclimation was definitely longer than 20 minutes, lol.

 

[jordanbevis]

Ca was 410, I forgot what mg was, and alk was a little low. Fixing it though, the monti is regaining color!


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