Montis and LED's....

[darren24]

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. I set up a 34G Solana with an AI SOL Blue. It has been up and running for a few months now and all of my corals are doing well except for my Montis. I have a Sunset that was very healthy and it has lost its color. I also have a nice Rainbow Monti frag and it has turned brown. I had them mid-tank in medium flow. I have moved them to the sand to hopefully save them. Other corals in the tank doing fine are: Ice / Fire Ench, Setosa, Red Planet, assorted Zoas, chalices, and acans. Any clue? Parameters below.

Temp: 77-79
Alk: 10.5 DKH
Calcium: 410
SG: 1.025
Mag: 1300
Nitrates: Barely Reading
Salt: Reef Crystals

I also do weekly 5G water changes...

 

[jumplittlechloe]

I had some similar issues with my encrusting monti and monti caps turning brown or very dark (have 34g solana with ai sol blue). It was not until I replaced my 40* optics with 70* and started to increase my lighting that my montis started to show good color (have sunset, undata, laker, and several caps). I currently run my light 5" off the water line with peak intensity of 90 95 95 for 5hrs. I did have trouble with millies or red planet growth and color though.

 

[darren24]

OK so you had success with giving them more light. I will give it a try.

 

[jumplittlechloe]

Be careful with the stock light. Those 40* optics are no joke and will toast anything in their path! Go slow as in increase 2-5% weekly/every other week. I switched the optics out as my corals in the center could not handle the intensity where the corals on the sides of the tank were begging for more light. 70* optics allowed me to go higher in intensity, just had to drop the height of the light to 5" above the water line to regain the par I lost from removing the 40* optics.

 

[mvm]

Phosphates?
I had the opposite. Monti's looked great. Acros, not so much.

 

[redstang]

Yeah. My monti cap has grown like crazy with the LED's.


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[budsreef]

What are you running the Leds at? I have struggled with trying to get the right levels to keep everyone happy. My montis initially all started bleaching which is an indication of too much light so I started over, turned them way down, and everything started turing brown which usually indicates not enough light. I have slowly increased the levels and am just now starting to get some color back in the montis at max of White 30%, Blue 60% and Royal Blue at 60%. I swapped all the 40 degree optics with the 70 degree.

 

[darren24]

I just ordered the 70's. I start out the day and end up the night "blue" but from 12N-5p I run white at 80 Blue at 90 and R Blue at 90.

 

[merkywater]

Darren I have had nothing but success with the LEDs I got from Rob, I'm sure you've been over there and seen them. My Montis and Acros have all done well. I've been running them now for 3 months. I never had any luck with encrusting montis before but now they have not only grown they have excellent color. I know they aren't the Sols but just wanted you to know that I've seen results with LEDs.

 

[seth the wine guy]

Under AI SOL Blues my Sunset and Undata both grow very well (Now with more light) and have good/ok color. (Bad polyp extension but that's the story of my whole tank) They are begging for more light and they're getting 100% power with 40 degree optics. (I ditched the 70's. Lost all growth with them) My lights are 9" off the water and montis are located middle and high in the tank.
Trying the 70 degrees was a terrible move for my tank. ALL growth stopped.

 

[redstang]

Budsreef;738795 wrote: What are you running the Leds at? I have struggled with trying to get the right levels to keep everyone happy. My montis initially all started bleaching which is an indication of too much light so I started over, turned them way down, and everything started turing brown which usually indicates not enough light. I have slowly increased the levels and am just now starting to get some color back in the montis at max of White 30%, Blue 60% and Royal Blue at 60%. I swapped all the 40 degree optics with the 70 degree.

Were you asking me? I have 20 LED's over a 29gal biocube. I have 8CW and 12RB. Neither go over 75% and I generally don't push them past 50%. No optics needed on mine.

 

[cr500_af]

Darren, since switching to LEDs my montis are great (encrusting and cap), it's my SPS that the jury is still out on. They needed some TLC before the switch, so I'm waiting to see how the recovery goes. My chalices LOVE them.

 

[budsreef]

RedStang;738867 wrote: Were you asking me? I have 20 LED's over a 29gal biocube. I have 8CW and 12RB. Neither go over 75% and I generally don't push them past 50%. No optics needed on mine.

I was asking Darren, but I'm always interested to hear what others are running as well so thanks for responding.

 

[darren24]

Thanks for the good information folks. I am going to try the 70's and drop the light down a few inches. FYI my chalices love them as well.

 

[rskillz]

FYI my chalices hate my LEDs. And my Montis/SPS love them. Go figure lol. Looks like everyone has had a different experience

 

[darren24]

Amazing isn't it? Such different results. I guess not all LED's are the same so that may contribute to the different results....