monti help

[bjrawins]

i just cant seem to keep them alive. Here is what i have for a set up maybe it will help. I have a 54 corner tank rr. I have a 150 mh de. With 2 65 watt attenics. I have a 25 watt UV on it and a skimmer. I dont no why i cant keep it alive. Willing to take any advice.

Srry

 

[stingythingy45]

Is this monticap?

 

[afboundguy]

It would prob help everybody if you posted your parameters (alk, calc, mag) and more info on your setup (how long it's been set up mainly) Do you have other SPS that are fine?

 

[bjrawins]

yes i have a birds nest and one other moti cap that looks ok for now. But the orange one is on its way out.

 

[snowmaker]

I have found some caps to be prone to light shock when moved from one system to another, and go nearly white. Best to introduce them in low light area and move up over the course of a month or more. If yours has gotten very light in high lighting, you might try placing it in a low light spot for a while.
Another thing is that these are pretty defenseless against most other corals, esp. LPS that may be close enough to sting it.

 

[MikeG]

As already asked, if you post parameters it may help.

Also your maintance routine as well as any recent changes or additions in equipment or maintance.

How long has the tank been set up?

What else is in it?

 

[bjrawins]

the tank has been up for about 6 mounths now and i do water change every other week. I change about 1/10 of the tank. I have only added new coral slowly. The birds nest is doing well as is all other coral
Thank you snowmaker i didnt now about light shock. So i will move it down and see what goes on.

 

[coralcor]

the tank has been up for about 6 mounths now and i do water change every other week. I change about 1/10 of the tank. I have only added new coral slowly. The birds nest is doing well as is all other coral
Thank you snowmaker i didnt now about light shock. So i will move it down and see what goes on.

parmaeters are like amonia, calc, nitrates, nitrites, etc

 

[bjrawins]

amonia and nitrates are really low not much at all i dont have any fish but am adding one soon cal is 350

 

[coralcor]

amonia and nitrates are really low not much at all i dont have any fish but am adding one soon cal is 350

numbers would be nice....
what test kits do you have?

 

[bjrawins]

i dont have one i had my friend test it so i dont no the name of it. I dont have any problem keeping any other coral just the monti. SO i am just telling you what i no.

 

[coralcor]

i dont have one i had my friend test it so i dont no the name of it. I dont have any problem keeping any other coral just the monti. SO i am just telling you what i no.

do you remember how low the ammonia was?

 

[Aquaman_68]

i just cant seem to keep them alive. Here is what i have for a set up maybe it will help. I have a 54 corner tank rr. I have a 150 mh de. With 2 65 watt attenics. I have a 25 watt UV on it and a skimmer. I dont no why i cant keep it alive. Willing to take any advice.

Srry

Sometimes people with tanks that haven't been set up for too long have problems with MC. (less than a year & a half)

Not always but I was one that struggled with them early in my reef hobby..

(within the first 1.5 years or so...Now I can kill them!!!


Organic level s over 2.0 ppm is not something they take too kindly to...They shut down when the organic levels peak at over 3ppm...
HTH,
B

 

[jprince]

IMO you need to get a handle on your water chemistry. Water changes are practically useless until you learn how to balance your water to achieve the proper parameters on a consistent basis. Know ALL the water parameters for what you are doing, and test ALL of them. Your Calc, while still in range, is on the low end @ 350. How long have you been keeping corals? Please post ALL your parameters in order for an accurate diagnosis of what may be going on in your tank.


Jeff

 

[MikeG]

If you don't have any clue what your alkalinity, salinity, and pH are in relation to your calcium at a minimum, then I would start there to figure out what is going on. Get a good quality alkalinity kit and a refractometer if you don't have one already.

How much does your temperature fluctuate on an average day?

 

[MikeG]

Thank you snowmaker i didnt now about light shock. So i will move it down and see what goes on.

Your light isn't extremely strong so I wouldn't necessarily worry about that unless it came from a very dimly lit tank.

 

[JohnK]

What test kits do you have at the moment?

With any SPS it's necessary to be monitoring and maintaining Ca, alk and Mg, as well as accurate salintiy testing (a good refractometer). Without knowing these parameters is like driving with your eyes closed - it just won't work

If you don't have tests/refractometer, most good fish stores will test your water for you if you ask nicely.

 

[RayD]

Sometimes people with tanks that haven't been set up for too long have problems with MC. (less than a year & a half)

Not always but I was one that struggled with them early in my reef hobby..

(within the first 1.5 years or so...Now I can kill them!!!


Organic level s over 2.0 ppm is not something they take too kindly to...They shut down when the organic levels peak at over 3ppm...
HTH,
B

I have to agree with Brian on this one. For the longest time I couldn't keep even the simplest of SPS (Digi, Cap, etc). Once the tank was well established (about 18-20 months) they started to thrive and grow. Now I have tons and tons of SPS and they all look great.

Watch your Alk swings and go slow with adding new SPS until you start to see some success with a few.
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