Monti cap problems

[polarbear]

So im having an issue with 2 of my large monti caps. This past weekend I noticed that my orange cap was starting to die. I could see the orange flesh part dying off and leaving the white Skelton showing. Now today I see that my large green one is doing the same but is a lot worse. Everything else in the tank is fine. What should I do? I was going to pull both out and dip them tonight and leave them in the refugium over night. I'm also thinking of breaking them up to help save the good parts.

[mkengr45]

What's your alk?

[Dean]

Check your alkalinity asap

[polarbear]

It's setting at 5dkh

[mkengr45]

It's setting at 5dkh

That's your problem....I keep mine around 9, and stable. Raise it slowly

[polarbear]

Ya just added 2.7oz and will do the same the next 3 days.

[ramsey]

Low alk in itself shouldn't cause this but it fluctuating could. My alk was around 5dkh and I've started dosing two-part to raise it slowly. However, I didn't have any RTN/STN. You might want to check your mag levels. If mag is low, it's hard to keep alk stable.

[aquasport24]

Just frag it, how are other sps doing?

[polarbear]

My mag was low last time and I added all the mag needed to raise it back to 1350ppm. My alk was low at that time also so I raised it to 9 but now it's back down again. I tested about 20min ago and it was up to 6.5dkh so it's going up. I'll dose again in the morning.

[alton]

Do your return pipes blow straight onto them? If you dose something and then it returns straight onto the caps it can be bad. I killed a birdsnest this way. And what is your calcium level? The biggest issue I had with a very large cap was the amount of calcium it ate

[LuckySingh]

Alk is 1st to suspect but than again every other parameter is equally responsible . Sometimes drop in salinity could cause slow problems also. What Alton said has a point too so make u r not directing flow straight in to monties. Also if ur water evels are keep fluctuating like alk and calcium that may be because of not maintaining magnesium. I would deal with ur magnesium 1st and than alk could possibly be corrected on its own . Stability is the key . Temp fluctuations can add a problem too .

[Bill S]

Take a sample of your water, along with your kits to a LFS. Both of you test your water. See if you get the same results. Several times I've chased imaginary problems, that were test kit errors.

[polarbear]

I poor the alk into my mp40 using a turkey baster. My cal is around 420 to 440 the last time I checked. I don't seem to have a problem with cal just alk.


Do your return pipes blow straight onto them? If you dose something and then it returns straight onto the caps it can be bad. I killed a birdsnest this way. And what is your calcium level? The biggest issue I had with a very large cap was the amount of calcium it ate

[Troy Valentine]

Have you check for Monti eating nudibrachs? The easiest way to check is to use your turkey baster, and siphon the water where the dead tissue starts. Put the contents in a clear container, and with a flash light look for the little buggers. On the coral they look like little furry spots where the coral is dying.

[polarbear]

I haven't checked for anything like this. I'll look today when I get home.