Montipora problem

[NSS]

My encrusting Montipora is losing flesh/polyps in certain areas.
Since I have it (4 months) it has only survived, not grown or shrunk. It has started to get algae around the edges 2 months ago and one tiny patch in the center. Now since 2 weeks entire areas of polyps have disapeared. I had it in about 180PAR and have just now moved it down to about 120PAR.
At night I see amphipods eating on it. I assume they are eating dead flesh? I also have snails go over the entire frag on a daily basis.
I see NO nudibranche. It is not in the vicinity of other coral. Tank parameters are as stable as I can get them on a small tank like this. (Alk swings maximum +-0.2 per week). Everything else is growing very well. Mixed tank. (other SPS = Pavona & Pocillopora)
1 Clown, 1 Cardinal, 1 Coral Banded Shrimp, Hermits, Snails & 2 Bubble Tip Anemones.
Is it not getting enough light?
Any ideas?

20G Nano (12 months old)
Ai Prime 16
2x AI Nero3 Powerhead
Canister filter with media & Activated Carbon
Chaeto reactor (running 5 hours at night)
UV Sterilizer
Nano Skimmer Mame
ATI Essentials+ 2 Part
Nitrate 5
Phos 0.02
PH 8.3
Alk 9.3
Calcium 410
Mag 1275
Sal 1.025
Temp 80F

 

[Reef Psychology]

Presuming everything is fine, there are just some corals that won’t thrive in some tanks. Could be bacterial infection or pest that you just haven’t seen yet. May want to look into types of medicated dips. Some people also say that raising Mg to 1500 can help stave off some Issues. Any particular reason you’re running UV and a canister filter?

 

[NSS]

Presuming everything is fine, there are just some corals that won’t thrive in some tanks. Could be bacterial infection or pest that you just haven’t seen yet. May want to look into types of medicated dips. Some people also say that raising Mg to 1500 can help stave off some Issues. Any particular reason you’re running UV and a canister filter?

Thanks for the reply. I run a canister because I don't have space for a sump and I had it from my freshwater days. Works well for me though. I let the UV run just to have an extra way of making sure everything stays healthy. I'll try to find a med dip at my LFS. But, I guess you are right, that some corals just don't do well in some tanks for what ever reason. Just makes me angry that I can't solve the problem...

 

[Dburr1014]

My thoughts are
1) using activated carbon 100% of the time is bad. It's got it's uses, but not 100% everyday.
2) same with uv, killing the bad bacteria means killing the good along with it.
3) they are light hungry. You are probably less than what they need.
4) PO4 is at the very bottom of where it should be. IMO, raise it a tad.

 

[LordofCinder]

i see its down by the sand, montipora should be up higher, more PAR and more flow.

 

[jhadaway]

I grow acros well, montipora were an early struggle for some reason, especially the encrusting versions. I have a electric lemon monti that looks like a flower pedal. I damaged it with some garbage that was supposed to kill aptaisia. It killed a small spot in the center of the monti and it has been dark green ever since. It seems to me if algea takes hold it doesn't grow back over the effected spot. It has doubled in size with the same dead spot. I'm going to pull it off the plug and cut out the bad spot sooner or later. I also have a jedi monti that dies all the way down to the size of a screwhead, now it's growing back. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've found montis to be the most difficult for me to keep happy for who knows why. They never made much sense to me. With that being said at the 14-15 month mark everything is tearing off and I'm increasing my all4reef now every week. I have lots of encrusting and digitata monti doing well.

and I would get that magnesium up a little to the 1350 range and sloooooowly increase the par. Montis need lots of light but do it slow. 250+ at least for most sps.

 

[NSS]

ok thanks everyone. conclusion: possibly med dip monti. Raise Mag slow, try to raise PO4 (difficult since I'm struggling to keep them any higher). I'll set my UV to 12 hours on 12 hours off to start. I moved the monti from 180PAR to 120PAR. I'll just put it back to the 180PAR location and slowly move it further up.

 

[Dburr1014]

ok thanks everyone. conclusion: possibly med dip monti. Raise Mag slow, try to raise PO4 (difficult since I'm struggling to keep them any higher). I'll set my UV to 12 hours on 12 hours off to start. I moved the monti from 180PAR to 120PAR. I'll just put it back to the 180PAR location and slowly move it further up.

No reason to go slow on mag. 75 or 100 points can go in one shot.

 

[jhadaway]

ok thanks everyone. conclusion: possibly med dip monti. Raise Mag slow, try to raise PO4 (difficult since I'm struggling to keep them any higher). I'll set my UV to 12 hours on 12 hours off to start. I moved the monti from 180PAR to 120PAR. I'll just put it back to the 180PAR location and slowly move it further up.

need nutients? feed a little more.