show quality orange cap developing white dead spot

[php1775]

hi i have a beautiful lg.orange cap colony that actually colored up and grown about one third in size since i got it about 4 months ago.problem is that over the last week it has developed a pure white dead spot luckily toward the end that has been getting larger.i was going to cut that section out and hopefully stop it from spreading,but i was wondering what could be causing this?all my parameters are fine and where they should be,my ph is a little high perhaps at 8.41? but all my others caps ,and i have a lot of them are fine.im very concerned cause i have an incredible orange cap colony at the other end of the tank that has more petals than a rose that has tripled in size since july and would hate to have this one affected also.i have both caps under a 175w 10,000 k halide that is only about 9 mos old ( XM)and geisman t'5s.i had this happen last year to an orange cap in the same location that was fine for almost 2 years and cut out sections but still eventually lost most of the cap.any body know what could be going on with this?????

 

[The Ng Thing]

I think it might be caused by your Alkalinity fluctuating. I wouldn't bother checking your pH because it is tied to your Alk. If your Alk is stable, your pH will be fine.

 

[badlands25]

+1 on the alk. I had the same problem on a monti cap. Put some superglue gel on the dead spot and the coral will grow over it

 

[php1775]

thank you guys so much for your input

 

[jarrodsanborn]

I had a similar problem, and the cause was phosphates. i lost all of mine except for a tiny 1/2" bit i saved(it was "8-10").

 

[Aquaman_68]

u sure u r pest free? how is ur ro/di? Organic levels that r elevated in the tank can cause that to a monti cap....r the polyps out on the rest of the colony or is the colony in shutdown mode?

 

[php1775]

phosphates very low ,no pesta that ive ever seen or am aware of,ro/ri has fairly new spectrapure membrane.pre filter changed recently as well as both charcoal .has spectrapure maxi cap di upstream of a kent hi-s color changing di tat hasnt even begun to change color.water coming out at000 according to my tds meter.just did a water change today 30 gallons out of my 125 gallons.noticed that the polyps were out on the rest of the cap the other day ,will recheck that tommorrow.cut out that section to see if its stops spreading.my other lg cap colony is unaffected at this point and want to keep on top of this.thanks brian for your input--pat

 

[Aquaman_68]

ur welcome....U might want to consider warefare then....if the polyps r out & it has happened in that area before....flow & all.....may be some chemical from another coral depositing in that area due to flow or even placement...IME....I've had two coral living mint next to eachother for over 4 years...than one started stripping with the polyps out...(even on the flesh coming off) which is a good indicator that the coral is trying to find a more optimal place to reside.. (it's not like they can pick up & move to a more optimal location)

well I removed my stripping coral to an area that I house things back in my tank with great flow & water transfer....it settled down & I was able to save it....left it in that area for 3 months...then tried to place it back where it came from..... within a few days....it started stripping again..... (now it was much smaller so I had to move quick) placed it back in the area I mentioned above....left it there for 3 months & then when it was encrusting nice, & stable, I found a new place in the tank for it not close to it's previous spot....that was close to 8 months ago....& I can say....the coral is happy & growing...color is awesome as well...... I would say......it was having a war in it's old home.....for sure.....


something many reefers if they r tenacious can find over long peiods of time....when corals r smaller ....not much of an issue.....but with growth & size there r new chalenges that we can face.... (problem is there r not so many long term reefers as myself that have stuck with the hobby on the same level as they did when they started) these experiences r priceless.... I know it's a long read......but it is as I said.....priceless..... just one of the many things I have learned on my own thru the years.... (to all u newbies reading this....& any other post from a longterm reefer.....retention!!! learn how to retain the smallest info!!!!! it can help ya later on!!!

Take care,
Pat


B