Duncan closed

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

Hi all,
Trying to figure out what I am missing for my Duncan to open up in my tank.
45 gallon JBJ AIO set up in sept.
Currently have 4 fish and 2 shrimp as residents.
AI Prime running David S program
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78
Calcium: 490
Mag: 1600-1800 (ran 2 different tests)
Alk: 8.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: 50

I had someone feeding my tank for a few days so the nitrates jumped a bit, I’ll be doing a water change this weekend.
I also switched from Fritz salt to Tropic Marin and saw the magnesium jump up with that.
The Duncan has been in the tank for about 27 days and hasn’t opened at all. I also have a green star polyp that opened initially and the closed up tight until I found it a new spot in the tank and it’s now starting to open again.
Here is a picture of the Duncan-

Hard to make out with the blues on.
I love how Duncan’s look and want them in my tank but I don’t know what I am missing to help this little guy.
I feed mysis and reef roids.

NeonRabbit221B · Jan 10, 2020

Not sure what you have in your tank but I would look at your nitrate levels and work on bringing those down. Cut back on the roids maybe? Phosphate levels?

Low light and low/moderate flow got mine booming.

Max93 · Jan 10, 2020

Are you sure your temperature is 78? My duncans close when it's too cold.

amazongb · Jan 10, 2020

How old is your tank?

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

Max93 said:
Are you sure your temperature is 78? My duncans close when it's too cold.

I check it regularly- but I’ll check again tonight. What temp does yours prefer?

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

amazongb said:
How old is your tank?

Set up early Sept. fish went in just over 2.5 months ago and the Duncan was added 27 days ago.

El_Guapo13 · Jan 10, 2020

Double check your parameters and temperature.

More specifically, test your phosphates as I did not notice you post thay number.

Also look closely at your Duncans to make sure there is nothing on them.

NeonRabbit221B · Jan 10, 2020

Where is it relative to the light? I would try moving him a few times.

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

NeonRabbit221B said:
Where is it relative to the light? I would try moving him a few times.

I did move him early this week down to the sandbed. I haven't seen any change with being slightly off the bed or when I moved it up slightly. I am trying to see if being in the light or shade make any difference.

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

El_Guapo13 said:
Double check your parameters and temperature.

More specifically, test your phosphates as I did not notice you post thay number.

Also look closely at your Duncans to make sure there is nothing on them.

I had written down .90 but I am not sure if that was on the test kit that I need to convert for phosphate. I have 2 different kits so I didn't want to misspeak on that.
But I'll double check everything tonight.

PR_nano · Jan 10, 2020

I found my frag doesn't like direct light or flow. I keep it near a rock which blocks direct light and flow. I tried front and center but had to move it the next day.

El_Guapo13 · Jan 10, 2020

PR_nano said:
I found my frag doesn't like direct light or flow. I keep it near a rock which blocks direct light and flow. I tried front and center but had to move it the next day.

Hmm...mine actually loves direct light and flow. At the very top of my tank. Has about 12 to 15 (of different sizes, so some are very small at the moment) heads now after only 10 months of being in the tank. Started with only two heads. You can barely see it in this picture because my Effloutanaria is in the way. Probably need to trim it bit so I can see the Duncan better and give my Indigo Shroom more light.

amazongb · Jan 10, 2020

punkieg0 said:
Set up early Sept. fish went in just over 2.5 months ago and the Duncan was added 27 days ago.

Your tank is young, so give it time to mature. That said, duncans are pretty easy to keep, so something must be off.. I haven't seen your phosphate number.. can you report that?

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

amazongb said:
Your tank is young, so give it time to mature. That said, duncans are pretty easy to keep, so something must be off.. I haven't seen your phosphate number.. can you report that?

I just tested using my Hanna phosphate Checker and it is 0.20

amazongb · Jan 10, 2020

punkieg0 said:
I just tested using my Hanna phosphate Checker and it is 0.20

.20 shouldn't kill a duncan, so there's something else going on imo. What light do you have?

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

amazongb said:
.20 shouldn't kill a duncan, so there's something else going on imo. What light do you have?

AI Prime - just a single light

amazongb · Jan 10, 2020

punkieg0 said:
AI Prime - just a single light

Ahh, I see you're running Davis S program.. that's pretty intense. Maybe try the same settings and do an acclimation mode at like 30% over 30 days or something...

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

amazongb said:
Ahh, I see you're running Davis S program.. that's pretty intense. Maybe try the same settings and do an acclimation mode at like 30% over 30 days or something...

It was running an acclimation mode but almost 40% so I lowered that. I have not had much luck finding a program for the light that would be better. And this light is not user friendly otherwise. Is there a different program for it you would recommend?

amazongb · Jan 10, 2020

punkieg0 said:
It was running an acclimation mode but almost 40% so I lowered that. I have not had much luck finding a program for the light that would be better. And this light is not user friendly otherwise. Is there a different program for it you would recommend?

I would put the duncan on the sand, in low flow. I would just run a simple light schedule.. my duncans are in at most 100 par and have 30 heads. I would run 10-12 hour total, 4 hour ramp up, 4 hour peak, 4 hour ramp down. Purples at 50%, Blues 60%, red green is debatable (if you have to have em, do like 2% each), whites to your taste but I would do maybe 5%. So, your AI graph should look like an uncomfortable motorcycle jump.

Keep in mind, David S has a monster mature tank, I don't know how many dozen lights mounted super high above his monstrous tank, loaded with SPS corals. You don't have that (yet), and your tank is new.. keep your lighting within range.

This all said, I really think most of the issue is with your tank being so new, and the parameter fluctuations that a new tank experiences. If you can keep your parameters steady, and not make too many changes, you have a chance at keeping this coral healthy, duncans are very forgiving so you still have a shot. So, don't make drastic changes as that won't help.. just be patient, test regularly. Nitrates are a tad high but mine has been through higher.. just work to keep whatever your parameters are stable.

punkieg0 · Jan 10, 2020

amazongb said:
I would put the duncan on the sand, in low flow. I would just run a simple light schedule.. my duncans are in at most 100 par and have 30 heads. I would run 10-12 hour total, 4 hour ramp up, 4 hour peak, 4 hour ramp down. Purples at 50%, Blues 60%, red green is debatable (if you have to have em, do like 2% each), whites to your taste but I would do maybe 5%. So, your AI graph should look like an uncomfortable motorcycle jump.

Keep in mind, Davis S has a monster mature tank, I don't know how many dozen lights mounted super high above his monstrous tank, loaded with SPS corals. You don't have that (yet), and your tank is new.. keep your lighting within range.

This all said, I really think most of the issue is with your tank being so new, and the parameter fluctuations that a new tank experiences. If you can keep your parameters steady, and not make too many changes, you have a chance at keeping this coral healthy, duncans are very forgiving so you still have a shot. So, don't make drastic changes as that won't help.. just be patient, test regularly. Nitrates are a tad high but mine has been through higher.. just work to keep whatever your parameters are stable.

I appreciate the advice- I will see if I can replicate the settings. Water change is ready for the am!