Duncan's shriveled / parameter check

[beyer]

A few days ago my green Duncan frag remained closed for a day and now seems shriveled or just not as extended as it once was. I'm still fairly new at keeping a saltwater tank so correct me if some of my parameters seem off please.

Ammonia- 0
Nitrate- 0 / undetectable
PH- 8.2
Magnesium-1240
Alk- 9.6
Calcium- 425
Salinity- 1.025
Temp- 78°
15% water change on 6/22/17

 

[beyer]

 

[CodyRVA]

How old is your system and how long have you had the duncan? MG is a bit on the low side

 

[beyer]

How old is your system and how long have you had the duncan? MG is a bit on the low side

The tank is probably around 6 months old and the Duncan is approaching 2 months. I dose mg/alk/ca from the Red Sea foundation supplements. I have went through an entire bottle of magnesium in a 2 month or so span trying to slowly pull it up to the 1300 mark. My alk has always been high like 12 but has dropped a bit now so I haven't had to dose much at all. And my ca is usually not too much lower than 420 so I don't dose nearly as much as mg.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Assuming RO/DI for source water?

Could be the alkalinity swing. Do you spot feed it? Shrimps in your system?

 

[Mal11224]

It doesn't look too bad. Duncan's go in from time to time and then come out slowly. I have a Duncan that does it all the time. Has about 6 heads and counting. I would give it some time to see what it does. May need to feed it a bit. Nitrates are low. I also keep my magnesium at 1400. 1240 is not too bad.

 

[Mal11224]

That alk swing can definitely be an issue. Also, when you alk and calcium levels fluctuate, mg becomes hard to maintain.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Yep, water pramameters look good, except the swing.

I'm thinking if you fed it that something could be trying to steal food from it and it upset.

 

[beyer]

Assuming RO/DI for source water?

Could be the alkalinity swing. Do you spot feed it? Shrimps in your system?

I use RO/DI, spot feed coral frenzy 3 times a week and do not own shrimp.

That alk swing can definitely be an issue. Also, when you alk and calcium levels fluctuate, mg becomes hard to maintain.

I just got to thinking about my low nitrates and have been dosing NO3PO4X daily ever since the start of the tank through the cycle. Recently I've noticed my nitrates are very low so I have been dosing 5 times a week instead of 7. Could this have caused my alk swing?

 

[CodyRVA]

+1 on stability, also any changes in lighting or flow; either could cause the duncan to close up.

 

[AdamNC]

Probably just po'd from the Alk swing. I've had mine close up for about 3 weeks and one day out of the blue just slowly started to open up.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

My Duncans close up end of the day some days and sometimes they are open at night. Every once in a while they will close for 2-3 days. Both of mine are about 2 years old ,started with one having two heads and one with three heads. I quit counting after they exceeded 60 heads each. Bring your magnesium level up first then slowly bring up alkalinity and calcium to where you want them. unless you are trying for an ULNS let the nutrients rise up a little.

 

[schooncw]

the Duncan's in my 120 have been closed for several days but I am battling high nitrates. All my other perameters are good. Do you think nitrates would cause this?

 

[CodyRVA]

the Duncan's in my 120 have been closed for several days but I am battling high nitrates. All my other perameters are good. Do you think nitrates would cause this?

It's a possibility, but there could also be other factors involved

 

[Bruce Burnett]

My Duncans get full light they are high up in the tank.

 

[CodyRVA]

Update?

 

[beyer]

PH- 7.8
Nitrate- 0
Mg-1340
KH-9.3
Ca-440
Salinity-1.025
Temp-78°



Every once and awhile throughout the day they will extend a little further than this but still not nearly as much as I've seen them extend before.

Also, I'm using the Red Sea test kit. Do you happen to know if you stop testing as soon as the color changes over or as soon as it matches the color on the card?

 

[chodyb]

If I change my lighting at all even a bit mine will close up for about a week. It will be fine just give it a couple days

 

[CodyRVA]

I mean... that pic looks better than the first one. They're clearly not dying, I would wait and see what happens. Keep your chemistry as constant and stable as possible, seems like it will come around once it adjusts to the change.

 

[Charterreefer]

Have you changed anything with your lighting or the position of the duncans in the tank in regard to lighting? New bulbs? Have you changed the water flow pattern in the tank?