Need help with my duncans

[advanwoerden]

Hi, I just got these duncans and after opening up really nicely initially, they're now all shrivelled up, although still open. Any thoughts as to the cause? Too much/too little light/water flow? I have them in the middle but off to the side of the tank, with indirect water flow. I'd say par is around 250-350. Attaching before and after shots...

 

[Exotic Reef]

off topic..first nice set up ..second was it easy to drill the holes thru the heatsinks

 

[advanwoerden]

predrilled! www.reefledlights.com - great site, my 2nd DIY LED fixture from them

 

[al0ha]

maybe the light is too strong for it? i would move it lower perhaps on the sandbed or so and monitor it for a few days and then move it up depending on their reaction. from what it seems, it looks pretty healthy, heads are open and color looks good.

 

[piranhapat]

Check your Phoshate and Alk.. Lights could be to strong. Try what Aloha said.....

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

How long ago were the duncan fully opened? Maybe try to move it around could probably be as manched the water flow hitting it direcT. What's your cal level?

 

[bigcapct]

I keep them bottom right of my tank and my mp40 is above it. Gets lots of flow and under 6 bulb t5 tek

 

[Og Drogon]

I keep them bottom right of my tank and my mp40 is above it. Gets lots of flow and under 6 bulb t5 tek

Duncan's prefer Low flow, here's some info I got of the web hope it helps:
Native to the deeper waters of Western and Northern Australia and the South China Sea, this coral prefers to attach to solid objects in soft, sandy areas. Here, they readily propagate and often form a continuous mat of tentacles that conceal the overall shape of the underlying colony. In the home aquarium, place in low current areas with low to moderate light.

This coral is peaceful and does well with other non-aggressive corals and invertebrates, provided it has ample room to grow. Though they feed through photosynthesis via the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae that thrive on the colony, this coral also benefits from regular target feedings of meaty marine foods such as enriched mysis and brine shrimp.

It also benefits from the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water column.


I'm Nemo's mother.

 

[al0ha]

i have very gentle indirect flow on both my duncans. they seem to extend their tentacles to that. however i did notice that if i have my LEDs on full blast the tentacles take a rounder tip shape than a sharper one.

 

[advanwoerden]

Hey all, thanks so much for the feedback, sorry it took me so long to respond. I've moved them down to the sandbed, so will see how they take. Phosphates are .07ppm, magnesium is 1300, alk is 9.5 dKH, PH is 8.1, and calcium is 420. Will keep you updated!

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

Try target feeding them as well.

 

[piranhapat]

My guys shrink when phoshate was a little high try getting it around 0.04.

 

[advanwoerden]

Thanks all, moved the duncans to the bottom corner, and target fed them as well. Will keep you posted on the progress. I've been trying everything to get phosphates under .05ppm, but it's proving tough... I bought Kent phosphate sponge and have gone through almost the whole box doing 2 day increments for a week, and still only got phosphates down to .07ppm. The box says it will bring a 120gallon tank from 1ppm to 0.00ppm, so I'm a little frustrated... My phosban reactor has about 1.5" of GFO in it, as well as a bag of chemipure elite in the sump. I only have 3 fish, and I feed once every 1-2 days a small amount of flakes.

 

[al0ha]

these things take time, just let it work.

 

[piranhapat]

What Phoshate brand are you using to test your Phoshate? Duncans are harder so just try maintain good water and they will open.

 

[advanwoerden]

I'm using the Hanna Checker digital tester- seems pretty accurate. The duncans open but the skirts don't really extend, they're more like little nubs..

 

[advanwoerden]

So it's been 2 weeks and still no improvement. They stay shriveled up most of the time and when they're open the "skirts" are just little nubs. Tonight when I got home and turned off the pump to feed, I noticed there was black stuff coming out of the mouths. Any ideas what it is? I'm about to throw in the towel with these guys...

 

[gotbaksi]

maybe you should feed them?

 

[advanwoerden]

I do, 2-3x per week with cyclopeez/phytomax

 

[gotbaksi]

nitrates?