Duncan coral still won't open!

Ill keep everyone updated. Crossing my fingers for tomorrow! One other thing is flow. How much flow does it like? Does it have a preference or can it do good in any flow?

 

Did you cycle the tank after you set it up? When did you do the tests for the params you posted? Have you done them again recently? Did you switch over from another tank? Maybe a mini cycle?

 

sorry just seen you did a switch over when I re read that first post. I'm betting on a mini cycle, you can stir up some pretty bad stuff when switching/stirring up old sand. Any chance you can retest and see what you have for params now? Also I didn't see ammonia on your list and assume the second nitrite was nitrate?

 

Yea ill retest and see where thry are at. I was thinking i would have a mini cycle too. It took about 2 days for the water to clear up and i still have what looks like sand particles blowing around. I want to add a bag of either black or the indo pacific black but i wanted to wait a few weeks for everything to settle down so i dont spike anything

 

Also is it bad to do too many water changes? I am doing 5 gallons 1-2 times a week and 10 once a month between there.

 

I know this is off topic but upon trying to figure out what the particles are that are floating i think they are microbubbles. The water is rushing in through the inlet, moving under the first baffle, over the second, thru the fuge and then thru holes that are in the last baffle that go to the return pump so it seems that there isnt enough time for them to dicipate. Any suggestions on fixing this? I was thinking of taking out the baffle woth the holes and putting up 2 in its place but i want that to be a last resort lol. Im not 100% on if they are since i just finished setup sunday so should i give it a few more days before i do anything? Heres a few pics of the fuge.

 

Mine are in various states of flow. I have 3 large colonies and they range from low to very high flow - none of them seem to mind it in terms of growth. The ones in high flow do have better polyp extension but it almost looks like it's the flow "pulling" them from the base. One of the colonies is in the sand, the other 2 are at different levels u pin the rock. Once is about 12" below the surface (18" deep tank) and the other is about 7" down - but again, they all sprout new heads quite frequently and eat like champs.

I'd bet your problems are due to water chemistry. Duncans in my experience have been very hardy and adjust well to various lighting/water flow, but water chemistry can cause the heads to retract. Once they start opening try to feed them to help them bounce back. Mine eat anything I offer - mysis, pellet, shrimp. Definitely not a picky coral in terms of diet.

 

Were the lights mounted that close on your previous tank? My duncan did the same thing when I switched lights. If you can't adjust the height that the lights are mounted at, you may try reducing your lighting period and slowly acclimating back. Also, as others have said, keep monitoring your parameters to make sure you didn't have a mini spike in ammonia when you transferred tanks.

 

The light wasnt that close no but there were 2 lights before as in this tank i only need 1 thats why i put it closer. I held it up to where i had it on the other tank but it looks like its not bright enough when i do that. Everything else is loving the new setting. It wasnt doing anything today up on the ledge so i moved it to the sand and slightly under the rock but not where there is no light and it started to come out then when back again. Im gonna try to put it all the way under and see if it comes out trying to find light tomorrow. Think thats a good idea? I guess at this point anything is worth a shot.

 

I would agree, why not?