Duncan help!

[jrawk1120]

Running out of ideas for my issue.

I had a thriving Duncan coral. 3 main heads and 3 baby heads. Was growing well.

I love Duncan coral. Picked up more at a LFS. All were open and happy but kept getting knocked over because my fish can be douches.

So I used the grey epoxy from seachem, including my original Duncan.

The next day, my original was closed tight. Next day, toast.

All the new ones opened within 20 minutes when I put them in originally. Once the epoxy was applied, they closed. 2/5 are goners. The others are closed.

I thought my parameters were off, so I checked and all within a healthy range except phosphate which was .68. I used phos guard, which dropped it insignificantly to .59. Removed it.

I can’t think of what else is causing this.

I should note that I bought an elegance at the same time and that is semi closed but looks pretty sad but no epoxy was applied to that.

I have palys, a hammer, a frammer, anemones, and leathers that don’t seem to be affected, but those didn’t have the epoxy applied to them. Anemones are about 2-2.5’ from the other coral. They’re decently spaced apart overall.

Anything else I should be checking? I’ll put my parameters below.

Temp 77.5 ranges .2 rarely. On an apex and separate controller.

Salinity: 1.025 (ATO in use)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: .18
Ph: 8
Alk: 8.6
Calc: 496
Mag: 1550
Phos: .59
Testing with Hanna marine master

I use Reef Energy AB+ twice weekly.

144g display 30g sump. Plenty of flow.
Par ranges from 400 at the top to 80 at the bottom. 10% biweekly water changes with reef crystals.

Reef Breeders Photon V2

I’m going to start dosing to keep the Alk/calc stable but just got the stuff for it but haven’t been dosing regularly, just relying on water changes and the duncans have faired very well the last couple of months.

The only other change I’ve made was putting caulerpa in the sump and had a light on a 16 hour cycle. Have had this for a month.

 

[Shirak]

Photos with white light? Do you mean nitrate 18ppm?

The ones you picked up at the LFS were pretty new but how long did you have the other? The epoxy shouldn't be a problem so could be coincidence. Wonder if messing around with them stressed them and the new ones infected the other with something like bjd?

 

[jrawk1120]

Photos with white light? Do you mean nitrate 18ppm?

The ones you picked up at the LFS were pretty new but how long did you have the other? The epoxy shouldn't be a problem so could be coincidence. Wonder if messing around with them stressed them and the new ones infected the other with something like bjd?

Yes, 18ppm

I’ll attach photos of the skeleton, a new one, and when the original was open

 

[Shirak]

Yes, 18ppm

I’ll attach photos of the skeleton, a new one, and when the original was open

The small one in the middle just appears to be grumpy about the tank and needing to acclimate.
Dead skeleton on left same as the open one on the right and this is the original?

Looks to be some brownish stuff inside the ridges of the skeleton. Maybe bjd which can hit a variety of LPS not just Euphyllia. I really think it's more likely this than something to do with the epoxy. Something in the water that could kill a Duncan so fast would hit lots of corals all in the same fashion IMO. BJD will kill corals within a day or two as well.

I don't see much else really. Yes the PO4 is high but if it's always been around this level then I would rule it out based on your observation it has been healthy and growing previously. I would caution about dropping it too rapidly. The refugium in the sump maybe caused a considerable drop? What were your nutrient levels prior to adding the Caluerpa?

 

[jrawk1120]

Yes, 18ppm

I’ll attach photos of the skeleton, a new one, and when the original was open

The small one in the middle just appears to be grumpy about the tank and needing to acclimate.
Dead skeleton on left same as the open one on the right and this is the original?

Looks to be some brownish stuff inside the ridges of the skeleton. Maybe bjd which can hit a variety of LPS not just Euphyllia. I really think it's more likely this than something to do with the epoxy. Something in the water that could kill a Duncan so fast would hit lots of corals all in the same fashion IMO. BJD will kill corals within a day or two as well.

I don't see much else really. Yes the PO4 is high but if it's always been around this level then I would rule it out based on your observation it has been healthy and growing previously. I would caution about dropping it too rapidly. The refugium in the sump maybe caused a considerable drop? What were your nutrient levels prior to adding the Caluerpa?

I’ve had the original for about 6 months.

The issues started probably 2 weeks ago and the caulerpa has been in probably a month ago.

Possibly the culprit but they were out and beautiful for a solid 2 weeks with the fuge going.

The new frags - 2 are dead. The rest are just closed.

Maybe I’ll buy a single head and experiment. The euphaylia is doing well which is why I thought it was possibly the epoxy