Any reason for hammer/torch to melt?

[Fig70g]

I've had this happen now and again, but is there any overwhelming reason a hammer or torch head would shrink and shrink and eventually the flesh pulls off? I took this picture here, my params were taken last week at Aquarius:
Salinity 1.026
Ph 7.8
Alk 8
Calcium 375
Mag 1450
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0

I am working to get the ph and alk up, getting it tested tomorrow. I just don't know why they shrivel and fall off?? One of my torch heads that fell off a couple months ago happen to call in a hole and has been growing strong and extending, so weird but I have hope. Anyway, any input or similar stories could help, thanks!!

 

[ademster]

I had it happen. one head died, the other two are thriving.
had same thing happen on another hammer I got. 1 out of the 8 heads died.

 

[azkass]

This seems to be a fairly common problem...at least with me. It's one of my favorite corals but am hesitant to buy sometimes because of this. I've had several wall hammers that do great for a while then start dying off and I eventually lose the entire piece. They seem to be an extremely delicate coral and need to be handled with care.

 

[zrogst]

My experience is pretty much the same - all the euphyllia I've owned have been finicky, prone to infection, and slow to heal. I was really into them until a tank-transfer-gone-bad got one infected with brown jelly and I lost the majority of them by not reacting quickly.

 

[evolved]

A few things which could cause this:

Alk swings
Large temp fluctuations
Bacterial infection
Brown jelly disease (related to the above, but different in appearance; not your problem however because it would be visible)
Too much flow (euphyllia tears easily, and is then prone to infection)
Too much light
Euphyllia eating flatworms

 

[Fig70g]

I have mostly softies and LPS, I have a number of euphyllia and every now and again this happens.
Evolved, unfortunately about 3 of those things have happened recently which may have led to this decline. When I got my water tested and noticed Alk to be low, I ahve been adding some of the 2 part solution to up my Alk (and also Calc)
I was in on that WP40 group buy, and I do love the pump, but also realized that once it goes into 'night' mode it is just one delicate speed, not pulsing like it does during the day. Even though it is stated to be a delicate flow, I believe the direct flow in my little 75 gallon was too much for some of the other euphyllia that I have, which is why I point the pump upwards now instead of right across the tank.
I also took a little longer than I should have replacing my T5 bulbs, and just did that about 4-5 weeks ago, so maybe that is part of it now that there are new bulbs.

I guess all of these could be contributing factors. Well thanks for the responses, Im getting my params more stable now and hopefully that will help.

 

[mvergas]

With your alk being a little low like that you might also be having some large pH swings at night. That can also cause this. Mine pretty much did the same thing and seemed to perk up after I corrected the params.