Hammer Coral not looking good

[DsantaMaria]

Good Afternoon

I've got a hammer coral that seems to not be doing too well. Currently I switched from a 20 Gallon High to a 40 Breeder. I removed him from the plug and glued him directly to the rock. Since then he has not been looking to well (deflated tentacles / retracted tentacles).

Parameters:

pH - 8.0
Temp - 80
Salinity - 1.024
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate - 0
Hardness / Alk - 11.8 / 4.2
Calcium - 425
Mag - 1440

Two Kessil A160we set at 65% max intensity for 4 hours.

Only things that I can think of are it is stressed from being moved off the plug or the flow was too high as I added a Koralia 1150 to the 40 gallon breeder in addition to the (2) 425's I moved from the 20.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Hammers like low light and low flow. They also like water a bit dirty. If your nitrates are in fact 0 that could be a big part of your problem. The only corals that do well in water that clean are SPS and even some of them want some nitrates. If you look at suggested parameters on Vivid website most all LPS say <10 nitrates

High flow will keep PE down as will too high of light

 

[Mark9]

They also like water a bit dirty. If your nitrates are in fact 0 that could be a big part of your problem. The only corals that do well in water that clean are SPS and even some of them want some nitrates.

I'm not buying any of this. My tanks have always had 0 nitrates, the water is not dirty, and I've had no issues with hammers or frogspawns. If the coral is not doing well, something is not right.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Exactly Mark, I stated what isn't right whether you want to accept that or not. I speak the truth in that post.

 

[Mark9]

Exactly Mark, I stated what isn't right whether you want to accept that or not. I speak the truth in that post.

I think your generalization of clean water being a problem is not correct.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I think your generalization of clean water being a problem is not correct.

Ok, care to share what you believe the op's problem to be? I'm reasonably sure that I'm pretty close, too clean of water or not proper light or flow. I do find the sg low as well should be 1.025-1.026 that is easy enough to change.

 

[Mark9]

Ok, care to share what you believe the op's problem to be? I'm reasonably sure that I'm pretty close, too clean of water or not proper light or flow. I do find the sg low as well should be 1.025-1.026 that is easy enough to change.

I really don't know, but I don't think people should suggest he "dirty" his water, that can spiral out of control. We need to aim for healthy water, not sterile, not dirty.
And his numbers, i'm not convinced they are good.
The high mag and kh signal to me that "maybe" his SG is off and it's higher than he thinks. Is he using a swingarm? I think he should go to a lfs and get his water tested to verify. Could be testing error, then is his ca correct?
I don't think many salt mixes mix mag that high. Would be nice to know what salt he uses.
And i'd lower the kh. With the salt I use (RC), 8.4 works well with my water changes, not alot of and change, stability helps.
And as he's moved tanks, i bet his numbers have been bouncing all over the place.
Maybe let things settle for a bit.
And 4 hours of lights seems woefully inadequate as well.
I think there's more here than "too clean" water.
And it looks like the OP has abandoned his thread anyways.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

:facepalm: You might want to open up yourself to suggestion and fully understand what I typed and why.

I doubt the OP has left the building, he probably has a life unlike many of us :lolspin:

I suggest that you do some reading and learn the truth of what I'm saying. It's all over on this site as well as others. There is no reason for anyone to have a nitrate of 0 with the exception of certain SPS corals. Softies and most LPS corals like dirty water. FACTS that you don't want to accept. I even said that Vivid Aquariums suggests for LPS corals to have a nitrate of <10 and since you didn't go verify it I'll copy and paste it for ya.

Bicolor Hammer Coral

Euphyllia ancora

Care Level: Easy
Lighting Requirements: Moderate (PAR 150-250)
Water Flow: Moderate
Aggressiveness: Aggressive
Range: Fiji, Indo Pacific, Australia, Solomon Islands
Family: Caryophyllidae Water Conditions: 75-80° F; sg 1.024-1.026 (1.025 is ideal); pH 8.1-8.4 Ca 420-440 ppm, Alk 8-9.5 dKH, Mg 1260-1350, Nitrates <10ppm, Phosphates, < .10ppm

http://vividaquariums.com/collections/lps-corals/products/bicolor-hammer-coral-1

 

[Webmanny]

Good Afternoon

I've got a hammer coral that seems to not be doing too well. Currently I switched from a 20 Gallon High to a 40 Breeder. I removed him from the plug and glued him directly to the rock. Since then he has not been looking to well (deflated tentacles / retracted tentacles).

Parameters:

pH - 8.0
Temp - 80
Salinity - 1.024
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate - 0
Hardness / Alk - 11.8 / 4.2
Calcium - 425
Mag - 1440

Two Kessil A160we set at 65% max intensity for 4 hours.

Only things that I can think of are it is stressed from being moved off the plug or the flow was too high as I added a Koralia 1150 to the 40 gallon breeder in addition to the (2) 425's I moved from the 20.

This looks like it is just stressed right now. They don't like too much flow either. I think you said you moved it also to a larger tank, which would also cause some stress from the slightly different parameters from tank to tank.

Other than that, I would just give it time to adapt.

This is a video of a Torch and a Frogspawn in what I think it's perfect flow for them. I know you don't have a Torch or FS, but they like similar flow. I hope this helps.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5RttxUGLYaw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

P.S. I would bring salinity a bit higher than 1.024. A reef tank should be closer to 1.026, everything else looks great.

 

[DsantaMaria]

I also use the reef crystals for salt and salifert test kits. Floating hydrometer is what I use to measure salinity. My lights run 12 hours (8-8) ramping up to their max at 12 pm and start ramping down at 4pm. Mag has been testing high and I have been told RC mixes mag high (as also I have read online).

I moved him a bit, adjusted the flow and tweaked the temperature a bit as I saw it was going above 80 degrees. It now sits at 78-79 degrees. I've also been working on raising the salinity as it was a bit higher in the 20 high. Im just surprised the brittle star didn't melt from the change.

Working 16 hr shifts gives me little time to get back on, but plenty of OT to get new corals haha.

I attached a pic of it currently, its starting to look a little better. I did dip it in a coral RX dip before moving it, so maybe something was bothering it. I also attached a picture of a frogspawn in the tank.

I appreciate all the feedback

 

[Docdiggy]

0 nitrates. A bit of everything doing very well.

 

[Docdiggy]

Op, I would give it some time. You still have polyp extension and that is a good thing.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I also use the reef crystals for salt and salifert test kits. Floating hydrometer is what I use to measure salinity. My lights run 12 hours (8-8) ramping up to their max at 12 pm and start ramping down at 4pm. Mag has been testing high and I have been told RC mixes mag high (as also I have read online).

I moved him a bit, adjusted the flow and tweaked the temperature a bit as I saw it was going above 80 degrees. It now sits at 78-79 degrees. I've also been working on raising the salinity as it was a bit higher in the 20 high. Im just surprised the brittle star didn't melt from the change.

Working 16 hr shifts gives me little time to get back on, but plenty of OT to get new corals haha.

I attached a pic of it currently, its starting to look a little better. I did dip it in a coral RX dip before moving it, so maybe something was bothering it. I also attached a picture of a frogspawn in the tank.

I appreciate all the feedback

That looks much better with great PE. Now leave it where it is, it's telling you it likes this location.

 

[Scorpius]

I would try lower alk. My tank likes to be around 7dkh. I know that sounds low, but all my lps love it with great polyp extension. My lfs runs higher alk like you and all their corals suffer low polyp extension. When their corals get to my tank they double in size.

 

[Fraggedmind]

I have 3 hammers and one of them is doing this as well. I can't really find any rhyme or reason but it did prompt my purchase of Melenarus Wrasse for this tank as well.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Here is a picture of my wall hammer. It sits on the bottom of my tank in the sand with very little flow