Help Save Hammer

[FloridaGirl]

Well, the Hammerhead coral I placed in my tank around 3 weeks ago is not doing so well.

At first, I thought it was shedding the skin around the outside. But then on one edge, the heads just retracted and then turned to red stringy mush. It is starting to spread.

Someone recommended fragging off the end that appears to be dying. How would I do that? Would I get a hammer and screwdriver and just wack it off??

What sort of things would cause this to happen?
Should I be looking more at the water param, or the lighting/flow?

My parameters have been good every time I have checked. The flow is very low and the lighting may be suboptimal: I have 48 watts of T5 HO with individual reflectors (only almost 2 watts/gal). I have it set up relatively hihg, near the lights.

Any suggestions?
Thankyou.

 

[2crazyreefers]

IMO I would frag the dying part, just use tile nippers or something like them. Hammers cut easy. The stringy stuff is most likely brown jelly which will wipe out the rest of your coral if you do not remove it.

 

[OceanLyons]

Maybe a lugols's dip?

 

[FloridaGirl]

Well, I have had two other people say the same thing about fragging off the dying part. So I did.
I placed the still living frag in an area with greater light and flow.

I found that my alkalinity and pH are very high. I am going to get the two part alkalinity/calcium system and give that a try.

I really hope this piece survives.

How would I do a Lugol's Dip??

Any other suggestions on how this could have happen?

Thanks all.

 

[OceanLyons]

Maybe this will help?
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=687672&highlight=lugols+hammer