Issues with my hammer coral

[BlazinNitro16]

I have had my hammer for about six months and it has split heads a quite a few times in the past. My question is that my hammer doesn't seem to want to extend fully sometimes. It will go without extending a lot for month or so but then one day each head will have huge extension. Is there any reason why this happens. As far as I know all my levels are right where they should be. My hammer does indeed look healthy other than the fact that it doesn't extend as much as I would like. Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[sponger0]

What are your water parameters? Actual numbers

 

[BlazinNitro16]

Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: .02
Phosphate: 0
Ammonia: 0
Alk: 8
Cal: 450
Mag: 1400 ppm

That's pretty much it. I hope this helps. I shouldn't be the only one having this problem lol

 

[day1]

Hi there
Too much light and too much flow , can cause this , put it lower in the tank , and give it plenty of food :beer:

 

[BlazinNitro16]

Hey day1. I actually moved it all the way to the bottom after it was 3/4 up the tank. It doesn't look too bad now except one head that has recently split. Could you share with me what u would feed it. I hear some people say u don't need to feed them but others say you should. Kind of confusing lol

 

[parrdog]

Thanks for the advice, Geoff, I'm off to fatten up a hammer that I have that is being a bit grumpy.

 

[sponger0]

Hey day1. I actually moved it all the way to the bottom after it was 3/4 up the tank. It doesn't look too bad now except one head that has recently split. Could you share with me what u would feed it. I hear some people say u don't need to feed them but others say you should. Kind of confusing lol

They eat fish poop

 

[BlazinNitro16]

Is it that great of a chance that the fish poop will actually make it to the hammer? I would think it is pretty slim but is there an alternative for food that they will eat?

 

[sponger0]

any food in the water column will also benefit them. But mostly poop

 

[Psirex]

What is your lighting? What do you feed the rest of the livestock?

 

[dmh41532]

What type of light? watts? also, where is it placed in the tank? when I first purchased mine, I placed in on the sand bed. It acted like yours, so I placed it higher up and it's doing well now.

 

[BlazinNitro16]

I have a 14k evo led dimmable fixture that has great growth with all my sps and Softies. It is now at the bottom. Dmh I did the same this as you and moved it up and it opened great with long sweeper tentacles. It looked great for about two months until its doing what it's doing now. I'm not exactly sure of the wattage for the light fixture but I know it's a decent amount.

 

[day1]

Hammers do not like high light , The LED's could of affected it , now that you have placed it lower in the tank , it should improve , I feed my tank , mainly hammers , torches and other LPS a minimum of 20 cubes of Ocean nutrition frozen food per day , plus 5 types of O.N flake food , I use Mysis , Artemia , Fish eggs , Lobster eggs , Cyclops , Marine mix , Krill superba , rotifers , The fish are nice and healty and fat and the corals love it , whatever is left over after each feed , My BK supermarin 250 takes care of any left overs :beer:
I have a lot of Anthias in the tank , so i feed them heaps , my corals have improved from all this feeding :thumbsup:

 

[dmh41532]

If you have LED's try moving down a bit. Im not familiar with LED lighting though I'm told it's stronger than floresent lights. My hammer seems to like a moderate flow, not sure if that helps any.

 

[BlazinNitro16]

Thank you guys I guess it's just a waiting game now and hope it likes the less light lol