Hammer Coral closed

[williey]

Hi everyone,

I just got my hammer coral a day ago and placed him in my tank. He looks closed and not good. Is this normal?

 

[NonstopSoda]

He may just need time to acclimate but he looks very retracted, what are your parameters, lights, flow, and how old is the tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi everyone,

I just got my hammer coral a day ago and placed him in my tank. He looks closed and not good. Is this normal?

This is tissue recession and may be due to Too much flow, too little light intensity, calcium below 400, high phosphates and low salinity. . . a few things to check

 

[williey]

My alk is 6dkh but am currently dosing,
Ph - 7.8
Phos - 0.2
Ca - 421
Mg - 1230
ammo - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 8

My light is the prime 16hd
Flow is nero 3
Tank is about month old

 

[NonstopSoda]

My alk is 6dkh but am currently dosing,
Ph - 7.8
Phos - 0.2
Ca - 421
Mg - 1230
ammo - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 8

My light is the prime 16hd
Flow is nero 3
Tank is about month old

The mag is a little low, my hammers thrive at 1450-1500 mag. move it to a low flow and low-medium light area and see how it does. A month is also quite early to have corals especially lps so it might just be unhappy because your tank is still in the middle of settling and growing beneficial bacteria.

 

[saucetart]

Ive noticed mine likes very minimal flow

 

[kevgib67]

Your phosphate is practically zero, get your phosphate up to.05-.1 and nitrates up to 10-15. You’re dangerously close to inviting dinos.

 

[williey]

Alr thanks everyone

 

[mikst]

I'd like to piggy back on this thread and I'll post pics in the morning.

I have a 10 gallon. Has a 1 inch sand bed, lots of rock work. It's been cycled for months. Probably 5 now. I have a hob filter with lots of filter foam. In the filter compartment I have an airstone for the air pump so the water is aerated. I also have a circulation pump in the tank that provides fair flow, but not Sand storm inducing. I parked the hammer frag on some rock work in the top third of the tank, in the line of circpump flow, but not right in it where they were being battered. I have a Kessel a80 light. It's not cranked way up on intensity, trying not to fuel too much chaeto growth. It's slightly blue tinted.

I have a number of hermit crabs, detrivores, and an emerald crab.
I have a couple flavors of palys that are doing well, some gsp, and a couple mushrooms. They're all happy as can be.

I picked up a small hammer coral frag last week. It opened right up after I dipped it and introduced it to the tank. It stayed open for several days, but this Sunday it didn't open up in the morning. I can sorta see the polyps, but they're definitely not extended, still tucked in on themselves. I haven't changed anything since then.

Onto parameters. I do not have a magnesium checker. I'm using redsea salt from a friend. Next water change will be instant ocean reef salt.

Temp 76F
pH 8.05
Ca 420
Alk 10
Nitrate rides at 10
Phosphate 0.5ish
Nitrite 0, ammonia 0
Salinity 35ppt

Found some random info that hammers really like magnesium, but I don't really have a way to test that yet.

I will post pictures in the morning and hope for some light to be shed.

 

[mikst]

finally got around to having a picture. Yes I have a bunch of chaeto all around. The hammers had their polyps out for several days when I first got them, but now they've been all tucked in for the last 4 days I'd say.

 

[NonstopSoda]

finally got around to having a picture. Yes I have a bunch of chaeto all around. The hammers had their polyps out for several days when I first got them, but now they've been all tucked in for the last 4 days I'd say.

I would get a mag test just so you know what levels it at to dose or now but that might not be the cause of the problem, it looks like a goner from the picture unfortunately