Hammer Looks Fair, Torch Looks Amazing

[mfsimmo1]

Hey Reefers,

I have a torch that looks absolutely amazing (plus a bubble coral, acan lord, mushrooms, and several zoas that all look great), but a hammer LPS that just looks just so-so…

Tank is a Fluval Flex 32.5 with Aqueon powerhead to improve flow. I installed a Fluval PS1 protein skimmer hoping that might help. For several days it did, but the hammer has shrunk again. It’s not as shrunken as it is at night, but it is not as swollen as it was a couple weeks back.

Parameters don’t seemed to have changed much. Everything else has continued to look fine (if not improved/grown slightly) .

Parameters are (API test kit):
PH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 7 approx. (under) 10 ppm, API test kit

(Salifret test kit):
KH 12.2
Magnesium 1350
Calcium 395
Phosphate 0.03

Salinity between 1.024 - 1.025

I recently did a water change and nitrates went down from 10-15 to under 5 ppm. It looked better for a few days, but became less inflated once nitrates rose back up slightly. According to API, nitrates are still under 10 ppm. I’ve heard API is not the most reliable though….

I’m thinking it may be more nitrates than what the test reflects??? Any suggestions are recommended.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Big G]

Hammers are "usually" very happy when salinity is a bit higher 1.025-26, and magnesium is 1500-1525 ish range.
API test kits are very unreliable. Upgrade that nitrate test kit if you can.

 

[mfsimmo1]

Hammers are "usually" very happy when salinity is a bit higher 1.025-26, and magnesium is 1500-1525 ish range.
API test kits are very unreliable. Upgrade that nitrate test kit if you can.

Will do. Thanks!