Hammer skeleton showing

[cdemoss01]

Hello,
Today I was doing some maintenance when I looked at my hammer and noticed it's showing it's skeleton and it's polyps are closed up a lot. It's been partially closed for about 3 months now from high nitrages however I have not been able to get them down enough. How long would you say I have with it before it dies? I'm putting a fuge in very soon if I can get my mesh guard in. Any ideas on a mesh guard and anything I can do to get rid of my GHA and revive my hammer?

 

[NonstopSoda]

Any photos under white light? also please list parameters, lights, flow on the hammer.

 

[cdemoss01]

Any photos under white light? also please list parameters, lights, flow on the hammer.

It at night you can see the skeleton

 

[NonstopSoda]

It at night you can see the skeleton

hmmm theres quite a bit of GHA so it might be getting choked out by the surrounding algae, It could also be starving because the algae is taking away the nutrients it needs.

 

[cdemoss01]

hmmm theres quite a bit of GHA so it might be getting choked out by the surrounding algae, It could also be starving because the algae is taking away the nutrients it needs.

Nitrates have been high for months I'll try to remove some of the algae.

 

[NonstopSoda]

Nitrates have been high for months I'll try to remove some of the algae.

Try to get rid of as much as possible by hand and then I would recommend bolstering your CUC with a pincusion urchin and a lot of snails to try to clear out the rest. I would do a big water change and see if you could get nirates to around 10-20 ppm

 

[NonstopSoda]

Oh also if you have a protein skimmer, run the protein skimmer

 

[cdemoss01]

Try to get rid of as much as possible by hand and then I would recommend bolstering your CUC with a pincusion urchin and a lot of snails to try to clear out the rest. I would do a big water change and see if you could get nirates to around 10-20 ppm

I got a red urchin he's literally just stuck to the glass even when I move him. He's red and green. Could I put another urchin in and what snails would you say?

 

[vetteguy53081]

It at night you can see the skeleton

This is tissue recession and often occurs from light too bright, too much water flow, high phosphate, elevated salinity and starvation (feed them mysis shrimp)

 

[cdemoss01]

This is tissue recession and often occurs from light too bright, too much water flow, high phosphate, elevated salinity and starvation (feed them mysis shrimp)

I've got mysis shrimp will do. Any thoughts on my red urchin just sticking to glass?

 

[cdemoss01]

Would a Midas blenny do me any good?

 

[NonstopSoda]

I got a red urchin he's literally just stuck to the glass even when I move him. He's red and green. Could I put another urchin in and what snails would you say?

I would say pincuision urchins are best for GHA, as for snails Trochus, Astreas,Mexican Turbo,Ceriths, and Nerites all eat GHA but a lot of them only eat it when its trimmed back.

 

[cdemoss01]

I would say pincuision urchins are best for GHA, as for snails Trochus, Astreas,Mexican Turbo,Ceriths, and Nerites all eat GHA but a lot of them only eat it when its trimmed back.

Does anything eat it when it's bushy sort of? Sea hares?

 

[NonstopSoda]

Does anything eat it when it's bushy sort of? Sea hares?

I do not know too much about sea hares but Im pretty sure they do..? Don't take my word for it though cause i've never owned one personally

 

[cdemoss01]

I do not know too much about sea hares but Im pretty sure they do..? Don't take my word for it though cause i've never owned one personally

Alr it's good

 

[NonstopSoda]

Alr it's good

I would give it a try though, they're quite cute and Ive heard of them as "green eating machines" I think the only downside is that when they die they ink the tank?

 

[NonstopSoda]

Also once you get a fuge up and running just stuff it full of chaeto to keep your nirates in check and to ensure that the GHA or any other type of algae doesn't take it instead.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've got mysis shrimp will do. Any thoughts on my red urchin just sticking to glass?

Its either working on a food source or if losing needles, dying

 

[cdemoss01]

Its either working on a food source or if losing needles, dying

All it does is eat off the glass. I've moved it but it won't stay on rocks

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I agree the algae is the main problem. Once algae starts to win the battle for the reef, the corals have no chance. You have to bring your tank back into balance.