Wall Hammer Losing Tissue

[ReeferFive-0]

I've had this aquarium set up for around two and a half years and recently made some changes including an AI Prime 16HD light (using acclimation mode), added more flow, and started growing chaeto in the back chamber of my modified Biocube 32. Recently I have been diligent about keeping parameters stable and most corals are growing and doing great. However my wall hammer I purchased 2 months ago is losing tissue right in the middle section. There was a large aiptasia on the rock directly behind it, but I assumed it was too far to irritate the hammer. I just nuked it with Aiptasia-X yesterday. I did my usual weekly water change and lightly blew it off with a turkey baster, as it's on my sand bed, and polyps just blew right off. The middle section is affected, but the ends seem to be alright for now. All other soft, SPS, and LPS seem to be doing well. Here are my parameters as of 4/10:
Salinity: 1.025
Nitrate: 6.4
Phosphate: 0.09
Alk: 8.9
Cal: 450
Mag: 1350
I did a couple 5 gallon water changes back to back and today my Nitrate is 4.4, Phosphate 0.09, and Alk 9.3. I didn't test the rest as they stay very consistent. I did dose Nitrate a couple times, as the chaeto was depleting it quick and it was on its way to bottoming out. I'll attach pictures from today.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

You could try an iodine dip

 

[Reefing_addiction]

You may still lose it walls are finicky creatures

 

[VintageReefer]

You will most likely loose this as it’s one polyp inflicted from the center and spreading outwards. Might be brown jelly disease. Can happen from fish biting at it or an injury of some kind or even stress

Wall Hammer coral is difficult to frag and save but I have done it before. All exposed skeleton section is prone to algae and detritus and is basically an open wound that won’t heal giving further risk to remaining healthy sections.

You would need to cut into 3 sections. Two good healthy frags and then middle section is discarded. New artificial wall needs to be made in the cut side of the two good pieces. Superglue gel is antibacterial and can make a wall that hardens and is sterile. I have a thread I created documenting this process. I was successful but didn’t know it was a fish biting that caused the injury in the first place. After I saved my hammer and it recovered from my surgery, a week later the fish went back to biting it and bjd returned and I lost it

 

[ReeferFive-0]

You may still lose it walls are finicky creatures

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.

You will most likely loose this as it’s one polyp inflicted from the center and spreading outwards. Might be brown jelly disease. Can happen from fish biting at it or an injury of some kind or even stress

Wall Hammer coral is difficult to frag and save but I have done it before. All exposed skeleton section is prone to algae and detritus and is basically an open wound that won’t heal giving further risk to remaining healthy sections.

You would need to cut into 3 sections. Two good healthy frags and then middle section is discarded. New artificial wall needs to be made in the cut side of the two good pieces. Superglue gel is antibacterial and can make a wall that hardens and is sterile. I have a thread I created documenting this process. I was successful but didn’t know it was a fish biting that caused the injury in the first place. After I saved my hammer and it recovered from my surgery, a week later the fish went back to biting it and bjd returned and I lost it

Thank you for this information. I know many people here use a band saw for fragging. If I don't have one, will a hacksaw work or would a table saw be better? I think I'll attempt cutting next week. However I realize that saving it is a long shot.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've had this aquarium set up for around two and a half years and recently made some changes including an AI Prime 16HD light (using acclimation mode), added more flow, and started growing chaeto in the back chamber of my modified Biocube 32. Recently I have been diligent about keeping parameters stable and most corals are growing and doing great. However my wall hammer I purchased 2 months ago is losing tissue right in the middle section. There was a large aiptasia on the rock directly behind it, but I assumed it was too far to irritate the hammer. I just nuked it with Aiptasia-X yesterday. I did my usual weekly water change and lightly blew it off with a turkey baster, as it's on my sand bed, and polyps just blew right off. The middle section is affected, but the ends seem to be alright for now. All other soft, SPS, and LPS seem to be doing well. Here are my parameters as of 4/10:
Salinity: 1.025
Nitrate: 6.4
Phosphate: 0.09
Alk: 8.9
Cal: 450
Mag: 1350
I did a couple 5 gallon water changes back to back and today my Nitrate is 4.4, Phosphate 0.09, and Alk 9.3. I didn't test the rest as they stay very consistent. I did dose Nitrate a couple times, as the chaeto was depleting it quick and it was on its way to bottoming out. I'll attach pictures from today.

These are perhaps one of the most challenging of hammer /euphyllia group. Often happens in environment with too much flow, high salinity, high phosphate and low calcium which is needed for it skeleton

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.

Thank you for this information. I know many people here use a band saw for fragging. If I don't have one, will a hacksaw work or would a table saw be better? I think I'll attempt cutting next week. However I realize that saving it is a long shot.

I would go with a dermal and a diamond blade before a table saw or hack saw

 

[ReeferFive-0]

I would go with a dermal and a diamond blade before a table saw or hack saw

I have one...but I don't like how this tends to throw dust and debris everywhere so I stopped using it for fragging....plus if it gets slightly wet I get zapped.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I have one...but I don't like how this tends to throw dust and debris everywhere so I stopped using it for fragging....plus if it gets slightly wet I get zapped.

You use a diamond blade?

If your hands get wet and water drips into the dermal I could see getting zapped.

From my reading and understanding from talking to local reefers who frag their hammers it’s the best way because you reduce the risk of fracturing the skeleton. And it makes a clean cut.

https://a.co/d/913O1s8

https://a.co/d/3PRLNhi

 

[VintageReefer]

I followed old school advice and used a hammer and chisel

I documented in a thread I made

Fragging Wall hammer - attempt to save

Noticed my gold wall hammer that I’ve had for almost 3 years had a section that hasn’t fully opened in about 2 weeks. Today taking pics notice it’s receding in a spot and looks bad I picked it up and a long bristleworm came out of the spot that was receding. Taking the colony out of the water...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[ReeferFive-0]

You use a diamond blade?

If your hands get wet and water drips into the dermal I could see getting zapped.

From my reading and understanding from talking to local reefers who frag their hammers it’s the best way because you reduce the risk of fracturing the skeleton. And it makes a clean cut.

https://a.co/d/913O1s8

https://a.co/d/3PRLNhi

Yes a Dremel with the diamond wheel. Of course, the dust could be from hitting frag plugs too. I never used one to cut hammers before.

 

[kevgib67]

I’ve used a dremel with a diamond blade many times with torches, hammers and frogspawn. Cuts through like butter. But I have never used it on wall hammers, I’ve avoided them due to the reasons explained above.

 

[Doctorgori]

I’ve used a dremel with a diamond blade many times with torches, hammers and frogspawn. Cuts through like butter. But I have never used it on wall hammers, I’ve avoided them due to the reasons explained above.

Just a historical chime in but large “brown” wall hammer used to show up all the time in days of yore….I think their poor survivability cut demand to the point few would carry them….
Aqua SD has a sweet one for $200 right now
Aqua SD Wall Hammer



Price ain’t bad but I’m gonna pass

 

[ReeferFive-0]

I followed the advice given and chopped the ends off last night. Here is the update thread. Thank you for all the recommendations.
Thread 'I just fragged my wall hammer in an attempt to save it' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i-just-fragged-my-wall-hammer-in-an-attempt-to-save-it.1048503/