Hammer coral closing up

[joeman829]

Recently bought some frags from my lfs. Got a candy cane, an acan, zoa, and hammer. Zoas have some hair alge that needs taking care of, my acans look happy, candy cane looks ok, but since I bought my hammer it hasn’t opened up great and now it’s closing. It’s a new reef tank, salinity is at 1.024-1.025 and ph is 8.0-8.2. Pics below

 

[Tcook]

These do better in older more stable tank. How long have you had it? How long has this tank been running? We will also need Alk, Ca, NO3, PO4, Mg.

 

[joeman829]

These do better in older more stable tank. How long have you had it? How long has this tank been running? We will also need Alk, Ca, NO3, PO4, Mg.

I’ve had all the frags for 5 days, nitrate is 0-5ppm, Can’t test anything else right now as I’m not home

 

[Cyanohater]

il

I’ve had all the frags for 5 days, nitrate is 0-5ppm, Can’t test anything else right now as I’m not home

l say this hammers, Octospawn, frogspawn, and torches tend to like a little bit dirtier water. So try to check phosphates and maybe try and feed him a little. I agree these corals tend too like older systems better.

 

[DarthChaos]

I’ve had all the frags for 5 days, nitrate is 0-5ppm, Can’t test anything else right now as I’m not home

No3 too low - you need to know Po4. Nutrients are extremely important to corals - LPS & SPS.

Coral is stressed....and probably hungry.

 

[joeman829]

No3 too low - you need to know Po4. Nutrients are extremely important to corals - LPS & SPS.

Coral is stressed....and probably hungry.

I fed them all some reef roids the other day should I feed them more

 

[joeman829]

il

l say this hammers, Octospawn, frogspawn, and torches tend to like a little bit dirtier water. So try to check phosphates and maybe try and feed him a little. I agree these corals tend too like older systems better.

Do the hammer and the candy cane both like older systems? I have a stably pod population in the tank do they eat those?

 

[Tcook]

I would try some mysis at lights out as was suggested. Pick up a Salifert PO4 test or take some water to the LFS for testing. You'll want to target your nitrates around 10 and phosphate at least 0.05 keep alk and salinity stable. Do you have an ATO?

 

[Cyanohater]

Do the hammer and the candy cane both like older systems? I have a stably pod population in the tank do they eat those?

How old is the tank. (I'm sorry if this was already answered.)

 

[joeman829]

I would try some mysis at lights out as was suggested. Pick up a Salifert PO4 test or take some water to the LFS for testing. You'll want to target your nitrates around 10 and phosphate at least 0.05 keep alk and salinity stable. Do you have an ATO?

No I don’t have an Ato but I’m relatively good with topping the tank off, unless ATO means something different?

 

[joeman829]

How old is the tank. (I'm sorry if this was already answered.)

2 months old

 

[Tcook]

2 months old

Ahhhh! A bit too soon for euphyllia. So you need to work on keeping things very stable. Match parameters of water change to your tank. Get the NO3 and PO4 up. What size tank is this?

 

[joeman829]

Ahhhh! A bit too soon for euphyllia. So you need to work on keeping things very stable. Match parameters of water change to your tank. Get the NO3 and PO4 up. What size tank is this?

It’s a 24g nano, I have a NO3 increaser but idk if should use it or should I increase feedings?

 

[Tcook]

It’s a 24g nano, I have a NO3 increaser but idk if should use it or should I increase feedings?

You can try the feedings. Check NO3 and PO4 regularly. I had to dose PO4 for the first 6-8 months or it would bottom out.

 

[olonmv]

I fed them all some reef roids the other day should I feed them more

Don’t feed reef roids without knowing your P04. Reef roids can sky rocket P04 levels in no time.

 

[joeman829]

You can try the feedings. Check NO3 and PO4 regularly. I had to dose PO4 for the first 6-8 months or it would bottom out.

Ok, looks like I need to pick up a phosphate test kit tomorrow. Any brand you recommend?

 

[Tcook]

Ok, looks like I need to pick up a phosphate test kit tomorrow. Any brand you recommend?

Salifert

 

[joeman829]

Salifert

Well, found my problem anyway. All the nutrient readings came out ok, mag 1540, alk 10.6, cal I’m gonna have to retest, but ammonia is at 1ppm, and nitrite is at .25 ppm. How big of a water change do I do. I can’t do one now as it’s too late but I’m going to do a deep clean and at least a 40 percent water change. I have poly filter and prime water conditioner in to detoxify the ammonia and nitrite.

 

[fishgirljockey]

il

l say this hammers, Octospawn, frogspawn, and torches tend to like a little bit dirtier water. So try to check phosphates and maybe try and feed him a little. I agree these corals tend too like older systems better.

This is true, my hammer is so dang huge when my tank is cloudy and dirty. He loves loves lovesssss dirty butt water lol He looks 4 times his size the dirtier the tank is