Hammer Coral Help

[Pigheadedrex]

Hello,

I added a smaller double head hammer coral to my tank about a month ago and it seems to be struggling. When I first added it to my reef it seemed fine, it went through a standard ‘break in’ period for the first 3 days where it didn’t inflate at all, then it seemed to thrive. Slowly as time went on it started to recede and is now barley visible, and occasionally I see just the tips cresting over the skeleton. My water parameters are all well within range. This is a nano 20 gallon reef tank, with kessil a80 tuna blue lighting. The frag itself is low to mid level of my tank and out of the direct flow of my power head and filter outflow.

Just looking for hints and suggestions on what can be done to help it thrive like the day I bought it.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Brew12]

Hello,

I added a smaller double head hammer coral to my tank about a month ago and it seems to be struggling. When I first added it to my reef it seemed fine, it went through a standard ‘break in’ period for the first 3 days where it didn’t inflate at all, then it seemed to thrive. Slowly as time went on it started to recede and is now barley visible, and occasionally I see just the tips cresting over the skeleton. My water parameters are all well within range. This is a nano 20 gallon reef tank, with kessil a80 tuna blue lighting. The frag itself is low to mid level of my tank and out of the direct flow of my power head and filter outflow.

Just looking for hints and suggestions on what can be done to help it thrive like the day I bought it.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

My experience is that hammers struggle when nutrients are too low. When you say your parameters are "all well within range" what are your NO3 and PO4 values?

 

[Pigheadedrex]

My last check/cleaning was done on Tuesday and my NO3 was .25ppm and PO4 .08

 

[Vibrant Orange Zoanthids]

I'm very new to the hobby, but I have an abundance of hammer coral in my tank. About 7 heads. They're very hardy and haven't much reacted to changes in the water, but they have 'shrunk' in the past because of lighting issues. Perhaps you should check your bulbs if they're reaching a good age?

 

[DSC reef]

With a nano tank, chemistry swings can happen easy and fast. Alkalinity, calcium, etc. Could be the culprit if not monitored regularly. Welcome to R2R.

 

[Pigheadedrex]

This image (the one where it is barley out) is about what I see daily and sometimes worse.

This image (the one in full bloom) is what it was like as of 11/4.

With a nano tank, chemistry swings can happen easy and fast. Alkalinity, calcium, etc. Could be the culprit if not monitored regularly. Welcome to R2R.

I run parameter checks and do water changes every 2-3 days. All of my sps corals are thriving. The only lps I have is the hammer and it just seems to be struggling. I currently run the Kessil A80 Tuna Blue light, it stated on their site that I could handle lps coral. I currently have it set at about half on the color dial (being half blue and half white light) and I have the intensity set to about 3/4. Is the lighting not as sufficient for lps as I thought?

 

[DSC reef]

The light is capable. I would watch for swings in alkalinity. How big are your water changes?

 

[Pigheadedrex]

The light is capable. I would watch for swings in alkalinity. How big are your water changes?

I usually do about 3 gallons per change. My usuall water change/cleaning/parameter check days are Sunday and Wednesday, additional when I have the time.

 

[westmichigan]

My hammer likes very little light. (Hydra 52s cranked up pretty high) he didn't open up until I put him underneath an overhang in a low flow area. Don't move it around more than nessasary but if it's not happy try lower flow and lower light. It looks to be relatively high in your tank.

 

[Pigheadedrex]

My hammer likes very little light. (Hydra 52s cranked up pretty high) he didn't open up until I put him underneath an overhang in a low flow area. Don't move it around more than nessasary but if it's not happy try lower flow and lower light. It looks to be relatively high in your tank.

Thanks for the suggestion, I turned down the lights as far as it would allow me before turning off last night. I will take a look this afternoon once my lights come on and everything has an opportunity to wake up.

 

[Pigheadedrex]

Quick update, pretty sure it is now dead, which I cannot figure out because everything else is doing great. Bummer, but part of the hobby I suppose.

Thanks everyone who contributed.

 

[Brew12]

Quick update, pretty sure it is now dead, which I cannot figure out because everything else is doing great. Bummer, but part of the hobby I suppose.

Thanks everyone who contributed.

I'm sorry you lost it. Trying to figure out how to keep everything happy can be a challenge.

My last check/cleaning was done on Tuesday and my NO3 was .25ppm and PO4 .08

I suspect your NO3 may be too low. LPS and softies do like having more nutrients in the water. If you are worried or wonder where you should keep them, I recommend reading this.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tank-parameters-of-some-masters.263/