Hammer Coral -- Need help & advice

[kolokele]

I am new to Reef to Reef and have a nano reef question. Thanks in advance! Glad to be here.

Background - I have a Biocube 16 set up with sand & rock in Jan 2022. I took my time cycling and have slowly built up my nano reef. In my tank are mostly soft coral with a couple LPS 1 red-legged hermit crab, 1 emerald crab, 1 clown fish, 1 blue chromis, 2 tuxedo sea urchins, and a few snails. I also have some macro algae trying to take (when the urchins are not eating it, lots of little starfish and copepods.

These are my recent numbers: PH 7.97, temp 78.9, Salinity 35 ppt, Alkalinity 9.5, Magnesium 1480, CA 450. I just received my first Hanna Phosopahte tester, so I had never known that level, but today, it tested at .44, which I know is high. I added a poly filter for today to see if it reduces the phosphates. I used to use one consistently, but until recently, I could not keep any mushrooms. Right now, the new one looks amazing, so I guess the dirty water theory works for them. I also just fed the corals with reef roids last weekend, but I did a water change the next day. Also, I do a 5-gallon water change weekly. Also, I use RODI with Red Sea salt.

In the first pic, you can see my Hammer coral. It looked nice and fluffy for months, but then it took a turn and started to retract 3-4 weeks ago. In the pictures, you can see how it changed, and in the past three weeks, I see what I think are more heads. Not much has changed in the tank in the past month. I have been trying to be better at testing and supplementing (if needed), but I did add a few more corals in early November. I added a mushroom which is near the bottom of the rocks and sand, a small favia frag on the other side, and a small chalice near another low corner of a rock. The other coral, fish & inverts look good. I decided to try to move the Hammer to two different locations, but it hasn't helped, and I feel like it retracted more.

I added pics of it recently. The middle pic was Nov 20, and it is when I really noticed the 3-4 heads. Today, I decided to dip in Revive and put it back where it was originally, but now it is really ticked off and almost fully retracted.

So my questions - 1. what things cause Hammers to retract? 2. To me, it looks like it split, which I read can happen. If so, how long does it take to come back? 3. Could it be retracting due to higher phosphates? Again, I had never really tested since I did not have a reliable kit but today. I can see they are much higher than what people consider the norm. The last pic is today, right before I dipped. I would hate to lose it, but I'm not sure what else to do. Thanks.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Do you run carbon? All those leathers (in a small tank) could be releasing toxins that slowly affect the hammer.

I had this happen once to my purple plate, over 3 months it slowly turned grey due to leather toxins. Once I added carbon and positioned a powerhead on top of the plate to push water away from it, it turned purple again and has been fine since.

 

[Dburr1014]

I am new to Reef to Reef and have a nano reef question. Thanks in advance! Glad to be here.

Background - I have a Biocube 16 set up with sand & rock in Jan 2022. I took my time cycling and have slowly built up my nano reef. In my tank are mostly soft coral with a couple LPS 1 red-legged hermit crab, 1 emerald crab, 1 clown fish, 1 blue chromis, 2 tuxedo sea urchins, and a few snails. I also have some macro algae trying to take (when the urchins are not eating it, lots of little starfish and copepods.

These are my recent numbers: PH 7.97, temp 78.9, Salinity 35 ppt, Alkalinity 9.5, Magnesium 1480, CA 450. I just received my first Hanna Phosopahte tester, so I had never known that level, but today, it tested at .44, which I know is high. I added a poly filter for today to see if it reduces the phosphates. I used to use one consistently, but until recently, I could not keep any mushrooms. Right now, the new one looks amazing, so I guess the dirty water theory works for them. I also just fed the corals with reef roids last weekend, but I did a water change the next day. Also, I do a 5-gallon water change weekly. Also, I use RODI with Red Sea salt.

In the first pic, you can see my Hammer coral. It looked nice and fluffy for months, but then it took a turn and started to retract 3-4 weeks ago. In the pictures, you can see how it changed, and in the past three weeks, I see what I think are more heads. Not much has changed in the tank in the past month. I have been trying to be better at testing and supplementing (if needed), but I did add a few more corals in early November. I added a mushroom which is near the bottom of the rocks and sand, a small favia frag on the other side, and a small chalice near another low corner of a rock. The other coral, fish & inverts look good. I decided to try to move the Hammer to two different locations, but it hasn't helped, and I feel like it retracted more.

I added pics of it recently. The middle pic was Nov 20, and it is when I really noticed the 3-4 heads. Today, I decided to dip in Revive and put it back where it was originally, but now it is really ticked off and almost fully retracted.

So my questions - 1. what things cause Hammers to retract? 2. To me, it looks like it split, which I read can happen. If so, how long does it take to come back? 3. Could it be retracting due to higher phosphates? Again, I had never really tested since I did not have a reliable kit but today. I can see they are much higher than what people consider the norm. The last pic is today, right before I dipped. I would hate to lose it, but I'm not sure what else to do. Thanks.

What phosphate tester is that?
There are 3 models.

As Mojo said, not a bad idea to run some GAC.

 

[kolokele]

Do you run carbon? All those leathers (in a small tank) could be releasing toxins that slowly affect the hammer.

I had this happen once to my purple plate, over 3 months it slowly turned grey due to leather toxins. Once I added carbon and positioned a powerhead on top of the plate to push water away from it, it turned purple again and has been fine since.

If you mean a carbon scrubber, I do not have one. But I do put a small bag of carbon on the filter area. I’ll change out the bag today. It’s been a while. Thanks for sharing your experience. Really appreciate it also didn’t realize the leathers did that. Thanks.

 

[kolokele]

What phosphate tester is that?
There are 3 models.

As Mojo said, not a bad idea to run some GAC.

I bought Hanna Ultra low phosphate tester. Also bought one for alkalinity. My ph rarely stays above 8. I’ve tried various things. I was using my LFS sterilized sea water for a long time but switched to Rodi with Red Sea as it looked like the PH & other elements were higher overall. It’s now hovering around 8. Thanks.

 

[Dburr1014]

Yes, po4 @ 0.4 is high.
Do you happen to know your nitrates? I suspect they may be low.
Have you had any other changes you know of?

Splitting doesn't cause them to receed on the flesh. Thinking out loud, maybe they could receed from using more energy to split. But it shouldn't be long term.
High flow would cause then to not come out.
Low lighting can cause then to receed from not getting enough energy and using reserves.
Do you feed them?

 

[kevgib67]

Yes, po4 @ 0.4 is high.
Do you happen to know your nitrates? I suspect they may be low.
Have you had any other changes you know of?

Splitting doesn't cause them to receed on the flesh. Thinking out loud, maybe they could receed from using more energy to split. But it shouldn't be long term.
High flow would cause then to not come out.
Low lighting can cause then to receed from not getting enough energy and using reserves.
Do you feed them?

Ya , was wondering about nitrates as well. All parameters look good except phosphate and I think your right about nitrates being close to bottoming out. The only other factors are flow and light. This seems fixable but it won’t be over night.

 

[kolokele]

Yes, po4 @ 0.4 is high.
Do you happen to know your nitrates? I suspect they may be low.
Have you had any other changes you know of?

Splitting doesn't cause them to receed on the flesh. Thinking out loud, maybe they could receed from using more energy to split. But it shouldn't be long term.
High flow would cause then to not come out.
Low lighting can cause then to receed from not getting enough energy and using reserves.
Do you feed them?

I do not know the Nitrates, but I was going to buy the Hanna tester for that as my kits do not include it, although I might have an old API test. I wasn't feeding a lot but have done so before each water change lately. But with the high phosphate, I am wondering if that is the issue. The key changes at that time were the new coral I mentioned. I also added more macro algae in October in hopes of some to root. Btu my urchins are eating most of it.

 

[kolokele]

Ya , was wondering about nitrates as well. All parameters look good except phosphate and I think your right about nitrates being close to bottoming out. The only other factors are flow and light. This seems fixable but it won’t be over night.

I had one Phosphate remover left from SeaChem, so I started this today. Maybe that will help. Last winter I switched my biocube to Steve's Leds hood lights. Is the position in the tank in the middle toward the top okay for Hammer or too much? Or should it be on the sand? The flow has never changed. I bought the hammer in May/June and it looked great all summer and fall even through a tough week when I went on vacation and could not clean my tank for 2 weeks.

 

[kevgib67]

I had one Phosphate remover left from SeaChem, so I started this today. Maybe that will help. Last winter I switched my biocube to Steve's Leds hood lights. Is the position in the tank in the middle toward the top okay for Hammer or too much? Or should it be on the sand? The flow has never changed. I bought the hammer in May/June and it looked great all summer and fall even through a tough week when I went on vacation and could not clean my tank for 2 weeks.

I’m familiar with Steve’s, they put out a lot more par than the stock lights. Probably 100-120 par is about right for hammers. I would avoid the sand as it can be irritating.

 

[kolokele]

I added a Seachem phosphate remover yesterday, and it is working slowly - today, it was .34 (down by .1 in 24 hours). Since my one mushroom coral looks amazing right now, what is the sweet spot to keep them happy? .1? But the hammer is still retracted and not happy, but it still appears to be alive. Tomorrow, I will do a water change - maybe that will help. Not sure what else to do for my poor hammer!