Hammer coral thoughts?

[Peristaltic_Rush]

Hey all I am thinking about a wall hammer in the middle on the shelf rock. I do not have any experience with LPS. And so far I have zoas and a clove polyp island center toward the front . Base rock on the bottom will hopefully be the zoa garden.

Parameters are and have been very stable now. System is about 6 months old seeded coraline is finally establishing itself on the back glass and power heads. Can’t really tell on the colored rock.

Next coral I’m debating is a hammer, either branching or wall. Flow in that are is moderate as the return comes out there.

Looking for thoughts or suggestions.

 

[VintageReefer]

Many people don’t like wall hammer for two reasons
1) can’t frag it
2) it’s 1 head so if it gets sick, can’t frag it

But

1) it grows slower than branching hammer and takes up less space. I put in 2 head branching hammer and 1.5 year later it’s massive 25 head colony which looks great, but now takes a lot of space and shading other corals. Will need to remove from rock (it’s epoxied ugh) and frag

2) they are just as durable as branching hammer. It’s one large head instead of a lot of smaller ones. Same conditions and requirements.

My wall hammers are roughly same size as they were a year ago, fluffier and a little bigger, but overall I don’t have to worry about them outgrowing their space.

I also had a massive gold one, U shaped, for 3 years and only lost it due to a new fish that decided to become a lps eater and kept biting it (filefish). He’s gone now

 

[thamnasteroid]

Many people don’t like wall hammer for two reasons
1) can’t frag it
2) it’s 1 head so if it gets sick, can’t frag it

But

1) it grows slower than branching hammer and takes up less space. I put in 2 head branching hammer and 1.5 year later it’s massive 25 head colony which looks great, but now takes a lot of space and shading other corals. Will need to remove from rock (it’s epoxied ugh) and frag

2) they are just as durable as branching hammer. It’s one large head instead of a lot of smaller ones. Same conditions and requirements.

My wall hammers are roughly same size as they were a year ago, fluffier and a little bigger, but overall I don’t have to worry about them outgrowing their space.

I also had a massive gold one, U shaped, for 3 years and only lost it due to a new fish that decided to become a lps eater and kept biting it (filefish). He’s gone now

I've always wondered, if you can't frag wall Fimbriaphyllia, then how do exporters collect them in the first place?

 

[VintageReefer]

I've always wondered, if you can't frag wall Fimbriaphyllia, then how do exporters collect them in the first place?

From examining skeleton they appear to grow fused to a rock surface and broken/carved off

I have successfully fragged wall hammer and it is difficult, and obvious. There are techniques. But keep in mind that when you make your cut, there is now going to be an entire side with fully exposed innards. You need to construct a wall/skeleton to act as the 4th side. This can be functional but it’s obvious to anyone inspecting it.

I can tell looking at any of my wall hammers That the skeleton is natural and the frag/cut came from below, indicating it grew attached to something

 

[VintageReefer]

I've always wondered, if you can't frag wall Fimbriaphyllia, then how do exporters collect them in the first place?

From examining skeleton they appear to grow fused to a rock surface and broken/carved off

I have successfully fragged wall hammer and it is difficult, and obvious. There are techniques. But keep in mind that when you make your cut, there is now going to be an entire side with fully exposed innards. You need to construct a wall/skeleton to act as the 4th side. This can be functional but it’s obvious to anyone inspecting it.

I can tell looking at any of my wall hammers That the skeleton is natural and the frag/cut came from below, indicating it grew attached to something

My wall Hammer fragging pics - I generally say it’s not possible because it’s beyond avg reefer capabilities

Rebuilt artificial skeletal wall

Healing

Healed

 

[Science/G]

My wall Hammer fragging pics - I generally say it’s not possible because it’s beyond avg reefer capabilities

Rebuilt artificial skeletal wall

Healing

Healed

Freaking Awesome work!

 

[Peristaltic_Rush]

Wow very cool! And thanks for the tie bit of information. I’ll probably do a couple types of branching on either end. And if they get too close frag them.

I will need to do a bit more research on parameters mainly mg and calcium.

Started small back into this hobby.

 

[VintageReefer]

Freaking Awesome work!

Thank you

As mentioned, upon inspection it will be obvious one side of the wall is artificial, but when the coral is open it’s not noticeable.

I guess my whole point is
Yes, with skill and technique you can frag wall hammer

But

The wall hammer we buy are not frags, as it would be obvious and easy to identify. We buy solid colonies and the only cut point is from below, which makes me think they are cut off of a reef structure.

How do they start to grow? No idea. I assume a spawning event has buds form that attach to rock and when the colony is large enough it’s cut off the reef from below the mantle

 

[thamnasteroid]

From examining skeleton they appear to grow fused to a rock surface and broken/carved off

I have successfully fragged wall hammer and it is difficult, and obvious. There are techniques. But keep in mind that when you make your cut, there is now going to be an entire side with fully exposed innards. You need to construct a wall/skeleton to act as the 4th side. This can be functional but it’s obvious to anyone inspecting it.

I can tell looking at any of my wall hammers That the skeleton is natural and the frag/cut came from below, indicating it grew attached to something

I mean yeah, they're attached to the rockwork, but my point is that wild colonies are often pretty large. How do they break off a single piece without harming the health of either the piece or wild colony?

 

[VintageReefer]

I mean yeah, they're attached to the rockwork, but my point is that wild colonies are often pretty large. How do they break off a single piece without harming the health of either the piece or wild colony?

I think they break off babies that are 1-5”

 

[thamnasteroid]

I think they break off babies that are 1-5”

i see.

 

[Peristaltic_Rush]

Ended up pulling the trigger on this 1” splatter hammer