Hammer Corals absolutely hate my tank

[corosato]

When I upgraded to my 80 gallon tank form my E-170, the most common coral in my E-170 were Hammers. I love Euphyllia in general and was excited to have more room for several gardens to showcase them. Since upgrading all but one have kicked the bucket, and that one is barely holding on. I have torches growing and happy, I have frogspawn growing and happy, but hammers? Either the polyps bail or they slowly wither away. There's that adage of "every tank is different" which I understand but it's still frustrating some days.

(Trident tested) Parameters are: Alk: 8.5, Ca 435, Mg 1494, Nitrate hovers between 6-15, phosphate 0.01-0.03, PH 8.3. Lights are 2 Blade Grows and 1 Blade Glow.

I know there's not really going to be an "answer" here but just kind of looking for other people having upgraded and having one type of coral go "nope, hate the new neighborhood"

 

[Uncle99]

To me, the phosphate number is low, could just as well be zero. That starves out everyone.

I shoot for .1ppm so I know, even with testing error, it’s not zero. Zero is a real bad number.

 

[Shirak]

Agree on the phosphate for sure. I think the biggest change going to a new tank will be flow. Maybe the hammers are having a harder time grabbing food than the torches and frogspawn? They tend to have smaller heads and shorter tentacles. With your phosphate so low it is more important the corals are able to get particulate food to eat.

 

[corosato]

I certainly have considered doing more to raise up the phos a bit, will just make sure it's done slowly.