Hammer corals not doing well (Mesenterial Filaments)

[dflightx]

Hi everyone, I need help with my rainbow, green, splatter, and mint hammer corals. I'm fairly new to salties and had my first tank given to me, Biocube 29 gal Oceanic, about 4 months ago. Last week, my hammers are starting to retract, then i did about 50% water on Saturday (01/25/25), tested the water the next day with API Reef Master (I know its not the greatest test kit), and Salifert Magnesium and PH. (Result on picture) So I decided to slowly dose my aquarium and it fairly did anything to the hammers. I only have 2 Clowns, 1 Chromis, 1Royal Gramma, peppermint, Cleaner shrimp, and some snails. I also started checking for pest and I dont think I see anything, I dipped all my corals before adding them to the tank with Coral Rx.

The other day I consulted to another fish store and they think its because my nitrates are very low but the rest are good since I started dosing, so I gradually increase the food (frozen mysis) daily and it just keeps shrinking. I also run the tank with Nero 3 (low setting), Ai Prime (38% on first 4), UV sterilizer, bubble magnus nano protein skimmer, and its been like since I started reefing, didn't change anything on settings.

I'm thinking of dipping it with Lugol's but I'm not sure if it'll help or just make it worst.

I also include the test results from yesterday on the pictures.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Hi, parameters look fine-ish, so can we hear about your lighting and flow? In 2 pics the water surface is very flat, do you have a skimmer on the tank, how do you oxygenate the water?

 

[TX_REEF]

phosphates are quite high compared to 1ppm nitrate, that can cause coral unhappiness in my experience

 

[crabwizard89]

Are your phosphate test results also from API? Their tests don't show low range phosphate levels and bottom out at .25. I would get a different phosphate test and check that again--IME my hammers always let me know when there's too much phosphate as they tend to withdraw once it starts going above .1

 

[dflightx]

Hi, parameters look fine-ish, so can we hear about your lighting and flow? In 2 pics the water surface is very flat, do you have a skimmer on the tank, how do you oxygenate the water?

My lighting is set to 38% with prime (i didn’t use parmeter) the placements has been like that for months and I also have decent indirect flow for the hammers because I also have a torch coral close to it. I do have protein skimmer, the water might appeared flat because i turned everything off for feeding or to take picture.

 

[dflightx]

phosphates are quite high compared to 1ppm nitrate, that can cause coral unhappiness in my experience

Yeah, phosphate and nitrates result aren’t accurate because it only gives ranges for API test kit, more like a guessing game

 

[dflightx]

Are your phosphate test results also from API? Their tests don't show low range phosphate levels and bottom out at .25. I would get a different phosphate test and check that again--IME my hammers always let me know when there's too much phosphate as they tend to withdraw once it starts going above .1

Yes, phosphates are definitely less than .25 but with api test kit I couldn’t really tell the exact numbers. I just sent out an ICP test today so we’ll see how it goes once I get the results.

 

[VintageReefer]

38% on ch 1-4 on a prime? Roughly 30g tank?

Your par is probably drastically low

I ran my 15g with a prime 16hd and most channels were 70-80%, aside from red, green and white

 

[TX_REEF]

Yes, phosphates are definitely less than .25 but with api test kit I couldn’t really tell the exact numbers. I just sent out an ICP test today so we’ll see how it goes once I get the results.

You should also purchase reliable tests for nitrate and phosphate, it’s cheaper and easier than regularly sending out ICP tests

 

[crabwizard89]

Yes, phosphates are definitely less than .25 but with api test kit I couldn’t really tell the exact numbers. I just sent out an ICP test today so we’ll see how it goes once I get the results.

As @TX_REEF said, I would purchase more accurate test kits. I know they're expensive, but an ICP test is like 2/3s the cost of a Hanna phosphate checker. It seems like a lot, but that was my first "expensive" test kit and well worth the price. You can skate by with API for most tests, but definitely worth it and cheaper/faster to invest in a proper phosphate test kit, like Hanna or Salifert

 

[dflightx]

38% on ch 1-4 on a prime? Roughly 30g tank?

Your par is probably drastically low

I ran my 15g with a prime 16hd and most channels were 70-80%, aside from red, green and white

Do you do mixed reef? I only have LPS & softies so idk I think its enough(?)

 

[dflightx]

You should also purchase reliable tests for nitrate and phosphate, it’s cheaper and easier than regularly sending out ICP tests

Yes I’m getting the salifert ones after the ICP test for regular testing

 

[dflightx]

As @TX_REEF said, I would purchase more accurate test kits. I know they're expensive, but an ICP test is like 2/3s the cost of a Hanna phosphate checker. It seems like a lot, but that was my first "expensive" test kit and well worth the price. You can skate by with API for most tests, but definitely worth it and cheaper/faster to invest in a proper phosphate test kit, like Hanna or Salifert

Yes will be getting different test kits soon

 

[VintageReefer]

Do you do mixed reef? I only have LPS & softies so idk I think its enough(?)

It was zoa, Goni, torch, mostly lps

 

[dflightx]

It was zoa, Goni, torch, mostly lps

Okay I'll try slowly increase my light intensity and see what happens.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

My lighting is set to 38% with prime (i didn’t use parmeter) the placements has been like that for months and I also have decent indirect flow for the hammers because I also have a torch coral close to it. I do have protein skimmer, the water might appeared flat because i turned everything off for feeding or to take picture.

If you mean 1 AI Prime 16 on a 29 gallon tank set at 38%, then this is the problem. I have AI Prime on a 15 gallon softie tank (mushrooms and zoa's) set at 70%. Why do you keep your lights so low? Your light should be set at 100%, you might even need a second AI Prime to be honest. AI Prime is made for a 15-20 gallon tank, it is a 50 watt light, your tank needs about 100 watts. Your corals are starving for light, turn your lights up, and the corals will do better.

 

[VintageReefer]

@dflightx
See post 8 and 16

Two people with the same light, both with 15g tanks that are 1/2 size of yours, both saying we use 70-80% for softy/lps.

For a 30g tank that light would need to have the blues and violet cranked and white adjusted to make spectrum appealing to you

 

[Shirak]

@dflightx
See post 8 and 16

Two people with the same light, both with 15g tanks that are 1/2 size of yours, both saying we use 70-80% for softy/lps.

For a 30g tank that light would need to have the blues and violet cranked and white adjusted to make spectrum appealing to you

I put an AI prime on a 5g tank! Currently running about 75%. on UV violet royal blue, blue and about 15% on red, green,whiteZoa... some mushroom.. blastos which like pretty low par around 80-100, similar to the zoa and shrooms. Other thing with the AI lights is the spread is not very good. You will have significantly higher par directly under the light.

 

[dflightx]

@dflightx
See post 8 and 16

Two people with the same light, both with 15g tanks that are 1/2 size of yours, both saying we use 70-80% for softy/lps.

For a 30g tank that light would need to have the blues and violet cranked and white adjusted to make spectrum appealing to you

I’m taking note on that one, thank you all for your inputs, I thought i’m doing it right because they look fin prior to last week. Thank you so much

 

[dflightx]

If you mean 1 AI Prime 16 on a 29 gallon tank set at 38%, then this is the problem. I have AI Prime on a 15 gallon softie tank (mushrooms and zoa's) set at 70%. Why do you keep your lights so low? Your light should be set at 100%, you might even need a second AI Prime to be honest. AI Prime is made for a 15-20 gallon tank, it is a 50 watt light, your tank needs about 100 watts. Your corals are starving for light, turn your lights up, and the corals will do better.

I was trynna find a reference from someone about the prime settings and saw they had theres at 40% on first 4 colors and 8-10” above water. But thanks for letting me know tho i’ll send an update once they recover