Hammer is really unhappy

[jabberwock]

Tank has been up for 18 months. My Tank Thread

I have had this hammer for 1 year. It was thriving (first pic). The first of November last year, I had to pull off a tank move to accommodate new hard wood floor installation. It went well, but the Hammer was immediately visibly disturbed by all the noise and commotion (second pic). It bounced back a bit after the move (third pic), but now is completely retracted (fourth pic) and has been this way for weeks. There has not been any polyp bail out. Meanwhile, my Duncan and all my other corals and livestock are doing great. In the time since the tank move these are the things I have done to try and make the hammer happy.

1. removed GFO because my phosphates were always undetectable. After I took it out, I got some color on my API test kit, but never over 0.25. Phosphates are now back to 0, but I believe they are wrapped up in cyano from item #4. I intend to replace the GFO after maintenance today.

2. messed around with flow

3. daily adding 5 mls of AquaVitro 8.4 to increase pH and dKH, it works, but have to add daily. (I think I will continue using this)

4. started daily dosing of 5 mls of Red Sea AB+ to try and feed it, this just gave me cyano (I am going to stop using this)

5. I feed heavy because I have a ton of CUC with a mixture of frozen mysis, prime reef and selcon, plus a few mixed pellets of Formula One and Formula Two

Parameters have been steady and today before glass scraping, turkey basting rocks, water change and cyano removal are:
Temp 78
Nitrate 20
Phosphate 0
pH 8.0
dKH 8.7
Calcium 449
Salinity 1.025

Any thoughts are welcome.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Is it getting stung directly or chemically?
Carbon?

What is the timeframe between the photos?

I see new floor - what is the timing of new floor to decline of the hammer?

 

[jmoney7]

Def looks like it a prob getting stung by that anemone?

 

[jabberwock]

Def looks like it a prob getting stung by that anemone?

Thanks, Nem has been moved to the back of the tank since flooring went in. They were happy together for a long time...

 

[jmoney7]

Yeah from my understanding (not an expert in any way) nems can be non aggressive for however long they want and then one day want their neighbor to move and sting the s*** out of it.

 

[jabberwock]

Yeah from my understanding (not an expert in any way) nems can be non aggressive for however long they want and then one day want their neighbor to move and sting the s*** out of it.

I totally believe that, but the nem was moved when putting the tank back up, so not a factor at this point. I moved the rock, and the nem found a happy place. Nem currently lives here.

 

[jmoney7]

I totally believe that, but the nem was moved when putting the tank back up, so not a factor at this point. I moved the rock, and the nem found a happy place. Nem currently lives here.

Ahhhhh any big changes to water parameters?

 

[jabberwock]

Ahhhhh any big changes to water parameters?

Nope

 

[jmoney7]

I love the excel setup you have in a business major in college and excel is my bestfriend! Yeah pretty stable params all I could say from those are that the alk had a a jump to 10 and went back down that could’ve made him unhappy. From the research I’ve done is quick swings of alk can upset some of your corals. Everything else looks normal I would prob just keep testing often and making sure you keep your params stable and he should open back up. Good luck!

 

[jmoney7]

Why do you add 8.4? Just wondering? Do you have a problem with ph?

 

[jabberwock]

Why do you add 8.4? Just wondering? Do you have a problem with ph?

pH was consistently 7.8 and dKH was consistently a little low as well.

 

[jimk60]

I had a 20+ head hammer do something similar. Started dying one or two heads at a time real slow over about eight months.No jelly and good parameters. Two other hammer colonies still fine. Fragged the last three heads off and they're going fine. Wish I knew since I had it for three or four years.

 

[jmoney7]

Yeah from reading so many threads I see people say all the time not to chase ph 7.8 is a little low however it’s not a huge deal honestly finding a solution to raising all could help your ph. I use Red Sea coral pro salt for my water. It has high alk which keeps ph high. Also dosing all for reef can help maintain levels of alk. Which in turn makes ph a little higher.

 

[jmoney7]

I had a 20+ head hammer do something similar. Started dying one or two heads at a time real slow over about eight months.No jelly and good parameters. Two other hammer colonies still fine. Fragged the last three heads off and they're going fine. Wish I knew since I had it for three or four years.

Yeah I’ve heard of similar stories just euphyllia melting for no reason.

 

[jimk60]

Yeah I’ve heard of similar stories just euphyllia melting for no reason.

Didn't really melt or bail just slowly closed up a few at a time and never came back.

 

[BeanAnimal]

What is the timeframe between the heatlhy photo - and the others and between healthy and floor work?

 

[Nate Chalk]

What are you testing with for phosphate?

My guess is starving, tissue is almost non existent.

Light or nutrients too low. Or this has been going on longer and stung.

 

[Nate Chalk]

Have you tested par

 

[jabberwock]

What are you testing with for phosphate?

My guess is starving, tissue is almost non existent.

Light or nutrients too low. Or this has been going on longer and stung.

I test phosphate with API. I feed heavy. Nitrates are usually above 10.

I started adding coral food, Red Sea AB+, no help

It was thriving for 9 months. No real changes.

 

[jabberwock]

Have you tested par

I estimate PAR to be about 100 based on the type of light I have, height above water and depth of tank. 2 Kessil Tuna Blue A80s

I appreciate all the responses!

Thanks for trying to help ya'll.