Hammer not happy?

[RyanTheSquid]

I have a 24G cube, I did a 3 gall9n water change this weekend, salinity is 1.26SG.
All other corals are happy but one of my newer hammers (the gold tipped one) is pulling into its skeleton, only change was less flow on that hammer, I just adjusted power heads direction to add some flow to the hammer. And it's further retracted now... any ideas? The photo is a few days after the video.

 

[Shirak]

How long have you had it? Photos in white light closeup if you can. Also helps to list your other parameters and par level.

Looks like some tissue has receded from the outside? Seems to be a lighter area of skeleton below the flesh band from what I can make out in the photo.

What's the coral towards the upper right in the photo? Looks like the top of the skeleton showing through too?

 

[RyanTheSquid]

How long have you had it? Photos in white light closeup if you can. Also helps to list your other parameters and par level.

Looks like some tissue has receded from the outside? Seems to be a lighter area of skeleton below the flesh band from what I can make out in the photo.

What's the coral towards the upper right in the photo? Looks like the top of the skeleton showing through too?

That's another hammer and that one is wide open. Not sure of the par. The coral in question. Is about 24" from a Prime 16 HD with the shown settings. I am about a month from my last water test so I'm not sure of the current parameters. I know not much help. It was just very happy till I did a water changed and tried to take an acan ar the bottom of the tank out of flow. I don't have much sanded to work with

 

[RyanTheSquid]

How long have you had it? Photos in white light closeup if you can. Also helps to list your other parameters and par level.

Looks like some tissue has receded from the outside? Seems to be a lighter area of skeleton below the flesh band from what I can make out in the photo.

What's the coral towards the upper right in the photo? Looks like the top of the skeleton showing through too?

I will also add, I added a 2.5" clam and a stylopora frag recently. Could it be a lack of nutrients? Or could a hammer even retract from lack of flow?

 

[KGscv]

Test your parameters first

 

[RyanTheSquid]

Test your parameters first

Yeah I will have to, sadly I can't till Saturday and I really don't want the hammer melting. I guess I'll have to wait and see

 

[RyanTheSquid]

Test your parameters first

Nothing has changed with the tank since this test other than adding a small clam and a single stylopora frag, 2 hammers and a torch, including the one in question.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Pictures in white light will help, a short video is better. But in that pic it seems like a lot of algae? But its very hard to see anything in your pic.....

 

[Shirak]

Nothing has changed with the tank since this test other than adding a small clam and a single stylopora frag, 2 hammers and a torch, including the one in question.

Nothing has changed but really quite a bit has. Clams are Ca and Alk sponges. You need to be testing at least weekly or better yet a couple times a week. Alk at bare minimum. Salifert is a good test kit and inexpensive.

Is it flow? was your question. Highly unlikely. As long as the tentacles are moving around a bit the hammer should be fine. Is it nutrients was your other question. Likely. Lack of par is my other thought, and possibly a drop in alk. Or a combination of all 3. Since it has been progressing worse and worse, from what appears to be a loss of the flesh band on the outside of the skeleton. My guess is the Par is too low and nutrients. Your photos from the clam thread had quite a bit of algae on the rocks. That could be sucking up all your NO3 and PO4.

If I recall we discussed the AI Prime.. it's too small in spread and power for the tank your size. The one I have on my 5gal tank is 10" from the water at about the same power as yours with 27% in white with 2hrs 40min longer peak power than you have on your schedule. Zoa's 6" below the water (18" total distance to the light) are happy as can be. Par is about 150. I would be stunned if you are hitting 50 par where you have the hammer.. it's probably less.

 

[RyanTheSquid]

Nothing has changed but really quite a bit has. Clams are Ca and Alk sponges. You need to be testing at least weekly or better yet a couple times a week. Alk at bare minimum. Salifert is a good test kit and inexpensive.

Is it flow? was your question. Highly unlikely. As long as the tentacles are moving around a bit the hammer should be fine. Is it nutrients was your other question. Likely. Lack of par is my other thought, and possibly a drop in alk. Or a combination of all 3. Since it has been progressing worse and worse, from what appears to be a loss of the flesh band on the outside of the skeleton. My guess is the Par is too low and nutrients. Your photos from the clam thread had quite a bit of algae on the rocks. That could be sucking up all your NO3 and PO4.

If I recall we discussed the AI Prime.. it's too small in spread and power for the tank your size. The one I have on my 5gal tank is 10" from the water at about the same power as yours with 27% in white with 2hrs 40min longer peak power than you have on your schedule. Zoa's 6" below the water (18" total distance to the light) are happy as can be. Par is about 150. I would be stunned if you are hitting 50 par where you have the hammer.. it's probably less.

I lowered the light much closer to the actual top of water, as close as I really could. Not in the budget right now for light upgrades. I found some AFR that I had,it's old-ish but still fine I'm sure. I added 10ml of pre-mixed. Along with my normal dosing for the day. Hammer still very closed but colorful today. All other corals remain happy as of now. Test kit is also put of my budget at the moment but hopefully in a few weeks I can get one of those and a light upgrade. I will be getting a spin test done at my LFS Saturday.

 

[RyanTheSquid]

Nothing has changed but really quite a bit has. Clams are Ca and Alk sponges. You need to be testing at least weekly or better yet a couple times a week. Alk at bare minimum. Salifert is a good test kit and inexpensive.

Is it flow? was your question. Highly unlikely. As long as the tentacles are moving around a bit the hammer should be fine. Is it nutrients was your other question. Likely. Lack of par is my other thought, and possibly a drop in alk. Or a combination of all 3. Since it has been progressing worse and worse, from what appears to be a loss of the flesh band on the outside of the skeleton. My guess is the Par is too low and nutrients. Your photos from the clam thread had quite a bit of algae on the rocks. That could be sucking up all your NO3 and PO4.

If I recall we discussed the AI Prime.. it's too small in spread and power for the tank your size. The one I have on my 5gal tank is 10" from the water at about the same power as yours with 27% in white with 2hrs 40min longer peak power than you have on your schedule. Zoa's 6" below the water (18" total distance to the light) are happy as can be. Par is about 150. I would be stunned if you are hitting 50 par where you have the hammer.. it's probably less.

Hammer melted. It's the only coral that showed that it's in distress right now...
Provided photos are during it's melting. It's gone now. No clue why it would die in 4 days after showing such good extension and color. I did a 3 gallon water change and that's all

 

[Shirak]

Sorry to hear. The light looks better than it did so that's good. Lost a lot of tissue in a short amount of time based on the large white area on the skeleton. Something going on with your water parameters.

LPS will often look great for a while even if they are not getting something they need to stay healthy long term, and then will run out of steam and go into rapid decline. Looks like some brown jelly disease too which will turn them into mush in a day or two.

Lots of algae on the rocks, probably sucking all the nutrients out of the water. The algae and coral need many of the same nutrients to grow. The algae will win. Need to increase your CUC to tackle the algae and keep it in check.

 

[RyanTheSquid]

Sorry to hear. The light looks better than it did so that's good. Lost a lot of tissue in a short amount of time based on the large white area on the skeleton. Something going on with your water parameters.

LPS will often look great for a while even if they are not getting something they need to stay healthy long term, and then will run out of steam and go into rapid decline. Looks like some brown jelly disease too which will turn them into mush in a day or two.

Lots of algae on the rocks, probably sucking all the nutrients out of the water. The algae and coral need many of the same nutrients to grow. The algae will win. Need to increase your CUC to tackle the algae and keep it in check.

I've scrubbed the rocks recently and pulled lots off by hand, cuc consists of 2 or 3 blue hermits, w scarlet hermits, and 2 lion snails? The sand bed borrowers. I also have a starfish that roams. My 2 clownfish that I hate are too aggressive to have anything else in the tank. My LFS won't take my clam or fish off of me so I'm stuck with them for now. The algae you see is loads better than when I had my last water test done. Hoping I don't have a whole tank crash coming my way after spending $500 on coral in the last 2 weeks....
Thought, a duncan i got on that same order melted day after being put in my reef, turned brown and washed away... does brown jelly disease spready through the tank that way? I took it out as soon as I noticed but for sure had pieces of flesh floating around.

 

[Shirak]

I've scrubbed the rocks recently and pulled lots off by hand, cuc consists of 2 or 3 blue hermits, w scarlet hermits, and 2 lion snails? The sand bed borrowers. I also have a starfish that roams. My 2 clownfish that I hate are too aggressive to have anything else in the tank. My LFS won't take my clam or fish off of me so I'm stuck with them for now. The algae you see is loads better than when I had my last water test done. Hoping I don't have a whole tank crash coming my way after spending $500 on coral in the last 2 weeks....
Thought, a duncan i got on that same order melted day after being put in my reef, turned brown and washed away... does brown jelly disease spready through the tank that way? I took it out as soon as I noticed but for sure had pieces of flesh floating around.

Yes BJD will spread through the water unfortunately.

You need some algae grazing snails. A few hermits won't make much of a dent in a tank that size. Turbo are very effective but I have a hard time keeping them alive long term. Personally have the best luck with astraea. Every once in a while one is on the sand upside down but a quick flip and they are good to go again.

 

[RyanTheSquid]

Yes BJD will spread through the water unfortunately.

You need some algae grazing snails. A few hermits won't make much of a dent in a tank that size. Turbo are very effective but I have a hard time keeping them alive long term. Personally have the best luck with astraea. Every once in a while one is on the sand upside down but a quick flip and they are good to go again.

Is there anything I can do about BJd at this point? I have 1 turbo I forgot. And my astrea all died not long after buying the whole tank from a buddy.

 

[RyanTheSquid]

Sorry to hear. The light looks better than it did so that's good. Lost a lot of tissue in a short amount of time based on the large white area on the skeleton. Something going on with your water parameters.

LPS will often look great for a while even if they are not getting something they need to stay healthy long term, and then will run out of steam and go into rapid decline. Looks like some brown jelly disease too which will turn them into mush in a day or two.

Lots of algae on the rocks, probably sucking all the nutrients out of the water. The algae and coral need many of the same nutrients to grow. The algae will win. Need to increase your CUC to tackle the algae and keep it in check.

Update because I got a water test, these are my current levels 2 days after spot feeding corals with Reef Roids:
Last test 4/19/25
Alk: 10.47
PH: 8
Phosphates: 0.5
Calcium: 423
Mag: 1395
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 55
SG: 1.027