Hammers Slowly Die

[Thespammailaccount]

Check the water for chloramines which breaks down into ammonia using an ammonia test kit.

 

[Hasted]

Check the water for chloramines which breaks down into ammonia using an ammonia test kit.

Hopefully I am understanding this correctly:

The city water report from last year claims they use chlorine rather than chloramines. Is that a reliable source?

I also use a 5 stage RODI. 4 TDS before last filter. 0 out (been steady at that, check it every time). My WC salt mix and also my fresh top off water is from this. Stored in Brute cans that are cleaned regularly. This also SHOULD filter out any chloramines, correct?

I rarely test Ammonia (monthly now or when introducing new stuff). I will gladly go home and retest. This has been a 4 month or so struggle and have tested Ammonia multiple times through that time.

I will report back with a new Ammonia test tonight! Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Hopefully I am understanding this correctly:

The city water report from last year claims they use chlorine rather than chloramines. Is that a reliable source?

I also use a 5 stage RODI. 4 TDS before last filter. 0 out (been steady at that, check it every time). My WC salt mix and also my fresh top off water is from this. Stored in Brute cans that are cleaned regularly. This also SHOULD filter out any chloramines, correct?

I rarely test Ammonia (monthly now or when introducing new stuff). I will gladly go home and retest. This has been a 4 month or so struggle and have tested Ammonia multiple times through that time.

I will report back with a new Ammonia test tonight! Thanks for the feedback!

Water reports are a good place to start. But then again even if they treat with chlorine they will sometimes use chloramines to clean out the systems. Check your RODI for ammonia could be an issue if not you can rule that out

 

[Brandon3152134]

I will try to be as detailed as possible.

I purchased a beautiful hammer from WWC in May. Fully died mid September.
I purchased a second cheaper hammer in July from shop.

What's happening? My 1st hammer (larger, one head) opened up for a couple months. Then continuously got smaller and smaller until it receded fully into its skeleton. And then poof (September). Was a long process it felt. My second hammer (small, 1 head) has started to shrink the last month also. No longer extended and flowing ever (that I notice).

Feeding:
Spot Feed LRS nano 1x weekly.
Spot Feed Reef Roids 1x weekly (increased this recently to bump up nutrients due to 0/0 Nitrate/Phosph)
Red Sea AB+ 3-5x week. 1x spot, rest broadcast.

Dips: I have dipped both the hammers multiple times. Fresh water, CoralRx, and some other thing I forget name. Usually ever 2 weeks. First time I saw what appeared to be ghost flatworms on the skeleton. Fell off. Since then, nothing has come off of the hammers from dips. I have not seen a ghost flatworm in nearly 2 months anywhere in the tank.

Lights: I am using the BRS recommended settings/spacing for AI Prime 16HD over a 40 breeder (100%, two primes, close to same dimensions as my XL300). Currently on sand bed somewhat close to center of puck. "Should" be getting enough light?

Flow: Currently in lower flow area of indirect flow. Enough to make the hammers wave when hit. I have also tried a much higher flow.

Livestock: Just two clownfish, YWG, Pistol Shrimp, snails, hermits. I have not seen anyone bother it.

Levels recently in Red Sea Xl300 (80 total gal):
Temp, 77.1
pH, 7.8
Amm, 0
Nitrite, 0
Nitrate, 0 (working on bumping this up, had Dinos for a couple weeks, mostly under control now)
Phosphate, 0.02 (was also recently 0.00 and Dinos, raised now)
Salinity, 1.0251
Alk, 9.2
Calc, 402
Mag, 1410

These levels have been pretty steady.
Religious weekly 5-10g water changes up until Nitrate/Phosph bottoming out. Skipped a week, fed heavier, etc to combat it.

Other info:

I thought maybe the Dinos and/or algae was bothering the hammer (had a small string that would form on the skeleton that would show after receding and such). After getting Dinos under control, there hasn't been much on my 2nd hammer. I can't say that it is being bothered by that at all.

There has been no brown jelly looking stuff. Also, I assume it isn't brown jelly due to how slow the "dying" process was for the 1st one.

They always seem to have their color and not bleached. They just don't extend and definitely not fluffy once the "process" seems to start.

The 2nd hammer was happy as can be for a good amount of time while the 1st hammer was slowly dying.

Other corals are doing great. Zoas, Acans, Blastos, Favia, Spongodes Monti, Lepterosis (up until I recently moved it...).

I have a few pictures I can show at various times if I switch over to my phone. If they will be helpful, let me know. Gladly will dig through and timestamp them all with a description.

I appreciate any help. My 1st hammer was by far my favorite and most expensive coral I had. My wife also loved it, which is important! I would love more hammers (And frog/torches), but I feel as though I would just kill them like my last one.

If a coral starts to act up for me I wacth it for a bit if I see a noticeable decline and idk the cause I move it to the shade so it will be less stressed. Observing the coral every day can show you alot.

 

[Hasted]

If a coral starts to act up for me I wacth it for a bit if I see a noticeable decline and idk the cause I move it to the shade so it will be less stressed. Observing the coral every day can show you alot.

I agree. I have been watching these two (now one) hammers almost every day for a couple months. Haven't spotted any pests or other corals bothering it. Will continue to watch it!