Is my hammer dying?

[JACKS REEF]

Okay guys and girls this might be confusing but I got this new tank filled with water about 1 week ago and 2 days ago I added a blenny, 1 clownfish and this large wall hammer coral. I had my gen 5 XR 30 blues set to 75% when I first added the coral. My nitrates are at 0, nitrites 0, and phosphates 0, last my salinity is at 1.026. The first day I added the coral it looked fine and the next day it looked fine as well. Also my rock was cycled prior to the addition to the tank in a brute trash can to reduce nitrates and ammonia. The second day it was open and I looked at the wall hammer when the lights were off and there was little brown strings not a lot coming from the polyps maybe expelling alage from its tissue I guessed that was fine because it was adjusting so I turned my lights down to 45%. The next morning I woke up and it wasn’t looking as good and closed up. Currently my lights are on moonlight mode and this is what it looks like pictures at the bottom please help me. I haven’t seen any sights of polyp bailout which is good maybe the coral is just getting used to the tank? The flow is also not a problem in the tank. My skimmer is not picking up anything from the water maybe it’s because the water is too clean for the hammer?

 

[Gtinnel]

From my experience zero nitrates and zero phosphates are very hard on corals. From what I understand the zooxanthellae require them to provide energy for the corals.

Unless that was well established rock and not just cycled then it is really too soon to add a wall hammer (or any lps or sps) in my opinion. Hopefully it survives it looks like it is a beautiful hammer when open.

 

[JACKS REEF]

From my experience zero nitrates and zero phosphates are very hard on corals. From what I understand the zooxanthellae require them to provide energy for the corals.

Unless that was well established rock and not just cycled then it is really too soon to add a wall hammer (or any lps or sps) in my opinion. Hopefully it survives it looks like it is a beautiful hammer when open.

Is it possible I could fix this problem right now?

 

[Gtinnel]

Is it possible I could fix this problem right now?

I wouldn't normally reccomend it on a new tank but you can dose nitrate and phosphate both.
Feeding more is often a solution to raise them as well, just don't feed so much that your bacteria can't keep up causing an ammonia spike.

 

[Deyan]

Yup your nitrates need to be up - shoot for 5-10 and have a tad of phosphate.. it’s not meant to be a glass box! You need nutrients. Also keep your alkalinity on check and consistent along with salinity and temp.

 

[Deyan]

I wouldn't normally reccomend it on a new tank but you can dose nitrate and phosphate both.
Feeding more is often a solution to raise them as well, just don't feed so much that your bacteria can't keep up causing an ammonia spike.

I think he should not dose - too easy to mess up with such a baby system. Feed some flakes that will bring nitrates and phosphates in! Just don’t go crazy or say hello to hair algae

 

[Gtinnel]

I think he should not dose - too easy to mess up with such a baby system. Feed some flakes that will bring nitrates and phosphates in! Just don’t go crazy or say hello to hair algae

I agree, but if the coral is doing poorly because of the low nitrate and phosphate it is a way that could have potentially helped the coral.

 

[T-J]

Is it possible I could fix this problem right now?

Yes. Give the coral to someone with an established aquarium. Then, when your tank has matured, get it back from them.
Not being snarky. Just being honest.

 

[Gtinnel]

Yes. Give the coral to someone with an established aquarium. Then, when your tank has matured, get it back from them.
Not being snarky. Just being honest.

Absolutely. Although this was several weeks ago so it's probably too late anyway.

I swear I couldn't keep corals alive for my first year. This hobby was easier when everyone started with actual live rock.

 

[T-J]

Absolutely. Although this was several weeks ago so it's probably too late anyway.

I swear I couldn't keep corals alive for my first year. This hobby was easier when everyone started with actual live rock.

I just noticed that someone resurrected this thread from 3 weeks ago. Whelp, still good advice!

 

[tehmadreefer]

That’s a wall hammers and notoriously difficult to keep long term. Once one part goes the whole thing does since it is “one head” not many individual heads. Good luck!

 

[Deyan]

Absolutely. Although this was several weeks ago so it's probably too late anyway.

I swear I couldn't keep corals alive for my first year. This hobby was easier when everyone started with actual live rock.

You hit it on the spot! LIVE ROCK! I been on it since my first tank! When I set up my latest tank 1 year ago the hype was this synthetic rock... no bueno I went ahead and bought live rock the expense is worth it to get the tank running smoothly and skip certain stages in a tank maturing.. I hate to sound like a ****** and talk about dry rock and synthetic rock in negative POV but it really sucks despite of course the care and respect to the ocean as industries ransack our precious eco systems. That’s another topic though and one that can get heated on here I bet! Lol make sure you going to be in this hobby for the long haul too many people get into it out of impulse..

 

[Gtinnel]

You hit it on the spot! LIVE ROCK! I been on it since my first tank! When I set up my latest tank 1 year ago the hype was this synthetic rock... no bueno I went ahead and bought live rock the expense is worth it to get the tank running smoothly and skip certain stages in a tank maturing.. I hate to sound like a ****** and talk about dry rock and synthetic rock in negative POV but it really sucks despite of course the care and respect to the ocean as industries ransack our precious eco systems. That’s another topic though and one that can get heated on here I bet! Lol make sure you going to be in this hobby for the long haul too many people get into it out of impulse..

My first tanks were started around 20 years ago and most people started with live rock. I then got out of the hobby and about 2 years ago when I started a new tank I used dry rock. I though avoiding hitchhikers seemed like a good idea, but my first year or so was one small disaster after another. I can see why so many people would start this hobby and then quickly quit.
From now on if I setup a tank it will be with live rock.

 

[Deyan]

My first tanks were started around 20 years ago and most people started with live rock. I then got out of the hobby and about 2 years ago when I started a new tank I used dry rock. I though avoiding hitchhikers seemed like a good idea, but my first year or so was one small disaster after another. I can see why so many people would start this hobby and then quickly quit.
From now on if I setup a tank it will be with live rock.

Right on... man! And don’t get me started with all the stupid names and price hikes in the past years!!! I use to get any rock flower Nem (regardless of color and size for 25) ricordeas were thrown in for free!!! At times for 5 bucks and now the torch, and frogspawns prices off the chain!!! Ouch! I miss the old days lol and mature live rock was a beautiful thing!!! Lots of diversity and life on them! I went with my latest tank with live rock it was pretty darn decent.. but not like before. Got mines from live rock and reef.