Feeding hammers and torch’s

[Johnic]

I currently don’t feed my hammer and torch’s directly, I typically broadcast feed a powder like reef roids or similar and hope the hammers and corals get some food.
‘I’ve tried to feed them mysis shrimp with little luck, the hammers don’t grab the food fully and the fish grab the food.
I think the new hammers and torch’s which are a couple months old are not happy - maybe because they aren’t feed ?
Par is about 150-190 at they’re locations
Nitrates are 12
Phos is .16 or .12
Calc - 450
Alk 8.50
Mag 1290
Salt 1.027

 

[wculver]

I currently don’t feed my hammer and torch’s directly, I typically broadcast feed a powder like reef roids or similar and hope the hammers and corals get some food.
‘I’ve tried to feed them mysis shrimp with little luck, the hammers don’t grab the food fully and the fish grab the food.
I think the new hammers and torch’s which are a couple months old are not happy - maybe because they aren’t feed ?
Par is about 150-190 at they’re locations
Nitrates are 12
Phos is .16 or .12
Calc - 450
Alk 8.50
Mag 1290
Salt 1.027

Is your par really 150-190? I'm asking here because that's somewhat of a low number for some coral varieties. Some examples:

I have some scuba steves that don't seem to care if they are at 400 or 150, they will live either way. Only difference is that they grow slower at 150.

Then again, I have a torch that needs 400+ or it will start to melt. This is lighting that an SPS would appreciate.

For feeding I do reef chilli three times a week broadcast and acro power 2 times a week broadcast. Why broadcast?
1. I did target feed for nearly 2 years and I didn't see any benefit. Perhaps things grow so slowly I didn't notice but to me juice wasn't worth the squeeze.
2. There are so many coral now it's actually time consuming and I dislike doing it. You're supposed to like this right?

Numbers look acceptable by the way. So if your Par numbers are accurate and you can somehow focus some light I would try a higher intensity if possible.

 

[VintageReefer]

This entire tank is 80-200 par. Most areas are 140-180

Banana HG torch grew from 1 (last photo attached) to 5 heads from March to present day. It’s in roughly 150 par

The purple/gold torch next to it also grew from 1 to 4 heads in that timeframe

I target feed once a week - PE mysis flake food I stir up in a cup of water so it doesn’t float

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally my hammers and frogspawn don't take food when I feed the tank. I don't think they are big feeders like other corals are.

I also find that lps corals prefer something meatier like mysis, rather than powder foods like reef roids. This is just my observations. Reef roids do better with sps and soft corals, mushrooms seem to love the roids.

I don't feed often though, maybe once a month or every 2 months. I agree with others that feeding is not neccessary, coral will do just fine if its never fed.

 

[kevgib67]

I think your problem is your low magnesium. They tend to do better at 1400 or a little higher. I occasionally feed mysis with an eye dropper, placing it close to the mouth. I also broadcast feed reef chili.

 

[Johnic]

Is your par really 150-190? I'm asking here because that's somewhat of a low number for some coral varieties. Some examples:

I have some scuba steves that don't seem to care if they are at 400 or 150, they will live either way. Only difference is that they grow slower at 150.

Then again, I have a torch that needs 400+ or it will start to melt. This is lighting that an SPS would appreciate.

For feeding I do reef chilli three times a week broadcast and acro power 2 times a week broadcast. Why broadcast?
1. I did target feed for nearly 2 years and I didn't see any benefit. Perhaps things grow so slowly I didn't notice but to me juice wasn't worth the squeeze.
2. There are so many coral now it's actually time consuming and I dislike doing it. You're supposed to like this right?

Numbers look acceptable by the way. So if your Par numbers are accurate and you can somehow focus some light I would try a higher intensity if possible.

Thanks.
Ya the par is right I measured it last week. I’m only keeping at the number because of the suggestion of a brs video saying soft corals range should be between 70-150 par.
I’m running xr15 at 60%, maybe I’ll bump them up to 65% over 30 days ?
Ok, I’ll broadcast feed this week, should I also add amino’s ? I tend to get cyno and Dino with amino feeding

 

[Johnic]

I think your problem is your low magnesium. They tend to do better at 1400 or a little higher. I occasionally feed mysis with an eye dropper, placing it close to the mouth. I also broadcast feed reef chili.

Ok. Let me double chk the mag today.

 

[VintageReefer]

I would agree with BRS
Most of my sand bed corals are 80-120 and the mid tank corals are 140-180

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks.
Ya the par is right I measured it last week. I’m only keeping at the number because of the suggestion of a brs video saying soft corals range should be between 70-150 par.
I’m running xr15 at 60%, maybe I’ll bump them up to 65% over 30 days ?
Ok, I’ll broadcast feed this week, should I also add amino’s ? I tend to get cyno and Dino with amino feeding

I have 2 XR15 lights on my tank and if you are running 60% intensity there is no way you have sufficient par for your tank. I was running 70% and was shocked how low the par actually was with par meter. I now run 100% intensity on AB plus and corals thrive.

 

[wculver]

Thanks.
Ya the par is right I measured it last week. I’m only keeping at the number because of the suggestion of a brs video saying soft corals range should be between 70-150 par.
I’m running xr15 at 60%, maybe I’ll bump them up to 65% over 30 days ?
Ok, I’ll broadcast feed this week, should I also add amino’s ? I tend to get cyno and Dino with amino feeding

I read your original post thinking we were talking hammers and torches, both of which are large polyp stony corals (LPS) and not softies. That is why I suggested a higher PAR rating. If it is softies we are talking about such as mushrooms, zoas, etc then the lower lighting would work.

As far as provisional nutrition you do have to be extra careful not to crash your tank with dosing them. The reason you get the cyano and dino when you dose aminos is nutrient transport cannot ramp up fast enough with your setup. That said, for the time being I would not make changes to your nutrition just make some increases in the light intensity as you suggested and see what effect that has.

An Example: I have my tank set up with around 450 par at the highest level of the tank because it was designed to have a maxima clam anchored at the top. That is around 30" from the substrate. Then graduated down about half way is 250 Par and the sandy bottom is around 150 provided there is no shading. The reason I like this gradation is that I can grow anything from coral to different types of clams with this setup without making any changes to lighting in the future.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Ok, I’ll broadcast feed this week, should I also add amino’s ? I tend to get cyno and Dino with amino feeding

Then don't feed aminos.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Then don't feed aminos.

I wasn't trying to be funny... It often takes a lot of trial and error to determine what may be causing dinos or cyano. If you already made the connection, then it's an easy choice

 

[VintageReefer]

You don’t need aminos or to even target feed hammers and torches. I grew out these guys in my photos and went several months just putting flake food in for the fish and if they got lucky and grabbed a piece once in a while, that was it.

I would look into lighting and current

What lighting are you using? what are you using for water movement? How old is the tank? Can you post a full tank shot so we can see torch placement ?

Your numbers aren’t terrible but for me the nitrates and phosphates are slightly elevated. Aim for phosphate .02-.05 and nitrate 5-10.

 

[Johnic]

I have 2 XR15 lights on my tank and if you are running 60% intensity there is no way you have sufficient par for your tank. I was running 70% and was shocked how low the par actually was with par meter. I now run 100% intensity on AB plus and corals thrive.

Interesting. I’ll measure today. I also have 2 xr15 and the max depth in tank is 19”.
So what par should a torch and hammer get ?

 

[Johnic]

I read your original post thinking we were talking hammers and torches, both of which are large polyp stony corals (LPS) and not softies. That is why I suggested a higher PAR rating. If it is softies we are talking about such as mushrooms, zoas, etc then the lower lighting would work.

As far as provisional nutrition you do have to be extra careful not to crash your tank with dosing them. The reason you get the cyano and dino when you dose aminos is nutrient transport cannot ramp up fast enough with your setup. That said, for the time being I would not make changes to your nutrition just make some increases in the light intensity as you suggested and see what effect that has.

An Example: I have my tank set up with around 450 par at the highest level of the tank because it was designed to have a maxima clam anchored at the top. That is around 30" from the substrate. Then graduated down about half way is 250 Par and the sandy bottom is around 150 provided there is no shading. The reason I like this gradation is that I can grow anything from coral to different types of clams with this setup without making any changes to lighting in the future.

Sorry for confusion. I have hammers and torches.
Ok. I just increased my par to 70% which will get there over 30days. Is this too slow or should I decrease the time frame ?

 

[Lavey29]

Interesting. I’ll measure today. I also have 2 xr15 and the max depth in tank is 19”.
So what par should a torch and hammer get ?

My tank is 22 inches deep. My torches are mid tank 200 to 250 par. Hammers are at the bottom 125 to 175 par.

Flow is another primary consideration. Torches in low moderate and hammers low flow. My MP40s only read 27% intensity during peak day and 20% overnight. I also have 38 SPS frags and colonies at the top and that is plenty flow for them and par too at 300 to 350.

 

[Johnic]

You don’t need aminos or to even target feed hammers and torches. I grew out these guys in my photos and went several months just putting flake food in for the fish and if they got lucky and grabbed a piece once in a while, that was it.

I would look into lighting and current

What lighting are you using? what are you using for water movement? How old is the tank? Can you post a full tank shot so we can see torch placement ?

Your numbers aren’t terrible but for me the nitrates and phosphates are slightly elevated. Aim for phosphate .02-.05 and nitrate 5-10.

I’m using 2 xr15 blues lights
I’m using 2 mp40 set to reef crest at about 1/3 setting. I have a peninsula and I have one pump on either side of the return.
See pic of problem hammer circled.

 

[Johnic]

My tank is 22 inches deep. My torches are mid tank 200 to 250 par. Hammers are at the bottom 125 to 175 par.

Flow is another primary consideration. Torches in low moderate and hammers low flow. My MP40s only read 27% intensity during peak day and 20% overnight. I also have 38 SPS frags and colonies at the top and that is plenty flow for them and par too at 300 to 350.

My mp40 are about 10 years old. Wondering if I should upgrade to the new version and if that would help.
My tank is 38 inches long and 20 inches wide. Peninsula

 

[Johnic]

This entire tank is 80-200 par. Most areas are 140-180

Banana HG torch grew from 1 (last photo attached) to 5 heads from March to present day. It’s in roughly 150 par

The purple/gold torch next to it also grew from 1 to 4 heads in that timeframe

I target feed once a week - PE mysis flake food I stir up in a cup of water so it doesn’t float

Very nice. Can I get a vid of the flow. Curious to see how it compares to mine.

 

[Lavey29]

Beautiful tank, I keep my MP40s 3 inches below the surface so I get really good surface ripple for aeration. I have them on reef crest anti sync.

Confirm your par with renting a good par meter. Please provide a short video so we can see your flow levels for your euphyllia.