Hammer coral okay. Dying?

[Joethefish]

Hi so this is my first post on the forum. I have a 15g reef tank that I setup about 7 months ago. I have 2 clown fish a goby, a bunch of zoas, a green mushroom, gsp, and a new hammer coral I got yesterday. I’ve had hammers before (1) but it was bigger and seemed stronger. It died from a calcium deficiency. Anyway, I feel like this one is looking rough. Calcium 415 ppm. Ammonia nitrate nitrite 0. Salinity 1 .027. I drip acclimated for 1.5 hrs. Is it just acclimating? I have a 130 gph power head also and this is the link (https://www.u-buy.com.tw/en/product...light-with-dual-channel-wired-controller-nano) to the light I have. (6.5 hrs a day) the hammer it had some algae on it so I used a turkey baster to get it off but that’s it

 

[Joethefish]

Most reefers use RODI because of the potential for contaminates in other sources of water, such as heavy metals. Some of which could be highly toxic to some tank inhabitants. Or cause other things like excessive algae etc. Every time you add water for evaporation these things will build up in concentration. Doing a large water change will help but it will not decrease potential contaminates down to the level they started at originally. Over time the levels can creep higher and higher. It may work for now but down the road it may not. So it really depends on your water and what's in it and how much. What you are keeping in your tank. And how large your water changes are. The only way to get rid of build up of contaminates is a 100% water change, which is probably not feasible. The alternative is to minimize adding anything other than what's in the new salt water and dosed on purpose.

Personally I would look into a small RODI system. If you do shop for one, make sure it has standard 10" filter housings so you are not stuck with some brand specific filter system.

Just came home to this on the new one I got a few days ago. What am I doing wrong. Is there any saving it?

 

[Shirak]

Just came home to this on the new one I got a few days ago. What am I doing wrong. Is there any saving it?

No I don't think so. Looks like brown jelly disease too.

I am not sure you are doing anything wrong. Euphyllia dying within a few days from brown jelly disease says to me the coral had problems when you got it. Maybe there was an issue before it was shipped or something happened in shipping.

How did it look when you opened the package? Was it looking ok in the bag and extending some polyps? How was it shipped? Just loose in a bag? What was the temperature of the water? What steps did you take after you got it out of the box?

Have you tested your water parameters lately?

 

[Dcloser12]

Just came home to this on the new one I got a few days ago. What am I doing wrong. Is there any saving it?

No. Remove it now before you contaminate your tank. This goes down hill fast from here. I am sorry.

 

[Joethefish]

No I don't think so. Looks like brown jelly disease too.

I am not sure you are doing anything wrong. Euphyllia dying within a few days from brown jelly disease says to me the coral had problems when you got it. Maybe there was an issue before it was shipped or something happened in shipping.

How did it look when you opened the package? Was it looking ok in the bag and extending some polyps? How was it shipped? Just loose in a bag? What was the temperature of the water? What steps did you take after you got it out of the box?

Have you tested your water parameters lately?

The other one I ordered online but this one I got on Friday from my lfs that I trust. In the store it was beautiful. I floated it for 45 minutes when I got home and that was that. I left my lights on normal schedule but left my flow off as I am still trying to figure it out and it seems like some of the other corals don’t like it either. Unless I’m remembering it wrong, it never got to the point in my tank as open as it was at the store. The only thing I guess I changed was yesterday I move some rocks around. I did touch the coral but I believe just the skeleton. Even if I did touch a few polyps, could it have done this. Most recent test nitrite and ammonia 0, nitrate 20, calcium 440ppm, alk 10 dkh, haven’t tested mag yet, temp 78, ph 8.1, salinity 1.026. These seem to check out. I will test magnesium now. Last I checked yesterday it was low; 1360 range

 

[Shirak]

Your parameters sound fine. Corals need moving water so turning the flow off could be an issue. Is there any other flow besides the powerhead? If so how much?
Light and how much?

Floating for 45min isn't necessary. Only takes about 10-15 for temperatures to adjust. After that it's ready for the tank or to be dipped for potential pests.. and then the tank.

 

[Joethefish]

Your parameters sound fine. Corals need moving water so turning the flow off could be an issue. Is there any other flow besides the powerhead? If so how much?
Light and how much?

Floating for 45min isn't necessary. Only takes about 10-15 for temperatures to adjust. After that it's ready for the tank or to be dipped for potential pests.. and then the tank.

I turned off the flow because it seemed t become irritated when it was turned on. Only other flow is the filter pump which is about 200 gph. I didn’t dip

 

[Shirak]

Your tank isn't very large.. maybe a couple small nano sized AC powerheads on a couple of digital timers so you can have them turn on and off randomly. That would get you some flow but also have it create some turbulence. What powerhead are you using now? It might work with a digital timer and you can just have it pulse on and off.

I use these. A bit tricky to program as the instructions are slim... but they can do random timing and all sorts of things.

 

[Joethefish]

Your tank isn't very large.. maybe a couple small nano sized AC powerheads on a couple of digital timers so you can have them turn on and off randomly. That would get you some flow but also have it create some turbulence. What powerhead are you using now? It might work with a digital timer and you can just have it pulse on and off.

I use these. A bit tricky to program as the instructions are slim... but they can do random timing and all sorts of things.

I’m using the current USA eflux wave pump on the lowest setting. There is a pulsing option but I’m pretty sure there is a few seconds in between each wave. Haven’t taken it out of tank yet but I will after I have an answer to this question: if I set up another tank and put it in there, is there any chance I can get it to pull through, or is it too late. This is a pick of the second head.

 

[Shirak]

Looks infected to me. Very difficult to save unless catch it very early. The only thing that has seemed to help for me is antibiotic soaking of the coral in a container and tank dosing with Ciprofloxacin.

 

[Dcloser12]

I can't speak for everyone else's but my hammers love a random flow. They are in a weird medium to low area. They have movement but nothing that makes They sway much. I am also running 2 gyros, and 5 power heads on random settings. I don't have a set flow. I'd say the lights shocked them a little and flow didn't help. Possibly fot damaged in the bag when they bagged it.

 

[Bribo12]

Looking at your tank I see a lot of closed up zoas and maybe some other very unhappy corals. Is this correct? What does the algae look like? Since you don’t have an rodi I’m assuming you’re using tap? Something in your source water is potentially killing or highly stressing your corals.

 

[Shirak]

Looking at your tank I see a lot of closed up zoas and maybe some other very unhappy corals. Is this correct? What does the algae look like? Since you don’t have an rodi I’m assuming you’re using tap? Something in your source water is potentially killing or highly stressing your corals.

I thought maybe some Dino's when looking at earlier photos. I can't quite tell for sure but still think there could be some Dino's there. The unfiltered water is also a cause for concern.

 

[Stutes_ii]

Hi so this is my first post on the forum. I have a 15g reef tank that I setup about 7 months ago. I have 2 clown fish a goby, a bunch of zoas, a green mushroom, gsp, and a new hammer coral I got yesterday. I’ve had hammers before (1) but it was bigger and seemed stronger. It died from a calcium deficiency. Anyway, I feel like this one is looking rough. Calcium 415 ppm. Ammonia nitrate nitrite 0. Salinity 1 .027. I drip acclimated for 1.5 hrs. Is it just acclimating? I have a 130 gph power head also and this is the link (https://www.u-buy.com.tw/en/product...light-with-dual-channel-wired-controller-nano) to the light I have. (6.5 hrs a day) the hammer it had some algae on it so I used a turkey baster to get it off but that’s it

Lower salinity 1.024-1.025

 

[Joethefish]

Looking at your tank I see a lot of closed up zoas and maybe some other very unhappy corals. Is this correct? What does the algae look like? Since you don’t have an rodi I’m assuming you’re using tap? Something in your source water is potentially killing or highly stressing your corals.

Yes those corals are closed up And yes I’m using a tap. I thought that is was normal for corals to stay closed up for a while but I guess not. Until I can get a system, does distilled water work instead of tap? There is always a lot of algae but I try to stay on top of water changes at least one e a week

 

[Dcloser12]

Yes those corals are closed up And yes I’m using a tap. I thought that is was normal for corals to stay closed up for a while but I guess not. Until I can get a system, does distilled water work instead of tap? There is always a lot of algae but I try to stay on top of water changes at least one e a week

Distilled water is fine. It has under 5tds usually and some have 0. Tap water likely contains copper due to water supply lines in your home along with other heavy elements coral do not like. Snails inverts and such are easily poisoned by this.

 

[LeftyReefer]

Any Walmart or an LFS near you? Walmart sells filtered water for 39 cents a gallon, but you need to haul it in your own jugs.. or you can buy distilled water in 2 gallon jugs. Or you can buy RO/DI from the LFS. plenty of options besides using tap water.

I wouldn't add any more corals until you can get your current corals happy. Losing two hammers in a matter of days is concerning. Coral need flow. I have better luck with more flow than less. Get the flow figured out, then place your corals around the tank where the conditions are best for each.

good luck!

 

[Joethefish]

Any Walmart or an LFS near you? Walmart sells filtered water for 39 cents a gallon, but you need to haul it in your own jugs.. or you can buy distilled water in 2 gallon jugs. Or you can buy RO/DI from the LFS. plenty of options besides using tap water.

I wouldn't add any more corals until you can get your current corals happy. Losing two hammers in a matter of days is concerning. Coral need flow. I have better luck with more flow than less. Get the flow figured out, then place your corals around the tank where the conditions are best for each.

good luck!

Thanks! Yeah I can easily get distilled water I just didn’t think I needed it. It’s like 50 cents a gallon at my local supermarket so I guess until I can get a system I’ll just use that for water changes

 

[Joethefish]

Distilled water is fine. It has under 5tds usually and some have 0. Tap water likely contains copper due to water supply lines in your home along with other heavy elements coral do not like. Snails inverts and such are easily poisoned by this.

With distilled water, if I put my fish/coral in another tank for a bit, is it worth It to do a complete water change?

 

[Dcloser12]

With distilled water, if I put my fish/coral in another tank for a bit, is it worth It to do a complete water change?

Yes. I'd do a 100% water change personally. Scrub the rocks in some old tank water but don't bleach or over clean them. No point in a new cycle just try to save as much bacteria in the rocks as you can and start over.

 

[Joethefish]

Yes. I'd do a 100% water change personally. Scrub the rocks in some old tank water but don't bleach or over clean them. No point in a new cycle just try to save as much bacteria in the rocks as you can and start over.

Yeah I will also rinse the old media in tank water. Because I am not bleaching them, should I still add some bottled bacteria?