Hammer head coral questions

[Hectorg214]

After visiting my LFS today I'm thinking about getting a hammer head coral. So far I have nothing but softies like zoas, purple pulsing xenia, kenya trees and sinularia. I know hammers are a little more difficult to care for. I just had a couple of questions to ask:
1. Are they easy to care for or are they difficult?
2. Right now I'm not testing or dosing for magnesium or alkalinity so if I get one do I have to test and dose? My lfs said as long as I keep water prestine I should be good. I do a 20 gallon water change monthly on a 72 bowfront.
3. For lighting I'm using the Fluval marine light. Would that be good enough?
Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!!!

 

[BlennyTime]

Hammer isn’t too hard to care for. Medium light and medium flow. As long as the polyps aren’t blowing like crazy, should be fine.

You will need to test and dose alkalinity a few times a week. Magnesium usually gets replaced with water changes, but good to test occasionally. Not sure if once a month will be enough on the water changes to replenish it without dosing.

That light should be fine.

Good luck!!

 

[Nick Steele]

It depends on which type of hammer.

Wall hammers are usually wild and most report some issues with them not doing well. Although others have no issues.

Branching hammers are tank raised and should do relatively well.

My Personal experience with a pink hammer would say that mag testing isn’t required but can solve some issue when they pop up. Alk testing I would do just for sake of mind in a reef tank. Mine Hammer started to bleach when my mag fell below 1100 (only thing that changed) so I upped my mag and it colored up again within a few weeks. As for alk I’ve had a few alk swings in my tank (+1 dkh in two days) since I’ve had my hammer and it didn’t seem effected by them.

Overall not a hard coral. I don’t think any lps or softies are truly hard just take special requirements. Sps on the other hand can be super finicky.

 

[Hectorg214]

As far as dosing can I use red sea reef energy AB or do I have to dose magnesium and alkalinity separately??

 

[Kryptonian]

They're pretty easy to care for. They like medium light and benefit from the occasional feeding. A few mysis shrimp once a week will be good. They like low to medium flow but don't like constantly being blown around.

I see you just posted about AB+. AB, mag, and alk, are three completely different things. Yes, AB+ is great for corals but never use a full dose. In my experience, that shoots your nitrates through the roof. I do about a 1/3rd dose every two days and turn off the sump and powerheads and let it rest in the tank for an hour. If you don't have many corals, maybe even 1/4th dose.

Mag is good to keep around 1350+ but water changes are probably keeping that level with minimal corals. Alk is just good to know in general. Tanks can have anywhere from 8-12 and be very healthy, the key is just keeping your alk where it is and not let it swing.

 

[Hectorg214]

So what is a good source of magnesium and alkalinity. What should I get to dose? And how do I test for both? Sorry for all the questions, just want to know everything before I make the leap.

 

[Kryptonian]

Never apologize for questions! They help you learn.

I use Red Sea Foundation Magnesium, Alkalinity, and Calcium and the Foundation Pro Test Kit. If you're going to consider dosing, this is where'd I'd suggest starting. You want to make sure you have very accurate testing before dosing so you don't knock something way too high or leave it too low.

Dosing is all about knowing how much of a nutrient your tank consumes. It alk drops .5 per day, you need to dose enough milliliters to replenish .5 each day. Testing is the only way to know your tank's consumption. First you need to know what your tank alk is and decide what alk you want to maintain. Again, some keep tanks at 8 and others prefer 11 or 11.5. Just make changes slowly and maintain levels.

Same with magnesium and calcium. If mag drops from 1350 to 1340 in a day, you need to dose to replenish. Every tank is different and as you acquire new corals or your corals grow larger, their consumption rates will change.

Red Sea Trace Elements is another additional dosing source. This calculates the dose according to the amount of calcium you dose each day.

Also, to avoid precipitation, dose alkalinity and calcium at different times of the day. This is when sodium carbonate bonds to calcium and makes little white crystals that can show on equipment. It's also effective to dose into high flow areas so the compounds distribute quickly. The more expensive but popular option is to invest in dosing equipment. I haven't gone there yet.

 

[Hectorg214]

Alright, thanks guys for all the info and answers. Will definitely have to invest in the Foundation Pro Test kit to know where I stand as far as water quality.

 

[Bored_shrimp]

Before you get it make sure to test your parameters and make sure nothings too out of whack. I just got a hammer a few days ago, and didn't test my alk. It ended up having the polyps bail from the skeleton. When you get it make sure it doesn't look like it ripping off from the side either and do everything you can to make sure it doesn't stress too much, otherwise the polyps might fall off. I forgot that my alk is usually high after water changes and I had just done one and got that coral, so that probably stressed it out and made it do that. right now it's sitting in a crack in the rocks and I'm hoping it will survive, so be careful.

 

[Hectorg214]

Ok, so after much debating I decided to go with the Hanna testers. I got the alkalinity, calcium and phosphate ULR ones. After testing my water today these are my parameters I got:
Ph - 7.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrates - 3 to 5
Alkalinity - 10
Calcium - 425
Phosphates - .25 ppm
Salinity - 1.025
Don't really know much about the Alkalinity, calcium and phosphate numbers so don't really know whether these are good parameters or not to get a hammer head coral. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[John08007]

Not reading all these responses. My first lps was a torch, close to a hammer. Id say get it unless its expensive. Most likely you will be fine. Personally I've have had trouble with leathers and xenia, my lps grow no problem. These will need calcium, all, mag. Dosers are so cheap now, I would pick one up and start dosing, it will also help your tank in general to be stable.
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