Hammer help

[Brinkfish312]

We got this toxic green hammer just over 2 months ago, but we can't seem to find a spot to make it happy. I've read about the average liked light/flow from these guys, but he seems pulled in most of the time. Not ALL the way in like at night, just real tight. We've tried lower flow, higher flow, he sits on the bottom.. More light maybe? We The frogspawn frag we got a couple weeks ago seems happy as can be, all the other corals except my Acan's seem happy. Any ideas on what we could do? I tested today and everything seems to be fine. I would love for him to be pushed out like this pic more often

 

[Reefing Madness]

Might try moving him up into more light, I had to with my Hammer, he didnt' much like sitting on the bottom, and I have LEDs.

 

[Brinkfish312]

I have leds as well. I've been slowly bringing the intensity up on them, right now the actinics are at 40% and the whites at 50%, I think. I'm not TOO sure exactly how high they should be optimally, but I'll just watch for negative reactions. I hope it's just the light

 

[phillrodrigo]

I think it looks fine in the picture you have.

 

[Brinkfish312]

I think it looks fine in the picture you have.

That's what it SHOULD look like. That's what I was saying, that I wish it was still out like in the pic when we first got it. I took that pic soon after we got it once it got comfy. Then it changed its mind.

 

[Brinkfish312]

I can take another pic tonight to show you what I mean

 

[Z06-Hec]

if your params are good and everything else is good i would check the water flow. If the hammer is healthy then something is bothering it, i wouldn't think its the light.

 

[Brinkfish312]

if your params are good and everything else is good i would check the water flow. If the hammer is healthy then something is bothering it, i wouldn't think its the light.

I've tried moving him to areas beside rocks that would block it so he has less flow, I've tried higher flow, different spots, corners. I'm not sure what it could be. Don't they normally like a moderate flow? We even changed up our power head so we have a Jaebo 8 wave maker in there to vary it up a bit.

 

[Z06-Hec]

you say you tested everything, what specifically did you get for Calcium and Alk ?
your current ones may be used to certain swings in those params while a new one may not have been adjusted to the daily changes in your system.
Just a thought

 

[LetItReef]

I've tried moving him to areas beside rocks that would block it so he has less flow, I've tried higher flow, different spots, corners. I'm not sure what it could be. Don't they normally like a moderate flow? We even changed up our power head so we have a Jaebo 8 wave maker in there to vary it up a bit.

Don't they normally like a moderate flow? Our Hammer does not like moderate flow. We have a WP10 and using W1 mode which creates short pulses and the direction is above the tank. if this does not help, maybe check your Phosphate. Good luck.

 

[phillrodrigo]

I'm a hammer nut actually any euphyllia. You could put it in almost no movement water and it would just be happy as could be. They don't like to be whipped around. If the get to much they will scrape against their skeleton and can die. I would move it to very little flow and medium level light and see what happens

 

[Brinkfish312]

Sorry it took me so long to get back. End of the semester and all.. Ok here's a pic of what it looks like. I moved it up a couple inches today and to another side of the tank that doesn't get much flow. We'll see how he does here. If not, we'll try another place. I'm running out of options. Test last week showed Alk 12.6, phos .08, Ca 600, Mg 1600, 1.026, pH 8

 

[Pfisherman]

Just fiND a place it should like and leave it alone. Do you dip for pests?

 

[GHill762]

I agree, put it in a decent spot and leave it alone, you aren't giving it time to adjust.

also, is it possible there is something irritating it? like vermitid snails on the skeleton below?

 

[free4mudden]

I have a 25 head branching hammer that sits at one end od the tank and about mid way from top. He loves little flow with some wave action. I have 140g long using 3- 250w metal halide 20k xm bulbs, 4 ati 96w vho. My test results are 0 nitrate, .5 phos, ca 410, and mag 1400. I dose strontium & molybdenum, iodine, and potassium.