HELP! Hammer Coral Not Opening

[mta_morrow]

@mta_morrow
I have a small gsp colony, leather coral, 4-5 mushrooms around, anemone(not a coral but wanted to mention), and a hammer coral. Sorry I don’t know what FTS stands for. I normally change 5 gallons a week in the 29 gallon tank, but today I did 10.

Ok. Couple things I would recommend. Let your Alk lower to 8ish. You water changes are good. What test kit are you using for nitrates?

 

[Jaws0508]

Ok. Couple things I would recommend. Let your Alk lower to 8ish. You water changes are good. What test kit are you using for nitrates?

I use the salifert test kit. Also how would I lower the alk?

 

[mta_morrow]

I use the salifert test kit

Ok. I keep softies and leathers and some LPS too. Your nitrates are fine if under 20 IMO.

how much do you feed?

FTS stand for full tank shot........a pic of your tank. Do you have any algae issues?

do you dose Alk?

 

[Jaws0508]

Here you go; don’t know what the anemone is doing but nems do what nems do. I don’t actually feed a lot, probably 1/4 a mysis frozen food cube a day. I do have some algae problems in my tank.

 

[mta_morrow]

Here you go; don’t know what the anemone is doing but nems do what nems do

How new is your tank?

 

[Jaws0508]

How new is your tank?

I restarted it around June 24, so just under 4 months

 

[mta_morrow]

Also, I don’t know what lights you have, but I would place the hammer down near the sand bed. Lower light for euphyllia coral, especially when newer or introduced.

 

[Jaws0508]

I have sps grade Steve’s led kit, so I moved him to the sand bed

 

[mta_morrow]

Ok. Give it a couple days ther and check back in. Do you dose at all?

 

[Jaws0508]

Ok. Give it a couple days ther and check back in. Do you dose at all?

No, just weekly water changes. I was told that it would be enough from someone at my lfs. Is that true?

 

[mta_morrow]

You don’t have much coral for Alk consumption so u you should be good for now. Just thinking, do you feed your nem? When you feed them , they poop a lot. So more nitrates. I have 8 nems and rarely feed them.

 

[Jaws0508]

I just got him and only fed him once, but I don’t plan on feeding him a lot. What’s weird is my phosphates are undetected but my nitrates are high

 

[mta_morrow]

I just got him and only fed him once, but I don’t plan on feeding him a lot. What’s weird is my phosphates are undetected but my nitrates are high

It’s not abnormal to have higher nitrates and minimal phosphates. Do you run GFO or any chemipures for phosphate removal? Also which phosphate test do you use. The Hanna ULR is pretty much the best test out there for low range phosphates. Most others may show zero but the margin of error means it’s not really zero.

 

[mta_morrow]

Also keep in mind that this coral just went from one guys tank to your. Every single parameter is different as well as lighting and flow. It only been a couple days give it time as well.

 

[Jaws0508]

It’s not abnormal to have higher nitrates and minimal phosphates. Do you run GFO or any chemipures for phosphate removal? Also which phosphate test do you use. The Hanna ULR is pretty much the best test out there for low range phosphates. Most others may show zero but the margin of error means it’s not really zero.

Yeah I run chemipure elite and I use the salifert test kit

 

[Icryhard]

The phosphate one is useless.... Alk and nitrate can work in a pinch but may not be as accurate. The nitrate one is a pain to use imo.

You get what you pay for.

for values below 0,7 a salifert phosphate testkit won't be able to detect this any longer. It will present a 0 value. For phosphate I'd go for Hanna ULR. For nitrate I'd go for salifert, which is fine. Just my 2 cents on this older thread.

 

[HaiFish]

I have a extra one so I will try that, but I feel like it will be to much

Hammers love medium to strong flow. if you are worried about it being too strong, dont point the head straight at it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Strong flow - absolutely not. It will stress them and even cause the polyps to tear right off cause what is called " Polyp bailout". Torches can take a little more but noy much more