Is this Hammer Happy?

[Huff747]

Tank info: 40 gallon breeder ~4 months old, Kessil 360 LEDs
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate/Phosphate - 0 (tank is newer, there's some algae on the rocks/sand so I think it's probably a case of not really 0 but just being consumed by the algae, I think I read that that is a thing)
Ca - 448
Alk - Was low (7) yesterday so added some BRS alkalinity solution split between last night and this morning and haven't tested again yet

Hammer in question (you can see some of the algae on the sand):

I mostly ask because this hammer in my QT tank is much more extended:

Thanks.

 

[Ludders]

Hammers vary, but are pretty hardy corals. Top one looks a bit like an aussie ultra frag.

Flow could be playing a part in how much it will extend. I tend to keep mine in lower flow areas.

What algae do you think you have on the substrate?

 

[Zack K]

The hammer looks okay right now. I would agree he is not fully extended BUT I have found that they can take some time to set in. I would also get your nutrients up. I know you mentioned about the algae taking it, but that doesn’t help the hammer.

 

[Huff747]

Hammers vary, but are pretty hardy corals. Top one looks a bit like an aussie ultra frag.

Flow could be playing a part in how much it will extend. I tend to keep mine in lower flow areas.

What algae do you think you have on the substrate?

Thanks. I don't think he's getting too much flow. In fact yesterday I moved him a bit more to the center of the tank trying to get him a bit more flow thinking maybe he wasn't getting enough flow and I'd say he looks the same today as he did in his previous location.

I think I have brown hair algae on my rocks and substrate. I don't have much of a cleanup crew in the tank yet because most of the crew is still in my coral/invert QT tank with the purple hammer waiting for the 76 days to be up.

Here's some other corals in the same tank that seem happy; the Duncan is going from 2 heads to 5 (or more) it would appear, and the stylo and utter chaos zoas seem happy and maybe you can see some better shots of the algae:

 

[Huff747]

The hammer looks okay right now. I would agree he is not fully extended BUT I have found that they can take some time to set in. I would also get your nutrients up. I know you mentioned about the algae taking it, but that doesn’t help the hammer.

Thanks. Any suggestions on how to best do that? I try to get in there and brush/pull some of the algae, I'm running chaeto in the sump and it had really grown so I trimmed it back quite a ways thinking that would keep from stripping so much. Should I feed a bit more? I did add a midas blenny and cardinal within the last 3 days after their stint in QT so should I give it a bit more time and see if the increased bioload brings the nutrients up? I'm still planning to add more fish, right now it's pretty light with a pair of clowns being the first residents.

 

[Ludders]

Sorry this pic is so dark, I just took it and my lights are down at the moment, it's my Aussie Ultra.

How big is it? Are you trying to feed it at the moment?

 

[Zack K]

Overfeeding is a good way to bring up the nutrients. But the algae issue will thrive if you do that. Maybe some more CUC but your tank looks new. So time will take care of it as you go through the uglies.

 

[DSC reef]

Seeing that your tank is pretty new it could be an acclimation thing. For now I'd stop making adjustments/moving the coral and focus on stability. Don't let the alk swing to much, ect.

 

[Ludders]

Seeing that your tank is pretty new it could be an acclimation thing. For now I'd stop making adjustments/moving the coral and focus on stability. Don't let the alk swing to much, ect.

+1 on this advice
If it was struggling, it would be recessed into its skeletal structure

 

[thaitopher]

Everything looks shaded so my biggest question is whether they are getting enough light. You probably need a better nitrate and phosphate Checker. I highly doubt your tank is truly at 0.

 

[Huff747]

Everything looks shaded so my biggest question is whether they are getting enough light. You probably need a better nitrate and phosphate Checker. I highly doubt your tank is truly at 0.

The shading is probably my subpar camera skills and it's an iPhone with no filter. They're all out in the open with 2 Kessil 360s on a 40 gallon breeder.

The Nitrate Test was Red Sea. The Phosphate test was API. I have since picked up a Hannah Phosphate checker but I don't yet have the reagent.

Thanks everybody for the responses. I don't ever see it's skeleton it was mostly just the difference between the two hammers that made me wonder.

 

[Octane13]

I have a very similar tank but with two A160's. I picked up a hammer the other day and it looked like your first picture at the store and for the first day. Moved it down and back ~2 inches in each direction and it opened almost double within 20 minutes. Nothing like what I see in your second picture but maybe in a few more days? hopefully this is normal