My first coral (Hammer coral, placement question)

dreamcatcherr9 · Mar 18, 2020

I got my first coral today!

I choose a hammer, because it’s the one that aesthetically caught my eye. I have researched that they are not to hard to care for, so I thought great place to start.

My question is on placement and the frag plug.

I researched placement is open (sand or rock, low or high in tank, as long as flow and light was “medium”.

Can I leave on the same bed or should I place higher on rock?

Not comfortable removing coral from frag, can I cut the base / stem from the plug off? And just leave like that?

Any advice on hammer coral care would be appreciated. Thank you.

dreamcatcherr9 · Mar 19, 2020

Eleni18 · Mar 19, 2020

Hi. I would move it a bit higher up if I were you. Mine do really well around the middle of the tank, on the rockwork. Yes, you can either cut the stem of the plug and glue it on a flat rock or wedge the stem in a crack

piranhaman00 · Mar 19, 2020

Keep it in the sand bed for now. You can move it up once it is more acclimated to your tank. What size tank and lights do you use? My hammers are all very hardy, I have them placed in the middle under medium to high flow.

Passedyouby · Mar 19, 2020

+1 on sand for now, but higher later on! But this depends on your lights. What are you use. For how long, and how bright?

Good looking hammer! Congrats!!

Euphyllia97 · Mar 19, 2020

Hammers can adapt to almost any placement if you ask me... I have some hammers on the top of my tank and some on the bottom in the shadow of higher rocks. Have noticed as long as they are not blasted like crazy by a powerhead, they will open up and grow pretty quickly. Mine do better in higher nutrients too.

Thespammailaccount · Mar 19, 2020

Nice looking specimen you have there

dreamcatcherr9 · Mar 19, 2020

Passedyouby said:
+1 on sand for now, but higher later on! But this depends on your lights. What are you use. For how long, and how bright?

Good looking hammer! Congrats!!

It’s a 20g Nuvo. I have 2 AI primes over it. AB schedule (but only 8 hours now). I am having a lot of algae on glass when over 6 hours lights on. Yes, I read to start low and move up If desired (?). The water flow I worried to high when on rocks. I tried to find a lower flow area, but’s it’s hard, I think I have a lot of flow in the tank. I reduced the flow yesterday. Seems good so far.