Torch fully opening but hammer not

[JAWSIII]

Hey guys my tank has been up for over a year and I have had the same torch ( pic attached) for about 9 months the torch has always fully opened when lights are up.

this is my second attempt at a hammer. The first was about 6 months ago and the hammer never really opened and died in same water and lighting conditions as torch.
This current hammer ( 3 weeks in tank) opens but very little ( see pic) and it seems to be opening less each day. I have it placed midway in tank The torch is more near the top see pic. Red circle is torch blue is hammer.
Water tested yesterday as

cal 450
Mag 1700
Dkh 10.5
Salinity 1.025
Phosphate.02
Nitrite can’t detect
Nitrate 15
Amonia can’t detect
Ph 8.0
Temp 77.7

 

[ChiCity]

is the flow from that return
reaching it (off glass) directly?

might be your problem

 

[N3mo]

How's the flow in that area? Try moving it to the center of the tank on the sandbed for a couple Of days and see how it reacts.

 

[MaxTremors]

It could be that it doesn’t like the flow, either too much or too little. If there’s a lot of flow, try moving it to less and vice versa. I wouldn’t keep moving it though, if moving it once doesn’t make it happier, I wouldn’t move it again.

 

[JAWSIII]

How's the flow in that area? Try moving it to the center of the tank on the sandbed for a couple Of days and see how it reacts.

Is the school of thought that Hammers like less flow ? Or is it just depending on each individual hammer.

 

[N3mo]

Is the school of thought that Hammers like less flow ? Or is it just depending on each individual hammer.

Hammers can take some flow, but I found the do best in mediumish flow.

With heavy flow they tend to stay short and stubby and notfully extend, I had one that actually bailed in heavy flow. So now I keep them in medium random flow. they open up really big