Dying Hammer Coral

[Lilxxwojo1]

1. Type & how long you have had it: Hammer Coral, 1 month
2. Current lighting & Bulb Age: T5 - unsure of exact wattage, 6 months
3. Nitrate: 40
4. Calcium: unknown
5. Phosphate: unknown
6. Alkalinity: unknown
7. pH: 7.8
8. Salinity: 1.23
9. Temperature: 78
10. Liquid or strip test kits: API Marine test kit
11. Location in tank: bottom front on sand
12. Current amount of flow: moderate-low
13. Current tank dosing regimen: none
14. Nearby coral: none
15. Explanation of problem: Hammer coral looks as though it is inverting, after filling out all of this information I would guess that I need to get a reef test kit to further try and pinpoint the exact issue.... any other suggestions would be great so I don't lose this awesome coral.

Thanks

 

[fort384]

Yes, need to know wattage and # of bulbs for lighting, and alkalinity, calcium, and phosphate #'s to narrow in on a cause.

Any other coral in the tank?

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

Coralife Lunar Aqualight (with moonlight glow) 96 watts/lamp

the only other coral is a very small polyp coral

 

[fort384]

So it is a species of SPS? How is it doing?

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

the polyps are fine and they open everyday so I wasn't sure why the hammer coral was having problems

 

[fort384]

Ok - tell us about your lighting duration.


And, as I said those test kits are important if you intend to keep coral. Proper Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium, and phosphate levels go a long way to creating a healthy environment for coral.

I am very new to the reef game as well and have had a heck of a time with hammers in particular. My latest one seems to be doing well since I have gotten my lighting and alk/Ca levels in check.

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

The regular lights are on for 8 hours everyday and the moonglow light is on for the remainder of the day. I'm going in go out and get the reef test kit sometime this week

 

[fort384]

Sounds good. And what size tank is this?

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

65 gallon

 

[Crystal A]

Would anything be picking at it? I know my hammer receded cause of my emerald crab. It actually killed a half a head but since I took the crab out its starting to grow back. These pics are from about a week ago it is looking better now.

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

It doesn't look like something is eating it... It just kind of looks like it curled into itself... its more like a wall shaped one and its flourescent green

 

[Crystal A]

Do ya have any pics? That might help us narrow it down for ya.

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

I think you were right about something eating it... I observed a crab on it picking at it the other day. I ordered a shelf for it and I just got the test kit for the rest of the water parameters today. Ill post the results and a picture later on.

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

Salinity: 1.024
Phosphate: .25
Calcium:420
Temperature: 77.9
Nitrate:40
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ph:7.8
Hardness: 125.3
Lighting: 8 hours day, 16 hours night glow

 

[melosu58]

I personally think it was the brown Jelly disease. I`m sure the crab was not the culprit. It usually starts with trauma to the head and flesh part and then the flesh part falls apart. You can do a search on the site to get a better description of it.

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

Well if this is the case I figured out why... My power head in my tank stopped working for a few days but now I have two of them and the tank as a whole looks much better.

 

[Phranque]

First problem I see is the 40ppm nitrates.... this is way too high for corals. For a reef tank, depending on the corals, you are aiming to keep your nitrates as close to 0 as possible, ideally less than 1. Some corals thrive with some nitrates present, but we're talking maybe up to 5ppm.
With an 8 hour light cycle and 0.25 phosphates, I'm kinda surprised you don't have some serious algae issues. Again, the goal is to keep the phosphates as close to 0 as possible, with 0.04 being my maximum.

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

Yeah I know the nitrates are high right now and im doing water changes with RO water. What cycle for lighting do you recommend?

 

[Phranque]

Yeah I know the nitrates are high right now and im doing water changes with RO water. What cycle for lighting do you recommend?

Are you using RO or RODI ? There is a difference.

If you're not fighting algae issues, leave your day lights where they're at, but you do need to give your tank total darkness..... don't run the actinics around the clock. I'd leave them on for maybe a couple hours in the evening after the daylights go out, then shut them down as well.

 

[Lilxxwojo1]

RODI and ok that sounds good ill program my lights for total darkness for a few hours a day too