Frogspawn and Hammer Won't Open Fully

[NicoC16]

I have been having both a hammer and a frogspawn coral for quite some time now, but the extension I am getting from my corals seems to be diminishing. I have been fighting some Bryopsis for quite some time now, which may be one of the reasons my corals aren't as open as they used to be. I know my tank has some residual phosphate, but I have been running GFO to get it down as well as doing weekly 20% water changes.

I recently moved my corals to an area of lesser light intensity, which has helped them some. One of my clownfish hosts my hammer coral which seems to be causing it some stress. I am planning on fragging it, so that he can only go after one piece as opposed to the entire colony. Does anyone have any other recommendations?

 

[Reefer James]

If it was doing fine for quite some time why did you change it's lighting?

What are your parameters? Mg, Ca, KH

 

[NicoC16]

I was doing well a year ago, so I gave it time thinking it would solve the problem. My corals have been growing very well but they don't look great.

Ca: 360
Mg: around 1600 (I am treating Bryopsis by raising my Mg levels to around 1800)
KH: around 8

 

[Reefer James]

Calcium pretty low.

Are you using Kent's Magnesium? Any other type of mag doesn't prevent algae.

 

[Sniperhank]

The hosting will be one cause of stress. I had a hammer under my radions for quite some time...got it at 4 heads and it stayed at 4 heads. Then one day I moved it down into the sandbed as I got more SPS in and needed room away from the sweepers...after that occurred and BAM. It has been growing more heads than anyone's business. This is with my Radions at 60% max intensity. So, I'd be interested on if it is a lighting issue tied in with the hosting behavior instead of parameters.

 

[NicoC16]

Thanks Reefer James and Sniperhank.
I am using Kent Marine's Tech M as my Magnesium additive. As to you Sniperhank: I am considering fragging my hammer coral since it has work it's way from one head to 16 in about a year and a half.

Also, I have been running my lights at 80% actinic and 50% white.

Actinics: 9:30-6:30 p.m.
Whites: 10:15-5:45 p.m.
There is a 20 minutes sunrise and sunset ramp built in as well. Also, 1 hour of moonlights.

Should I change my light intensity?

 

[Sniperhank]

Nope. Sounds just fine to me. So how are the parameters with that part out of the way?

 

[NicoC16]

I don't have any nitrates. My phosphate levels are around 0.06 ppm. I have been attributing this bit of phosphate to the reason why my corals don't open as fully.

 

[Sniperhank]

I wouldn't put my money on that small of phosphate...people want to aim at .03 and there really isn't much difference between those two numbers.
How long have you been raising mag with kent-m?

 

[NicoC16]

I have been raising for 5 days now. If the phosphates aren't causing the Bryopsis, what could it be?
Also, do you think it would be alright to frag my hammer coral? Since it hasn't been opening fully, could the "stress" that's on it lower my chances of successfully fragging it?

 

[Sniperhank]

You can frag it easily. The stressed part is the flesh, where most of these guys is mostly calcium skeleton.
Byropsys is a 'clean water' algae. It doesn't need the nutrients like hair algae and others do to grow and thrive.

 

[Reefer James]

I'd run significantly less white. Sounds like you're nuking at 50%