Hammer coral help

[Rich42082]

My hammer coral began to show its skeleton and has not fully opened since I upgraded to my 90 gallon from my 30 gallon. My water parameters are Ph 8.2 nitrites and everything else is at 0. I've had my new tank for two months now.



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Here is a picture if what it looked like in my 30 gallon.



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Could it be the lighting? I have a Nova extreme pro light that has 4 10000k / 2 Blue Ati plus / 2 aqua pink giesemann. This light does not have individual reflectors.

[melosu58]

I`m not getting any pictures. Can you repost them and also what are your water parameters?

[Rich42082]

This is what it use to look like in the 30 gallon tank.





As far as the parameters I only have the basic test kit right now which is PH 8.2 Nitrites at 0 nitrates at 0 and amonia is at 0.

[Tmyboy]

is that the lighting or did it bleach out?

is it getting roughly the same flow? I've really noticed my corals pout if i move them to a different flow. It may have been used to a certain amount of water movement.

You have the same lighting??

[Rich42082]

It's the lighting. The light I had on the 30 gallon was an aqua sun from Petco with only two bulbs. The hammer is getting a little more flow.

[melosu58]

So the second pic is what it looks like now? If so there is nothing wrong with that hammer coral. That is a pretty nice speciman.

[Rich42082]

No the second picture is what it use to look like. The faded looking one is what it looks like now.

[Rich42082]

I guess it is a little bleached.

[TLTGF]

My hammer loves moderate flow - as soon as it gets blowing a bit too much, it starts to retract looks unhappy. As soon as the flow slows a bit, it's hanging out like crazy.

I'd say flow is the first thing to look for. Other than that, mine was great 18" under (4) - T5's and still good three weeks into LED's

[BallinCrew10]

So you went from 2 bulbs to 8 correct? How did you acclimate your tank to the new lights?

[Rich42082]

Yes. I started by having 4 bulbs on for 5 hrs. I did that for a week. Then I had all 8 bulbs on for 4 hrs. I did that for two weeks. Now I leave all 8 on for 12 hrs.

[melosu58]

Two things might be causing it to bleach. Not enough lighting and what is your calcium reading?

[mr_X]

I think it's the lighting change that is bleaching it. Too much too soon would be my guess. I don't think you need to run your lighting for 12 hours either.

[Flreefer]

I agree, 12 hours of full daylight, every day, is overkill. 8 hours of full daylight is plenty IMO.

[Rich42082]

Ok I'm changing light bulbs and schedule hopefully this works. I'm not sure about the calcium levels. Going to buy a test kit soon.

[Rich42082]

Changed the lights from 4 t5 10000k, 2 ati blue, 2 pink ati to 4 ati blue, 2 ati blue special, 1 ati blue, 1 10000k.

Hopefully these bulbs with the 8 hour lighting schedule helps. Checking calcium lvls this weekend.

[Rich42082]

I meant ati pink. That last ati blue is pink.

[mr_X]

Who made the 10k lamps? You probably have stronger lighting now than you did before.

[Rich42082]

Not sure I bought the lights off of CL.

[BallinCrew10]

If you still have them it should say right on the bulb.