Hammer Coral retracting

[dnez]

On Thursday I picked 3 corals; 2 hammers and one frogspawn. Didn't mean to but the store was runnign a $19.99 sale on corals that are typically $60. These are the type of corals that made me decide I wanted a reef tank .so I ended up walking out with 3.  

To my eyes the other hammer (he looks like he has a micro feather duster in him) and froagspawn seem to be adjusting.

The other tank inhabitants (PJ cardinal, Duncan, brain, candy cane and even my temperamental zoas plus various snails and hermits) look well.

i got him in Thursday's and he looked grumpy, then on Friday he puffed up but today as you can see, next to the frogspawn he's retracted. 

 

My tank cycles a couple weeks ago and my parameters are below. Missing alkalinity and calcium. I'll run those tonight. I'll expect somewhere around 360 calcium (I just stared dosing) and 11. 

 

I want to try and minimize the amount of time I spend obsessively moving. Coral around my tank for obvious reasons but want to make sure it's comfortable and not stressed. My guess is that he's adjusting to my tank and the other two had an easier time; hat or they'll retract in a day or two. I also don't want to ignore warning signs either.

 

appreciae any insight. 

 

 

 

 

SG 1.02

Tank Biocube

Temp 78

Ammo 0 ppm

Nitrites 0 ppm

Nitrates less than 10 ppm

pH 8.0

Alk 

Cal

Phosphates 0

Last WC before adding the 3 corals on Thursday 

 

[seabass]

Alkalinity swings can be an issue.  A single measurement doesn't always tell us the whole story.

 

Specific gravity should also be much higher.  Slowly (over a week or so) increase the specific gravity to 1.025 by topping off with saltwater, and doing water changes with fresh 1.025 saltwater.  This is also the reason that your calcium level is low (not that your tank is consuming a whole lot yet).  Likely, your tank's alkalinity is a little low too.

 

Low phosphate can actually be a problem.  Corals will suffer if phosphate is actually 0.00 ppm.  The target range should be just detectable, but still under 0.03 ppm.  Note that if you are using an API phosphate kit (which is a high range kit), that it goes up in 0.25 ppm increments, so it's useless for targeting a 0.01 to 0.03 ppm range.

[dnez]

Thanks for then info. I mistyped my SG. That's at 1.025. I'm going to check my parameters again. In researching I saw phosphates was something that shouldn't be at 0 but need to figure out how to fix that. 

 

But it I think the biggest issue was an alkalinity swing you mentioned. I measured 11 the last couple times before measuring 8-9 today. So I'm going to rerun that test. And try to figure out why that would happen. The other guys on there look happy but the hammer did too until he didn't so I'm worried about this.   

 

Thsnkd for yiud insight 

[Clown79]

Why are you dosing in a new tank?

 

And are you dosing to replenish or to get to a certain number?

 

Blindly dosing can cause more fluctuations than not dosing at all.

[richnyc]

It sometimes takes a week for a new hammer to get acclimated.  He has good color.  I would give it time

[seabass]

29 minutes ago, dnez said:

But it I think the biggest issue was an alkalinity swing you mentioned. I measured 11 the last couple times before measuring 8-9 today. So I'm going to rerun that test.

I like to compare newly mixed saltwater (that's my target) with the water from the display tank.  Any dosing should be to adjust back to newly mixed saltwater levels; that way there are less swings.  Also, it allows you to do larger water changes (without swings, and actually bringing you closer to targets).

 

33 minutes ago, dnez said:

In researching I saw phosphates was something that shouldn't be at 0 but need to figure out how to fix that.

Phosphate is present in food; so feeding introduces phosphate.  It's actually unusual for phosphate to be 0.00 without using some sort of phosphate reducing media.  What test kit do you use?  If you are using phosphate reducing media, discontinue use until the level starts to creep up.

[dnez]

I typed a way longer response but just noticed  that there's a brownish fuzzy gob eminating from the hammer. It's totally receded. I removed from tank but whatever it was is likely in the water column. So now I'm worried about the other guys. 

 

Im thinking it's brown jelly not I've no experience here. I'm running test now. 

[1891Bro]

39 minutes ago, dnez said:

I typed a way longer response but just noticed  that there's a brownish fuzzy gob eminating from the hammer. It's totally receded. I removed from tank but whatever it was is likely in the water column. So now I'm worried about the other guys. 

 

Im thinking it's brown jelly not I've no experience here. I'm running test now. 

That’s possible. Also remember they shit out of their mouths (like that South Park episode) so maybe it’s was just straining out a turd. What kind of test you about to run? Also a mouth shitting gif...

 

 

[dnez]

Ran API test.  Lost hammer.  Not sure what the fallout from this will be.

 

I'm going to stop dosing for now and go back to baseline for calcium and alk. Which was about 340 and 11. For some of the parameters I'd like to compare different test. Particularly nitrates and phosphates. 

 

I would like to get calcium up and followed 2 part dosing instructions but still managed alk swing. Need more research. 

 

Really discouraged. No more additions for a long time. 

 

Ammo 0 ppm

Nitrites 0 ppm

Nitrates less than 10 ppm

pH 8-9

Alkalinity 10-11

Cal 360

Phosphates 0 - need better test 

[1891Bro]

12 minutes ago, dnez said:

Ran API test.  Lost hammer.  Not sure what the fallout from this will be.

 

I'm going to stop dosing for now and go back to baseline for calcium and alk. Which was about 340 and 11. For some of the parameters I'd like to compare different test. Particularly nitrates and phosphates. 

 

I would like to get calcium up and followed 2 part dosing instructions but still managed alk swing. Need more research. 

 

Really discouraged. No more additions for a long time. 

 

Ammo 0 ppm

Nitrites 0 ppm

Nitrates less than 10 ppm

pH 8-9

Alkalinity 10-11

Cal 360

Phosphates 0 - need better test 

Bummer, it’s definitely not taking a dump. 

[dnez]

Any precautions I should take for his tank mates? I don't want to kill them too. 

[1891Bro]

33 minutes ago, dnez said:

Any precautions I should take for his tank mates? I don't want to kill them too. 

Toss it. It’s gone.  

[xthunt]

Man, I’ve been trying to find a small hammer frag of that color too. 

[Clown79]

The hammer may not have been healthy to begin with.

 

What salt are you using? Do you mix up the salt in the bucket or bag before using it?

 

Your alk and  ca seem out of balance with 340/11. 

 

What tests kits are you using and have you tested Magnesium?

 

Low mag will cause issues with ca and alk being balanced. I had this issue with reef crystals 

 

 

For dosing it's best to target your numbers to what your salt mixes at.

 

To properly dose:

 

Test your tank after a waterchange

 

Test every day to see what your tank is consuming. For 1 week.

 

 

 

Then dose according to the daily consumption from corals.

 

 

 

 

If you don't like the parameters of 11 and 340, it's best to use a salt that gives you the numbers you want rather than trying to dose to correct those numbers. 

 

You would need to dose a product to raise ca which would drop alk.

 

 

[dnez]

28 minutes ago, 1891Bro said:

Toss it. It’s gone.  

Defiantly gone. Other than observe not sure if there's anything I should be doing to prevent it from happening to tank mates. 

 

27 minutes ago, xthunt said:

Man, I’ve been trying to find a small hammer frag of that color too. 

Yeah, the movement of hammer, frogspawn and torches is what made me decide I wanted more than just a fish only tank. So it's a big bummer that my first loss is a hammer. Need to regroup and see how I can do better. But I the meantime I want the other guys to be okay. From what I've read BJD can be a symptom of different things. Could be bacterial or could be result of injury. 

Hope you come across the hammer you want.  I came across a three headed torch I really wanted but without knowing what's going on in my tank I can't add anybody else. 

[dnez]

7 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

The hammer may not have been healthy to begin with.

 

What salt are you using? Do you mix up the salt in the bucket or bag before using it?

 

Your alk and  ca seem out of balance with 340/11. 

 

What tests kits are you using and have you tested Magnesium?

 

Low mag will cause issues with ca and alk being balanced. I had this issue with reef crystals 

 

 

For dosing it's best to target your numbers to what your salt mixes at.

 

To properly dose:

 

Test your tank after a waterchange

 

Test every day to see what your tank is consuming. For 1 week.

 

 

 

Then dose according to the daily consumption from corals.

 

 

 

 

If you don't like the parameters of 11 and 340, it's best to use a salt that gives you the numbers you want rather than trying to dose to correct those numbers. 

 

You would need to dose a product to raise ca which would drop alk.

 

 

I use the regular IO sea salt. The reason being many people with corals recommended over the stuff target for corals saying that even the mixes with the trace elements already included over time get drained do you maybe need to dose even then. Not being experienced it seemed like a logical argument. I guess I should've just went with what included what I needed. 

 

I mix the salt in either a brute or 5g bucket with powerhead and heater. 

 

I need to get a Mag test kit. Might also get the Red Sea version of a couple others. 

 

Will do on my checking parameters to establish a baseline. Previously I recorded 340 and 11 but want updated parameters and go from there.

 

Any point in dipping the other guys in RX / Lugols / freshwater or is that unnecessary stress on corals when there maybe be nothing wrong with them? So observation might be best approach? The Seem to all look good at the moment, even the euphyllia. 

 

 

 

 

[A Little Blue]

Ca is a bit low. Alk is a bit high but within range. Actually my Alk is in 11 range without issues. The only issue I see is rapid change in Ca or Alk. 1.025 salinity is right on the money so no issues there. 

Edit. If they look OK don’t stress them. Don’t move them around too much and no need to dip. It takes a little time for them to adjust to light but Idk if that’s the issue. 

Yes, get Alk/Mg test kit. These two are your friend. Mg is also very important but not crucial at this point imo. 

[dnez]

36 minutes ago, A Little Blue said:

Ca is a bit low. Alk is a bit high but within range. Actually my Alk is in 11 range without issues. The only issue I see is rapid change in Ca or Alk. 1.025 salinity is right on the money so no issues there. 

Edit. If they look OK don’t stress them. Don’t move them around too much and no need to dip. It takes a little time for them to adjust to light but Idk if that’s the issue. 

Yes, get Alk/Mg test kit. These two are your friend. Mg is also very important but not crucial at this point imo. 

Yeah, I agree. So easy to overreact and make things worse. Just just going to going to observe and track in anticipation of my next WC and see what my next step it. I wanted to get another Pajama to keep the one I have company but not feeling super confident at the moment so I'm going to wait. 

[Tamberav]

My hammer grew back from nothing. Even a tiny scrap of flesh in a hammer skeleton can grow back. 

 

What were you dosing?

 

High alk can work for one person and be murder for the next. Has to do with PO4/Nitrate. 

[dnez]

I was dosing b-ionic 2 part to get my calcium up. 

Yeah, turns out I wasn't getting the PO4 readings I needed. Not sure I understand the point of the API PO4 test. So looking at ordering salifert for PO4 and Magnesium. I also think I want another nitrate test - unless none of them are any better than API. It seems like the angle you're viewing at, available light etc can have big effects on your results. I don't see this as much with the other API results; Maybe nitrites when I had readings aboove 0. God, every time I think I'm don't with buying new stuff, something else gets added...

ill either figure it out or figure out I suck at this