Hammers not doing too well.

[NoobishReefer22]

Hello All,

I have 2 hammers that are not doing too well. My other hammers also look like they are slowly retracting as well. I am curious as to what this may be? I don't see any brown Jelly and my parameters seem pretty normal. I also haven't made any flow or lighting changes for about 4-5 months basically ever since I got these hammers.

Any advice would be great.

Parameters:

Salinity: 1.026 PPT
Temperate: 79.2F
nitrates: 10ppm
phosphate: 0.25ppm Its quite high but its always been in this range (Running phosbond for about 2 months now)
Alk: 8.0dkh
Calcium: 440ppm
Mag: 1260ppm

Here is a video of my hammers:

 

[TX_REEF]

How’s the lighting and flow? Hammers generally don’t like to be blasted directly with flow or heavy PAR.

 

[NoobishReefer22]

How’s the lighting and flow? Hammers generally don’t like to be blasted directly with flow or heavy PAR.

The flow isn't too strong it's been there for a while now probably around 5 months and has been happy, I think I need more flow in general as I sometimes have detritus settling at the bottom of my tank. As for the PAR it's getting about 110-120 Par.

I am running 2 Jebao SOW-4's in a 80 gallon shallow tank. They are set to random and on the 3rd tick on the speed dial.

 

[TX_REEF]

That lighting seems fine, based on everything you said nothing seems out of place really, especially if you’re sure nothing has changed recently

 

[NoobishReefer22]

That lighting seems fine, based on everything you said nothing seems out of place really, especially if you’re sure nothing has changed recently

Thank you! pretty new to reefing so to be honest I am just trying to cover all my bases quite confused as to what it can be though. I am thinking maybe they might be an issue with my RODI water as my sediment filters are looking a little old but I would think this would affect more corals.

 

[NoobishReefer22]

That lighting seems fine, based on everything you said nothing seems out of place really, especially if you’re sure nothing has changed recently

Hmm I went to do a iodine dip and saw this perhaps this red stuff is bothering these hammers? Is this Cyano it kind of looks like it.

 

[NonstopSoda]

Hmm I went to do a iodine dip and saw this perhaps this red stuff is bothering these hammers? Is this Cyano it kind of looks like it.

Hammers LOVE magnesium and I would say 1260 is on the lower end. I would raise it to 1350 or 1400 if possible, I keep mine at 1400-1500 and they grow and expand like crazy! Also that looks like burgundy coralline algae to me! shouldn't bother the hammers at all especially on old growth skeleton parts.

 

[JonoH]

Hmm I went to do a iodine dip and saw this perhaps this red stuff is bothering these hammers? Is this Cyano it kind of looks like it.

Looks like there are some Vermitid Snails on them, try removing them also, as they can extend a web that will irritate them.

 

[NoobishReefer22]

Looks like there are some Vermitid Snails on them, try removing them also, as they can extend a web that will irritate them.

Oh what I didn't even realize they were vermiitid snails on them. Are those the little black things on the hammer?

 

[JonoH]

Yeah - these are the ones i can see.

Just break them off at the base with a pair of pliers. (out of the tank)

 

[NoobishReefer22]

Yeah - these are the ones i can see.

Just break them off at the base with a pair of pliers. (out of the tank)

Oh wow thank you! I have a lot of these in my tank in that case haha.

 

[JonoH]

Oh wow thank you! I have a lot of these in my tank in that case haha.

They are pretty common - but they can irritate coral if close to them, so best to remove when you see them.

I find they seem to gravitate towards certain corals - like my Candy Cane gets covered in them on the base!

Most of mine have died out now - if theres lower nutrients i think they starve off.