Optimal water flow for hammer corals

[MindBurst]

Hey guys, I just got my first coral and I'm absolutely loving it.

It's a tiny hammer frag and I'm curious to know if the flow is okay - I've got a 30 gallon tank with a 1200 gpu powerhead, so I thought I'd share a video and get your thoughts. Here it is...

New hammer coral: https://youtu.be/3rDxzgyKJgI

I just want to make sure it's happy where it's at.

[felinxo]

The flow looks good, but I'm curious about the tank's setup. How long has the tank been running, and what kind of lighting are you using on it?

[MindBurst]

The tank's about 5 weeks old. I started with live rock, cycled in 10 days...then just let it sit till week 9, when I picked up a pair of clown fish. Got the coral a few days ago. Levels are all pretty normal - nitrates are around 20, so I'll do a water change soon. I'm running a 2-bulb T5 system with a 10k and actinic, on for 8-12 hours a day, depending on my work schedule.

[felinxo]

No3 needs to come down, what's your Po4 looking like? Lot's of chemistry at play here for a healthy system. Heard of people rushing the cycle, wish you the best with it.

[boltz]

It's looking good, I think your hammer coral's found a happy home. You've officially joined the ranks of us euphyllia enthusiasts, and trust me, it's a slippery slope.

When you're out picking up that Po4 test kit, grab the ones for calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity while you're at it. Knowing your levels before you start dosing is key. Honestly, you might not need to dose just yet, but that all depends on your coral collection, the types you keep, and how often you do water changes.

[turtle9]

Honestly, I've had my fair share of struggles with nitrates, but I've somehow managed to keep them in the 40 range without any major issues. My fish seem completely unfazed, and my zoahs, frogspawn, and nems all appear to be thriving.

[MindBurst]

It's looking good, I think your hammer coral's found a happy home. You've officially joined the ranks of us euphyllia enthusiasts, and trust me, it's a slippery slope.

When you're out picking up that Po4 test kit, grab the ones for calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity while you're at it. Knowing your levels before you start dosing is key. Honestly, you might not need to dose just yet, but that all depends on your coral collection, the types you keep, and how often you do water changes.

I'm literally obsessed with my little hammer coral now, I find myself just staring at it for no reason. I'm already on the hunt for my next coral addition, but I'm not sure what to get - I've got my heart set on a pulsing xenia, but I've heard they can be a handful. I also love those tree-like corals, they're so cool.

I've been doing some research on water changes and I'm still a bit confused - some people say do them frequently, others say not so much. I know I need to do one ASAP to get my nitrates down, so I'm picking up some premixed water tomorrow and doing a 6-gallon change. It's a 30-gallon tank, not 29, by the way.

As for the fish and coral cap, I'm assuming it's just about not overloading the tank's bioload, right? Like, as long as you're not pushing the limits of what your tank can handle, you're good to go.

[MindBurst]

Here's the updated pic of my little hammer coral - he's looking great and that makes me really happy. I've also noticed some smaller heads popping up around him, which is awesome. What usually causes them to branch out like that? Is it just something they do naturally or is there something specific that triggers it?

[talonix]

I'd personally wait till the new growth is clearly defined as a separate branch before considering a frag. For me, the magic number is around 4 distinct heads before I'd even think of taking a piece off. I'm a big believer in giving them space and letting them do their thing, so I try to leave mine be for as long as possible.