branching in hammer corals

[Fable81]

My 24g tank's got a salt level of .026 and the temp's at 80 degrees F. I've had this Hammer for about four months now, but it's not really changed much. I'm using a Kessil A150W LED pendant over the tank, and the Hammer's placed in the sand bed, more to the left of center. I've noticed a couple of heads with one or two tentacles turning transparent, which is a bit concerning. I haven't spot fed it much, but I've got some brine shrimp if needed.

I've attached a picture of the Hammer now, and another from when I first got it. Let me know if you need more pics to help figure out what's going on. I'm starting to think maybe I should move the Hammer higher up in the tank. My setup's got a MJ 1200 as the main water return, three circulation pumps rated at 425g, and an aqua c remora skimmer with a MJ 1200.

First picture is the Hammer now. Sorry about the blue tint.

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This is what the Hammer looked like when I first got it.

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[zeno9]

Looks like it's losing some color. Try placing it in a corner, see if the colors come back over time. I've found branching hammers to be pretty resilient, they can handle some issues. My own branching piece has been through a lot, but it's still going strong. The wall hammers, on the other hand, are more delicate - a tiny change and they start to decline.

[Fable81]

Thanks for the advice, I'm relocating him to a corner as we speak. Just tried lightly spraying some brine shrimp his way, but no reaction from the Hammer whatsoever.

[Fable81]

Looks like it's losing some color. Try placing it in a corner, see if the colors come back over time. I've found branching hammers to be pretty resilient, they can handle some issues. My own branching piece has been through a lot, but it's still going strong. The wall hammers, on the other hand, are more delicate - a tiny change and they start to decline.

I relocated the Hammer to the corner of the tank and also adjusted my Kessil pendant slightly to ensure my acan stays content. You mentioned he looks bleached, and I'm wondering if the lighting is the issue - is he getting too much light? Should I consider elevating the pendant higher above the water surface?

[Fable81]

Just a gentle reminder to see if anyone else has any input on my Hammer's condition.

[Flynnite]

I had a similar issue with bleaching on my branching hammers years back when I first started out. Someone suggested I drop my tank temp to around 76 or 77 degrees, and it worked wonders. Apparently, if it's too hot, the symbiotic algae can bail on the coral, basically starving it to death. I also started dosing iodine regularly and feeding them phytoplankton a couple times a week. It made all the difference - my hammers recovered and thrived, and I've since sold a bunch of them for a pretty penny.

[Fable81]

I had a similar issue with bleaching on my branching hammers years back when I first started out. Someone suggested I drop my tank temp to around 76 or 77 degrees, and it worked wonders. Apparently, if it's too hot, the symbiotic algae can bail on the coral, basically starving it to death. I also started dosing iodine regularly and feeding them phytoplankton a couple times a week. It made all the difference - my hammers recovered and thrived, and I've since sold a bunch of them for a pretty penny.

That's some serious growth you've achieved. Thanks for sharing your experience. I've been having issues keeping my tank below 80F, it's really been a challenge. I dug up the Kessil light's manufacturing details and it says to keep it one to two feet above the water. I've moved it to one foot above the water surface, hoping this will help with my temperature issue.

[Fable81]

I just checked my tank temp and it's dropped to 76F after raising the Kessil to 12 inches above the water line. 80F was the norm, so I'm pretty stoked about this change. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this helps my Hammer and the rest of the tank. Will try to get a full tank pic up tonight.

[flameonix]

I've had similar experiences with my hammer and torch corals - they just don't seem to get too excited about food. My frogspawn, on the other hand, was always the life of the party when it came to feeding time.

I'm curious, what are your alkalinity and calcium levels like? I've found that my Euphyllia corals thrive when these parameters are rock solid.

The temperature thing is interesting - I usually keep my tank around 77.8 degrees. But I've also found that too much or the wrong kind of light can cause problems. My hammer's in a pretty shady spot and seems happy there. LEDs can be pretty intense, so it's possible that's contributing to the issue.

[Fable81]

I've had similar experiences with my hammer and torch corals - they just don't seem to get too excited about food. My frogspawn, on the other hand, was always the life of the party when it came to feeding time.

I'm curious, what are your alkalinity and calcium levels like? I've found that my Euphyllia corals thrive when these parameters are rock solid.

The temperature thing is interesting - I usually keep my tank around 77.8 degrees. But I've also found that too much or the wrong kind of light can cause problems. My hammer's in a pretty shady spot and seems happy there. LEDs can be pretty intense, so it's possible that's contributing to the issue.

I'm a bit late to the party here, but I never got the notification that you chimed in. My Hammer's gotten a bit more color back, but I'm still on edge about him. I'm thinking of relocating him to a corner spot in my tank - what's your take on that? Should I make the move? I'm really not keen on downgrading my light, but I do have a less intense, less blue Fluval LED fixture that might do the trick.