View Full Version : Shrinking Hammer Coral
amanda_
12-05-2007, 9:51 PM
I have a 50 gallon tank with 2 systems of 2 T5 bulbs. My hammer coral has been shrinking. I haven't changed my light bulbs in about 5 months. Could that be why? Also, the hammer coral is under the same lighting system as an elegance coral. Should I move the elegance coral under the system with lower lighting or would it be better under the higher lighting one with the hammer coral?
Grins
12-05-2007, 11:22 PM
Do the T5s have individual reflectors? Do you have photos of where they are in the tank? How deep is the tank?
ooja3k
12-06-2007, 2:23 AM
T-5s shouldn't go bad in 5 months... how long have you had the hammer? where is it located in the tank, and the answers to grins' questions above will be helpful...
also, what are your water parameters???
amanda_
12-06-2007, 5:57 PM
Each system has a reflector. Ammonia and nitrite are at 0, Nitrates are at 5, salinity level between 1.023 and 1.024, calcium is a little on the low side, at about 400. The tank is about 24" deep and the coral is under a system which I believe has 2 18 watt bulbs, one daylight bulb and one actinic 03 (the bulbs were in the system when I bought it so I'm not sure exactly what kind they are, I'm just assuming they're the standard coral life bulbs). I've had the hammer for about 3 weeks.
amanda_
12-06-2007, 6:04 PM
and my pH is at 8.3-8.5
ooja3k
12-06-2007, 6:48 PM
so you are running two t-5 systems, each with 36 watts? so you have 72 watts of t-5 over a 50?
where do you have your hammer coral??? my first guess would be inadequate lighting... I would put as high in your aquarium as possible
amanda_
12-06-2007, 8:06 PM
2 bulbs are 18 watt and 2 are 24 watt
ooja3k
12-06-2007, 8:19 PM
i would say that is still inadequate lighting... is the hammer at the top of your aquarium now?
amanda_
12-06-2007, 8:44 PM
No its not. How do I put him closer to the top? Do I wedge the hammer between some rock?
ooja3k
12-06-2007, 8:48 PM
ya without hurtint the polyp area... is it on a plug? or is it just the skeleton.. either way it should probably wedged into the rockwork
ooja3k
12-06-2007, 8:50 PM
do you have any pics?
amanda_
12-06-2007, 8:52 PM
No I don't. There is just the skeleton. How can I make sure I don't injure the hammer?
fsn77
12-06-2007, 10:12 PM
As long as you handle the hammer (is it a wall hammer or branching hammer?) by the skeleton, you'll be ok. You can wedge it between some rocks if you decide to move it higher in the tank. Again, it's best for none of the soft, living tissue to touch the surrounding rockwork.
Are some of the T5s regular output T5s and some are T5 HO?
amanda_
12-07-2007, 11:40 PM
the bulbs are all high output. Could the hammer shrinking have anything to do with calcium or iodine levels?
ooja3k
12-08-2007, 2:18 AM
do you dose calcium and iodine???
iodine can be extremely harmful to corals if dosed too high... do oyu test your calc and iodine levels regularly?
the bulbs are all high output. Could the hammer shrinking have anything to do with calcium or iodine levels?
Of my LPS, my hammers are the first to let me know they aren't happy. Could you post your water parameters?