Hammer is dying

[Bwidner]

So I picked up a new Hammer from Mcf last weekend and after acclimation it opened right up and had been looking really happy, wed when I got home from work one head was slightly receded for an hour or so but then opened back up so I just figured a crab or one of the shrimp pissed it off. Yesterday two of the heads were receded so I tested everything(all other corals were happy and extended)
Phosphates: .2
nitrates 0
ca 520
DkH 10
ph 8.1

I did a 4 gallon water change and changed out the gfo, now lights were out this morning but it looked like one head is completely dead and the other has lost half of the polyps, I really hope I am wrong but I dont think so.

I have never owned any type of Hammer in my previous tank and the torch I had bought 6 months or go died due to my clowns beating the hell out of it.

As far as flow, the polyps really were doing nothing more than a very soft sway so I dont think that could be the issue.

What else could it be? This would be the 3rd coral I have lost if I do lose it when everything seems to be in line parameter wise(after the 2nd I bought a brand new test kit and got the same results). My top off water is ro/di that I get from mcf, as well as the same with the water change water, picked up at mcf and mixed using reef crystals. If pics are needed ill grab one when I get home

 

[goat585]

DId you check your magnesium levels? I was having issues with hammers and frogspawns receeding due to low magnesium

 

[poidog]

DId you check your magnesium levels? I was having issues with hammers and frogspawns receeding due to low magnesium

I was going to say the same thing because your CA is really high and could be precipitating out at that level.

 

[Bwidner]

I have not, I do not have a kit for that however I would imagine they shouldnt be with using reef crystals and doing a 5 gallon WC weekly.

 

[Bwidner]

I was going to say the same thing because your CA is really high and could be precipitating out at that level.

What can I do to lower the Ca and help even this out? I hate adding anything to the tank, however I did use to use reef complete in my old 125 gallon as it was always a struggle to keep the mg up in that tank as well. I also guess I should have done more research on lps since this is my first go at a mixed reef and my old tank was SPS dominated with some softies.

I guess the question is
1. Is reef complete good to use if mg is low? Or even if I cant make it out to say MCF this weekend and petsmart or petco doesnt have a mg test, is this worth buying and using the reccommended dosage until I can order and get the test kit in?

2. What else should I be testing for that I didnt list above? If I have to order the kit online I would rather do it all together rather than buy this kit and find out later I should be testing for other things as well

 

[goat585]

Magnesium is hard to keep up. IMO water changes will not keep the mag level up unless on a small system. On my system I go through about a gallon of mag supplement a month. I do however have a ton of large LPS in the system.

 

[Bwidner]

It is a 28 gallon nanocube, the coral load is as follows

5 ric's
2 small acans 3 heads each
2 golfball sized zoa colonies
1 candy cane with 4 heads
golf ball sized maze brain
another brain(not sure the type) the size of a large marble
Chalice that is prob about 2' x 1'
and the dying hammer.

What mag supplement is best? Is reef complete a good additive for this or should I jsut get a straight mg supplement

 

[Catran]

Just a possible issue: mine started to recede, someone told me to check my salinity. Apparently, I had a lot of evaporation that week and it was at 1.21. Also, recalibrate your refractometer. After I got it back up to the usual 1.025, it recovered quickly!


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[Bwidner]

I dont have a refractometer, buying one in the group buy, Salinity was the usual 1.026 in the tank and then also in the 5 gallons I mixed up

 

[poidog]

I would get a refracto and a Mg test kit and go from there... otherwise we're just through blindly at a dart board.

 

[Bwidner]

What Mg range should I be aiming for? I will try to find a test locally, the refracto will have to wait for the group buy, however I know swing arms are not as accurate, but if it reads the same always then even if it reads 1.026 and its 1.023, its always the same. Wouldn't the adverse reaction have been immediately and not 5 days after introducing it when for the first few it was fully extended?

Another question, why is it that one head seems perfectly happy and unaffected when the other two seem to be dying? Is this normally what happens to these guys?

 

[Catran]

My salinity was down for days before my corals started receding. My zoas looked great still. It all depends on the condition of the coral when you get it too. It may take some time, but the third head may react later. Salinity swings will definitely affect your corals.


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[SkullV]

If it was a real Mg problem your Alk would be really low with a Cal that high. Your Mg may be off a bit, but shouldn't be causing an issue. I would guess you are 1200+ (Optimum is 1350), but it can't hurt to test. There is nothing wrong with a Cal of 500-600 if your Alk is holding as well.

 

[Bwidner]

I know swings affect your corals, and while I know swing arms are not always calibrated dead on, if it reads the same thing every time, there is no swing happening, they are not inaccurate from test to test, they are inaccurate somewhat for exact readings.

Thanks for the range I should be looking for ted. Hopefully I wont have any problem finding a test and supplement tommorrow and can check that out.

 

[SkullV]

If you want to come by tomorrow morning with some water I can test it for you.

 

[goat585]

I have seen swing arms that read 1.026 and the water was actually 1.019. As for mag supplements I like Kent's tech m or I use the bulk reef supply magnesium.

 

[poidog]

I use tropic marin mag. Remeber added mag also raises your SG.

 

[Bwidner]

I have seen swing arms that read 1.026 and the water was actually 1.019. As for mag supplements I like Kent's tech m or I use the bulk reef supply magnesium.

Well yeah, thats just poor planning, the answer is simple, test it, then have it tested in a refrac and you know how far it is off.

Im going to shoot over to old town after work and if they dont have it ill check the big box stores that arent far from the house. I will pm you and let you know ted, thanks for the offer.

 

[Bwidner]

I use tropic marin mag. Remeber added mag also raises your SG.

How much can I expect it to be raised? Is it really significant if I do end up having to dose? Just wondering if maybe I should hold off doing my top off until I have the water tested, this ay if needed I can pull a bit of water out and add more fresh

 

[Bwidner]

OT, am I the only one who gets a chuckle everytime they see teds avatar pic? You see a bunch of pics of fish, corals, dogs, cats, then the purple hippo