Help - Branching Hammer Problem
 

Ok, I have a mixture of corals (Softies, SPS, LPS) in my tank. I have been very careful to keep them spaced apart, but I have a couple of problems. I have this Branching Hammer that up until Tuesday has been beautiful. Open and Full and looking really happy.

Here is a picture from January 2nd
[IMG]http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd135/jpc763/Jan%202%202008/IMG_0873.jpg[/IMG]

Tuesday it started looking like this
[IMG]http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd135/jpc763/IMG_0929.jpg[/IMG]

Here is a picture of the placement of this coral in the tank.
[IMG]http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd135/jpc763/IMG_0911.jpg[/IMG]


On Saturday 12/29 I added a BTA which has found a spot it likes. Is it possible that the BTA has thrown off the balance and brought about chemical warfare that is affecting my Branching Hammer?

Water Test 1/9
Temp 80
Specific Gravity 1.026
pH 8.40
Ammonia 0.00
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Calcium 400
dKH 7
Phosphate (PO) 0

I wouldn't sweat it. Sometimes they just "pout" and I have seen my hammer, frogspawn and torch do that at different times. Some have "guessed" it's pouting getting ready to split but I can't confirm or deny it.

In my tanks if I even THINK something is out of whack in the water chemistry I immediately drop a carbon bag and then start testing. Just in case.

Looks like you have some leathers in there. Some reports that certain species can be toxic to sensitive euphyllia. How is your trach doing? He's a bit closer to the leathers -- any effect since you added him (or the leathers)?

What lighting do you have on the system?

It could be that by parking itself in the best water flow it has altered what made the hammer happy: nems do that. ;) It's the advantage of being a nem. Just be glad it's found a spot and parked.

Be patient. The hammer is now doing some brainless 'math' that will possibly persuade it that its best axis of division to get the better flow for itself may be different than previously calculated.

Corals have no brains, but they do math pretty well.

I have one neon toadstool that has been in there for a while (in that spot). The trach is doing very well. It is the newest coral in the tank.

I have:
Mushrooms (not in pic to the left)
Pink Paly's (not in pic to the left)
Candycane
Rust Zoos
Branching Hammer
Hydnophora
Green Zoos
Orange/Green Zoos
Club Finger Coral
Open Brain
Neon Green Toadstool (not in pic to the right)

There is a MaxiJet 1200 with a Hydor Flo attachment to the left of the Hammer. That PH position has not changed. I did slightly increase the sump to tank flow, but not much. There is also another ph with flo on the right side of tank.

Lighting is Current Nova Extreme 4x54w T5 with a single reflector. I have had the Hammer in that particular spot under those lights for about 4 months.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11567903#post11567903 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jpc763 [/i]
[B]I have one neon toadstool that has been in there for a while (in that spot). The trach is doing very well. It is the newest coral in the tank.[/B][/QUOTE]

Oops -- I confused your cat's paw as being some kind of sinularia. I don't know SPS at all, so I didn't recognize it.

No problem. The Toadstool is to the right of the brain, not in the pic.

Are those things toward the left of the picture legs of a brittle star? That's a huge star if so. Do you separately feed it?

Yes, that is a brittle star and yes, he is huge. His body is about the size of a quarter and his legs are probably 8 inches long.

I spot feed him when I spot feed my coral and anemone so he gets fed 2-3x per week.

Update: The coral seems to be getting worse. Previously the heads would all blend together into one big flowing coral. They are now shrinking so that you can see the distinct heads (similar to at night).

Is this a problem? Is there anything I can do?

Thanks, John

It looks like it is getting more water flow than it is used to.

It may just take a little while to adapt, or you could slightly alter flow so it gets a bit less water movement.

So I cleaned the power heads and the return plumbing this past weekend. I opened the ball valve on the return (along the back wall in the pic) a little so there is a bit more flow in the tank.

Could it be that?

My hammer gets silly if it gets too much flow. They feel so vulnerable -- I did rip a few of the heads before I got it right. Mine is a wall -- and it is huge and happy. Play with the flow and see what happens. I find they respond pretty quickly if flow is the problem and that is a pretty easy thing to tinker with.

The coral looks better tonight. I am going to pull back the flow a little and see if that is what is getting it angry.

Thanks for all of the tips.