Hammer Coral In Trouble!!!

[sillysidewinder]

I don't know what's been going on with my hammer coral. I've had it for I would say about 3 months. and for the first two it was doing really well. none of my fish seem to be picking at it. I have a 20 gallon reef tank that's relatively new (4-5 months old). been dosing the tank every two days with 10 mL of both the alkalinity and calcium. i'm sure theres someone that can tell me what i'm doing wrong, seeing as there is a relatively high chance of that happening.

 

[aznt1217]

You don't really have to dose for LPS. Please provide a picture. What is it doing right now? Drooping? Is there deflation?

 

[Dre]

10ml is too much for a 20 gal.your pH must be through the roof .Do a 25% water change and test pH /alk.

 

[Dre]

BTW if you have rocks/sand in their your tank has less than 20 gals. of water, keep that in mind.

 

[sillysidewinder]

ok so when i went to manhattan aquariums they said that my calcium levels were too high and that i was dosing too much. i will get photos asap. so dose even less, if at all...? all i have are ricordias, mushrooms, and the hammer coral.

 

[albano]

BTW if you have rocks/sand in there, your tank has less than 20 gals. of water, keep that in mind.

:shhh: Careful Dre...when I mentioned the fact of LESS actual water volume, it started an uprising! http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...arge-tanks-questions-related-large-tanks.html



.

 

[Reeftanker3295]

You don't need to dose, dosing calcium is mostly for heavily stocked SPS tanks because they use calcium to build their skeleton.
When you dose without testing, you don't really know if your calcium and alk levels are ok already, and by dosing so much your Ph is probably through the roof.

 

[Dre]

ok so when i went to manhattan aquariums they said that my calcium levels were too high and that i was dosing too much. i will get photos asap. so dose even less, if at all...? all i have are ricordias, mushrooms, and the hammer coral.

Before you dose anything you need to test before and after.It sounds like your pH is very,very high.The Alk.part raises pH too, you have to be very carefull with this stuff.

 

[aznt1217]

Do a large water change to bring your levels back in check again. I remember when I first started I had 800 calcium.

 

[Dre]

:shhh: Careful Dre...when I mentioned the fact of LESS actual water volume, it started an uprising! http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...arge-tanks-questions-related-large-tanks.html



.

Yeah it caused a stir alright ,most people don't know their actual gallonage.Lol.

 

[DrHarryLopez]

Also Hammer coral dont like a lot of flow and doesnt require MH lamps. I had some prob with my hammer until i lowed it to the bottom of the tank in a low flow area. Now she's doing fine.

 

[sillysidewinder]

thank you guys so much. i will definitely take your advice. i will also post images, (even as embarrassing as they may be...

 

[seldin]

Slightly different topic, is accurately measuring how much water is in your reef tank, since most of us have live rock, a sump and equipment in sump, so what is real tank size.

How I figured it out, was buy going to the reef calculator on Reef Central. For instance, I have a 55 gallon reef tank and a 15-20 gallon sump. After a bit, I was able to realize that when I would dose calcium and other trace elements, I needed to size my tank by using a measurement of 65 gallons of water. However, as I said, my tank is a 55 gallon reef and a 15-20 gallon custom sump. So I figured out actual amount of water, by using reef calculator to help measure how much calcium and other trace elements to dose ( such as magnesium).

...Do a large water change to bring your levels back in check again. I remember when I first started I had 800 calcium...

Please make sure to accurately test your chemicals, so you can measure the results, etc.

 

[basiab]

I have a similar size tank. If you change a gallon ir 2 a week you shouldn't have to dose anything. The water changes will provide it all.

 

[albano]

Slightly different topic, is accurately measuring how much water is in your reef tank, since most of us have live rock, a sump and equipment in sump, so what is real tank size.

How I figured it out, was by going to the reef calculator on Reef Central. For instance, I have a 55 gallon reef tank and a 15-20 gallon sump. I needed to size my tank by using a measurement of 65 gallons of water.

WES...we need you!
Where is the 'reef calculator' on RC?...I see the tank calc., but that just gives you the same info as the builders. If you want to know how much water is IN the tank, you have to use the inside measurements, including the actual height of the water. (which is usually at least 2" less than the outside height of the tank. Length X width X height / (divided by) 231= volume
I would GUESS that a '55g' with some live rock and sand, has a little less than 40g of actual water, plus a half (?) full sump, so a total volume of about 50g.

 

[Wes]

WES...we need you!
Where is the 'reef calculator' on RC?...I see the tank calc., but that just gives you the same info as the builders. If you want to know how much water is IN the tank, you have to use the inside measurements, including the actual height of the water. (which is usually at least 2" less than the outside height of the tank. Length X width X height / (divided by) 231= volume
I would GUESS that a '55g' with some live rock and sand, has a little less than 40g of actual water, plus a half (?) full sump, so a total volume of about 50g.

He is saying he determined his actual volume is 65 gallons by dosing, testing, and using the reef chemistry calculator backwards to estimate volume.

Which reiterates my point. It's more important to test while dosing.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[albano]

He is saying he determined his actual volume is 65 gallons by dosing, testing, and using the reef chemistry calculator backwards to estimate volume.

Unless this person has about 100' of 1 1/2" PVC, connecting the tank and sump...there is NO way, that a 55g REEF tank plus a 15-20g sump, contains 65g actual volume...NO WAY! Something was figured, incorrectly!

.

 

[Wes]

Unless this person has about 100' of 1 1/2" PVC, connecting the tank and sump...there is NO way, that a 55g REEF tank plus a 15-20g sump, contains 65g actual volume...NO WAY! Something was figured, incorrectly!

.

It doesn't matter if its correct or not because he tests his levels and when he plugs 65g into the calculator, it matches his test results. You are saying no way it's 65g. That means if he plugged in his real volume the calculator would tell him to dose the wrong amount.

Just another example of why knowing the actual tank volume is pointless and you should test on a regular basis.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[seldin]

...He is saying he determined his actual volume is 65 gallons by dosing, testing, and using the reef chemistry calculator backwards to estimate volume. ...

Wes,

Correct. You said it better. Thank you for clarifying this.

...Unless this person has about 100' of 1 1/2" PVC, connecting the tank and sump...there is NO way, that a 55g REEF tank plus a 15-20g sump, contains 65g actual volume...NO WAY! Something was figured, incorrectly!...

Albano,

I put in an equipment room and yes, I have lot's of pipe. Also, have lot's of live rock, which I guess skews calculation. I also have a deep sand bed.

As Wes, points out, for me, by using 65 gallons of water volume using the Reef Calculator, my dosing turns out correctly when I test my dosing elements.

 

[THEDLO]

...He is saying he determined his actual volume is 65 gallons by dosing, testing, and using the reef chemistry calculator backwards to estimate volume. ...

Wes,

Correct. You said it better. Thank you for clarifying this.

...Unless this person has about 100' of 1 1/2" PVC, connecting the tank and sump...there is NO way, that a 55g REEF tank plus a 15-20g sump, contains 65g actual volume...NO WAY! Something was figured, incorrectly!...

Albano,

I put in an equipment room and yes, I have lot's of pipe. Also, have lot's of live rock, which I guess skews calculation. I also have a deep sand bed.

As Wes, points out, for me, by using 65 gallons of water volume using the Reef Calculator, my dosing turns out correctly when I test my dosing elements.

i think when it come to dosing a tank there two methods, the guesstimation method, where like Wes said u test before and after till the desired levels are met, and the exact gallonage method which testing would only be for confirming what u actually put in, because u already know the exact amount of water u actually have. simple analogy; one way is like cooking to taste (using a pinch of this or that) and the other is fallowing an exact recipe (one tea spoon of sugar, and a table spoon of salt), they both make food in the end.