[das04j]

well have I have a hammer that has two heads on it and a stalk of about 2in. I stuck the stalk in a hole in my live rock and it seems to be happy, polyps are extended and has all of its colors. I bought it about 3 to 4 months ago but i have no signs of any growth, no new heads forming.

Ca=450
trates=>20
trites=0
ammonia=0
alk=2.5

any thoughts?

[Arnold40]

Your nitrates could be an issue at < 20.

[jimw369]

Move it around where it gets different flow and light. Might help jump start it. Look for white just under the heads for growth.

I wouldnt check for growth until the winner of the contest has been given his awards. lol

[das04j]

my nitrates are at less than 20 ppm sorry

[Jay03GT]

What lights and how far down in the tank is it?

[das04j]

I am running 6 x 39w HO t5, and they are sitting about 6 inches from the top

[Ross87]

Are you running any antic lighitng? Most LPS corals prefeer antic lighting and are more active at night than during they day.

Also very important - Are you using any Iodine supplements?

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by Ross87

Are you running any antic lighitng? Most LPS corals prefeer antic lighting and are more active at night than during they day.

Also very important - Are you using any Iodine supplements?

I know there are those that will disagree with me. Iodine is not needed in a reef tank and does nothing but provide fuel for algae. IMO.

Corals need normal water params, correct lighting and flow.

[Taras1]

Agree w/Jim. If you do regular water changes then the only supplements you may really need are Ca, Alk, Mg, and then sparingly.

[das04j]

i dose bio-calcium which has all 70 trace elements including Ca. Actinics are being used. i read that they dont like to much flow, prefer moderate. But if it was a flow probably then the polyps wouldnt fully extend... right?

[Taras1]

I've got a Torch Coral, but it's in the same genera as the Hammer (Euphyllia). Mine prefers moderately high light and medium to low flow. From what I understand too much flow and they don't open up; not enought and they get very stringy.

[Ross87]

Iodine is incredibly important because most corals and inverts make up thier skeletal structure with Iodine. Correct water parameters will allow the coral to sustain, but may now allow it to grow. Especially if you have any shrimp, which comsume a notice-able amount of Idodine while molting.......Unless everything I've been reading has been wrong.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by Ross87

Iodine is incredibly important because most corals and inverts make up thier skeletal structure with Iodine. Correct water parameters will allow the coral to sustain, but may now allow it to grow. Especially if you have any shrimp, which comsume a notice-able amount of Idodine while molting.......Unless everything I've been reading has been wrong.

What are you reading my friend

Extremely small amounts of iodine are used. So small that that water changes will give you more than enough. It comes down to what do you want to dose in your tank. I want to dose as little as possible of anything. Whatever you put in your tank will have an effect on it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but yes sometime down the road it will have an effect.

[chuck rayburn]

i personally do not use iodine. my frogspawn hammer and torch are all growing bannanas i have 4x140 vho's. h2o perameters are kept in check "room 4 improvement". i hve a hammer that has tripled in size in a year. i did however loose a leather. i know Iodine is recomended for softies. anyway thats myh 2 cents worth.

[chuck rayburn]

i think you are going to have good luck with it just take care of your water and the hammer will take care of itself

[Ross87]

We all have different perspectives of how to run an maintain a tank and I respect everyone's own opinion. Aside from the use of Iodine, I've also read that Antic lighing is import for LFS corals. If the original poster does not have any, he may want to consider it.

[das04j]

I do have some actnics 3x39w HOt5. Anyway i noticed yesterday that the polyps look like as if they are budding off and making new polyps. Do hammer coral's polyps split like that? If so is that prior to a new head that would start forming?

[Tonz of fun]

Originally Posted by Ross87

Iodine is incredibly important because most corals and inverts make up thier skeletal structure with Iodine. Correct water parameters will allow the coral to sustain, but may now allow it to grow. Especially if you have any shrimp, which comsume a notice-able amount of Idodine while molting.......Unless everything I've been reading has been wrong.

Iodine is the one thing you put in your tank that is extremely harmful. Meaning you can kill things very easily.

[Marco0725]

Iodine is very important element in marine life. The reason that you need Iodine, in the form of I- and IO3-, is because it is needed for the metabolism of aquatic life. This enables them to grow healthily. Also, if not sufficient I- is in the water, corals will show poorly. This is because I- affects pigmentation. Also, hermatypic invertebrates (invertebrates that have zooxanthellae (algae) to produce food) use I- to detoxify excess oxygen produced by the zooxanthellae.

Make sure that the synthetic salt you use has an optimal level of I-/IO3- which should be at a concentration of .05 to .08 mg/L once mixed in water.

[das04j]

you will get all the Iodine you need from water changes. Most salts have traces of iodine in them. Back to the orginal subject. Does the polyps on a hammer actually split?

[jimw369]

I never add Iodine. Hard to test for anyway.

My Hammer...