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View Full Version : Hammer & Frogspawn coral question


burblecut
02-26-2010, 03:20 PM
I've had these in my tank for a good 11 months and they don't seem to grow at all. Should I be adding some sort of suppliment in order for the skeletons to grow?

Right now I just use high quality Salt /RODI water and purpleup. This is pretty much all I do. Calcium levels range from 420-450

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

ScubaSteve
02-26-2010, 04:27 PM
Depending on the size of your system and if you have calc hungry SPS what you are doing is fine. The big determining factor is the amount of light they get. I have had a hammer under PC's in my biocube for almost 2 years now and it's grown some but not much. I have a frogspawn under MH in my other tank and it hasgone from 2 to 5 heads in about 3 months and I'm sure it it was better positioned it could grow faster. They other thing to do to help them along is to feed them; unfortunately you will find that hammers and frogspawn simply won't accept target feeding. Try it though!

imcosmokramer
02-26-2010, 06:32 PM
can you tell us more about your setup.
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burblecut
02-26-2010, 06:51 PM
72G Bowfront Aquarium
Marineland biowheel sump
48" T5HO Sundial (lighting is on for 10hrs a day (about 5 hrs of Direct T5 light)
70lbs of live rock
Some Zoas and other Softy's. I will start a tank journal once I have the time to upload all the pics.
Red Sea Skimmer
Weekly dose of Reef food (can't recall the name offhand)
Capfull of Purpleup every 3rd day
korela 4 powerhead
korela 2 powerhead
15% water change Weekly
All Levels such as ph,nitrate,nitrite,phosphate,alk,ammonia,calcium have normal levels
Setup is 12 months old
I also have a cleanup crew, other inverts, 2 clown fish, and a tang

Other soft Coral seem to be growing at a good pace.

whatcaneyedo
02-26-2010, 07:06 PM
Actual measures would be more helpful. Normal can mean a lot of things. Can you also test for magnesium? Do you run any carbon? I used a red sea prizm skimmer for a year (they arent good for much more than a nano tank), is that what you have?

Aquaria
02-26-2010, 07:51 PM
I'm having the same problem as my hammer won't accept target feeding so marine snow and sunlight although I haveyet to see it react to the feeding of marine snow but it's been 3 months with zero growth beenthinkong of moving him see what happens as he's the only coral not epoxyed down lol

asylumdown
02-28-2010, 02:27 AM
I think I'd have to agree with the lighting suggestion. What research I've done on frogspawn's says that they are one of the corals that can get 90% or more of their nutrition from photosynthesis. I have one under 10 000k metal halides that had 3 heads when I got it in November and I just noticed last week that all three of the heads have formed new mouths and are in the process of splitting. I've also noticed that there is a direct correlation between whether the halides are on (also have actinincs on the tanks) and how extended and plump the polyps are.