? on branching hammer

reefracer · 06-30-2009, 11:14 PM

I've a ten head, er was a ten head now a nine head hammer. We were gone for a week so I decided maybe a good time to leave lights off on the tank. When I came back one of the heads was gone, others looked ok. Only thing I can think of other than the dark tank is about a week prior the hammer fell and landed in a large green star polyp. There was no sign of the missing head anywhere just a ugly hole where it had been. What to do about the bare stalk? What do you think happened?

DrHank · 07-01-2009, 12:16 AM

I think you may have answered your own question. I'd just break that branch off.

BigAl07 · 07-01-2009, 02:24 PM

I agree with Doc. Odds are that it was damaged in the fall and the "flesh" simple disintegrated while you were gone. It's amazing how MUCH flesh there really is and once you see one bare you'll know that the flesh it what you see and the skeleton is WAY back in there.

IF you don't mind my asking.. why did you leave your lights off for a solid week? I don't know what other corals you have but Hammer is Photosynthetic (needs light to make food).

Good luck and Happy Reefing!!

reefracer · 07-01-2009, 11:37 PM

Thanks for the responses! Yeah a solid week, I've done a 2-3 day lights out before without ill effect, but never a week. I've read some even think it is good for the tank to have a period of darkness but in this case it had to be a week. I wasn't sure if the green polyps could sting or harm the hammer, I guess all corals have a defense either physical or chemical right? Oh about breaking off the branch, won't harm anything will it, I mean just calcium right? No feelings or harm to the coral? Anything to help a coral such as mine to recover when something like this happens?

BigAl07 · 07-02-2009, 12:46 PM

Most all corals have SOME type of defense.. some have chemical, some have sting, some out-grow and some just MOVE!

Yes you can simply snap it off down low where they "V" happens. Just be careful because it's VERY sharp and hard on bare hands. I'd use snips.

I don't know how "GOOD" it is for extended darkness. I know that during storms and such there is "Reduced" lighting but some corals will actually start to try and MOVE/RELOCATE with extended periods of darkness. We had a local guy whose light fixture went OUT and he ordered a new one. It was on Back-Order for like 2 weeks. The only light on the tank was ambient room light. He didn't pay a lot of attention but when he got the new fixture his Rics and an Anemone had moved to the front of the tank. Apparently they were going towards the ONLY light they could "detect".

Jess · 07-02-2009, 06:54 PM

I just have to chime in and say....

That's a "total" of FIVE "quotations" from BigAl "so far" in this thread....what's wrong, feelin' lazy today!?!?

heeeeeeehehehe!

BigAl07 · 07-02-2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jess

That's a "total" of FIVE "quotations" from BigAl "so far" in this thread....what's wrong, feelin' lazy today!?!?

heeeeeeehehehe!

LOL! Some say I'm "Quote Happy" but I like to think of it more like "Happy to make a Point".

reefracer · 07-02-2009, 10:51 PM

Thanks BigAl, I'll be careful.

06-30-2009, 11:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
reefracer Ricordea $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 181 View Gallery Karma Komment	? on branching hammer I've a ten head, er was a ten head now a nine head hammer. We were gone for a week so I decided maybe a good time to leave lights off on the tank. When I came back one of the heads was gone, others looked ok. Only thing I can think of other than the dark tank is about a week prior the hammer fell and landed in a large green star polyp. There was no sign of the missing head anywhere just a ugly hole where it had been. What to do about the bare stalk? What do you think happened?
$reefracer is offline$

07-01-2009, 12:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
DrHank Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 2,758 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: ? on branching hammer I think you may have answered your own question. I'd just break that branch off. __________________ Doc Dr Hank's 210 Build: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nks-tanks.html

07-01-2009, 02:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,298 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: ? on branching hammer I agree with Doc. Odds are that it was damaged in the fall and the "flesh" simple disintegrated while you were gone. It's amazing how MUCH flesh there really is and once you see one bare you'll know that the flesh it what you see and the skeleton is WAY back in there. IF you don't mind my asking.. why did you leave your lights off for a solid week? I don't know what other corals you have but Hammer is Photosynthetic (needs light to make food). Good luck and Happy Reefing!! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

07-01-2009, 11:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
reefracer Ricordea $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 181 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: ? on branching hammer Thanks for the responses! Yeah a solid week, I've done a 2-3 day lights out before without ill effect, but never a week. I've read some even think it is good for the tank to have a period of darkness but in this case it had to be a week. I wasn't sure if the green polyps could sting or harm the hammer, I guess all corals have a defense either physical or chemical right? Oh about breaking off the branch, won't harm anything will it, I mean just calcium right? No feelings or harm to the coral? Anything to help a coral such as mine to recover when something like this happens?
$reefracer is offline$

07-02-2009, 12:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,298 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: ? on branching hammer Most all corals have SOME type of defense.. some have chemical, some have sting, some out-grow and some just MOVE! Yes you can simply snap it off down low where they "V" happens. Just be careful because it's VERY sharp and hard on bare hands. I'd use snips. I don't know how "GOOD" it is for extended darkness. I know that during storms and such there is "Reduced" lighting but some corals will actually start to try and MOVE/RELOCATE with extended periods of darkness. We had a local guy whose light fixture went OUT and he ordered a new one. It was on Back-Order for like 2 weeks. The only light on the tank was ambient room light. He didn't pay a lot of attention but when he got the new fixture his Rics and an Anemone had moved to the front of the tank. Apparently they were going towards the ONLY light they could "detect". __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

07-02-2009, 06:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jess Neon dottyback Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 662 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: ? on branching hammer I just have to chime in and say.... That's a "total" of FIVE "quotations" from BigAl "so far" in this thread....what's wrong, feelin' lazy today!?!? heeeeeeehehehe! __________________ Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right. Some are known to drunk dial....I drunk feed. Confucius say man who fish in other man's sea bound to catch crabs My very first big girl tank The Nano

07-02-2009, 10:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
reefracer Ricordea $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 181 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: ? on branching hammer Thanks BigAl, I'll be careful.
$reefracer is offline$

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