I just wanted to know do they encrust the rock faster as opposed to growing straight up? I have a red planet frag that is encrusting the rock a lot faster than actually growing up. All my other sps frags/colonies grow just fine so I do not think its a matter of water quality, light or flow. Wanted to know other peoples experiences with this type of frag.
sps growth direction question
- Thread starter cnotes999
- Start date
- Location
- South Huntington
You don't build buildings with small support beams. Some corals put down a larger base than others, but really every frag will be different every tank. I've had frags encrust and shoot up colonies in different areas leaving the original fragged part sitting there.
Just give the RP time. If its putting a foot down that means you're doing something right.
Just give the RP time. If its putting a foot down that means you're doing something right.
- Location
- Brooklyn
Some of my SPS encrust before growing upwards while others never encrust, my red planet is growing up and sideways, towards the light. It just depends on the coral, should grow upwards eventually though.
- Location
- Pennsylvania
What kind of lighting are you running?
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
I have Red Planet also . It also has a very large encrust. Placement is medium to high with good flow. Also frag it and it also grows a very fast encrust and thick branches. My Green planet also doing same thing. I notice with coral like that is very hardy. Under Kessil lights...
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Radion Gen1 with TIR
- Location
- Westhampton, NY
Not enough light on that red planet- I actually don't think it is red planet.
that was the exact same color as the frag....Im just worried about it growing up....like I said all my other sps frags grew into colonies and kept its color. If I have to move it I will but this frag is at the top...Ill wait until it grows a little more, frag it and move it to another side of the tank and see the results.
- Location
- Garden city
Looks pretty good to me man good color!
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
To me that looks like a strawberry short cake. Not a red planet.....
- Location
- Forest Hills
the growth direction and thickness can be influence by the direction and the intensity of the flow. other factors also play a part i.e. lighting/species/etc... the branches tend to grow toward the direction which the flow comes from and the stronger the flow, the thicker the base will form.
sps growth patterns , after the proper trace elements and nutrient control, have a few different variables one is flow.
strong flow enables slower growth but thicker skeletons where the opposite applies to lower flow.
the other is proximity to other sps, if you were to leave a generous amount of room for each frag they take a ball shape where if they didnt have adequate space they grow up.
I only mentioned two variables I personally have read up on and noticed.
strong flow enables slower growth but thicker skeletons where the opposite applies to lower flow.
the other is proximity to other sps, if you were to leave a generous amount of room for each frag they take a ball shape where if they didnt have adequate space they grow up.
I only mentioned two variables I personally have read up on and noticed.
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