A couple of inches can make the difference..

["Acro Sheen"]

Another thing to add to this discussion is ways/ideas to not only test spots but get different growth patters is hanging frags. You can string frag plugs and corals with monofilament and hang them from a rod across the top of the tank so they are suspended in the tank this allows you to test spots, growth patterns,keeps CUC from knocking over your frags not to mention it looks cool. If you have never seen this done it's worth searching on the internet.

 

[Sahin]

I moved this past year and was forced to sell off my my tanks. I have some pics from those (crummy quality) I can share. I'm currently setting up a 29g rimless cube BB with minimal LR. It's gonna be all SPS Japanese style and I just finished my beast of a DIY LED to light it. I promise you there will be pics to come!! This nano will be one for the books you can count on that I'm planning a stock list that's making my wallet hurt just thinking about it! Just think Reef Raft and you will understand! Luckey for me I have some friends with big systems that allowed me to keep alot of my corals from past tanks until I get this 1 going.

Sounds awesome. You might as well start a build thread now, be nice to know your thoughts and ideas about the whole setup. Not too many old timers post on the forums these days, so good to have you on board. (Note: old timer = someone who has been in the hobby a LONG time, not old as in age LOL).

Another thing to add to this discussion is ways/ideas to not only test spots but get different growth patters is hanging frags. You can string frag plugs and corals with monofilament and hang them from a rod across the top of the tank so they are suspended in the tank this allows you to test spots, growth patterns,keeps CUC from knocking over your frags not to mention it looks cool. If you have never seen this done it's worth searching on the internet.

Yup, you're very much an old school reefkeeper. I run a barebottomed tank myself.

The acro growing on a string I've done years ago. Some months back I was talking to one of my LFS owners (true reefer at heart and very old school) about growing SPS on a string...most of the other customer in the shop were looking at us puzzled.

 

[Toddp65]

Looking forward to seeing those pictures, Acro Sheen

 

[spspirate]

Hello I'm new to this site but not to keeping sps. I have read hundreds if not thousands of threads about achieving the best color with acros. As we all know stable parameters are for the most part the most important but I think a lot of times placement gets overlooked. With so many different species and variations out there its hard to always guess the right spot in your tank for all acros. How many of you have seen red planet or other acros that are different colors in different tanks? I'm sure a lot of you but how many of you have seen 2 pieces the same coral in the same tank with different colors. Over the years I have done this with multiple frags of acros and found that a couple of inches can completely change the coloration on an acro. I guess what I am getting at is finding a happy spot for a frag can be just as important as your levels to get the best colors out of your corals. Lighting intensity and flow will be different in almost every spot in your reef tank so don't just settle for the first spot you stick your coral if your not happy with the coloration. How many of you have experienced this or have the same coral in 2 different spots in your tank and the colors are different? Post some pics and join the discussion! Happy reefing!!

Great topic and I would have to agree with you. I had two m.setosa's in my reef system both at different depths and both receiving different flow and both looked nothing alike. Color and growth were so far apart.

 

["Acro Sheen"]

Here is a pic of my 40g breeder before I took it down. (I told yah crappy pics)

 

[Dog Boy Dave]

I'll try and get a friend of mine to post a picture of his Miyagi (or lookalike) Tort that demonstrates exactly this in a single coral. He placed it toward the bottom of his tank and it was pretty browned, being a light loving coral. However it has been steadily growing upward for a months and months now and after growing about 6" or so vertical, all of the new shoots coming out of the top most branches of it are absolutely beautiful in color. Within the same coral, the part just 6" lower is browned (and completely unshaded) and everything slightly higher is perfectly colored and a posterchild for what that acro should look like. I'd never seen anything like it before. I've seen duplicates of the same coral look different at different depths, but never on the same coral.

It isn't rare at all to see a coral suddenly start putting out nicer branches as it adapts to a tank or conditions improve. Its not different because of position. Its different due to time. Conditions are different now than when the older growth was put in place. Happens all the time.

 

[TarHeelReefer22]

I have a great example with my tricolor valida i will start documenting tomorrow and contribute some pics! Right now it is just to late and my lights have already been off for too long! Keep it going this is a great thread!