Acro Growth at the Base but Nothing Vertical Help?

[Coral Newbie]

I am having a issue with getting vertical height on my Acro's. I'm having great success getting the base of the acro's to expand and grow

Parameters
Ca 450
Kh 9.8
Mg 1280
Po4 .08-.16
No3 1-2

Photo
This is a WWC Suicide Squad. I have had it for 3 months and base has more than quadrupled in size but haven't gotten any vertical growth. This is the same for all of my acro's no matter where they are placed in the tank height wise or flow wise.

Current Lighting Schedule

 

[Highgrade]

Some Acro's will grow outward first before growing vertical. Over time that outward growth with sprout a ton of branches usually.

 

[happyhourhero]

Some species just like to lay down a good base before going up. Some will branch right away. I would not change anything at all and just enjoy the ride. They will sprout buds eventually.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

As long as the coral is growing and colouring, just leave it alone. To keep yourself away from worrying about it, get another frag or two to keep you occupied.

 

[Coronus]

3 months is a very short time. Give it some time. Trippling in size on the base is GOOD!
When growth on a frag branch is non existent and it is taking its sweet time, but their is color, and growth at the base, you can cut the tip off the branch to stimulate growth.
I only do this after like 8-12 months or so. Usually works.

 

[Bubs2]

To make you feel better my pink lemonade frag hasn't grown upward at all in the past 8 months I had it. Only growth at the base

 

[Nburg's Reef]

My Garf Bonsai encrusted for almost a year before the branches started to grow. Once the branches start tho, it has had explosive growth. It may have taken a little long than normal, since it took me a while to dial in nutrients on my 40g breeder, but the encrusted base is probably close to 3.5-4" in diameter. so much so I had to relocate other coral in the area.

Some take time, others don't. my green slimer started growing vertically on day 1.

 

[hybridazn]

I used to have the same issue, I figured out that I had too much flow in the tank. I turned down my mp40s and everything started to grow vertically.

 

[stylaster]

Ill cut off the tip of acros if they dont seem to be getting any vertical growth, about 3/4 of the time this will make the coral sprout new upward growth

 

[minus9]

This is normal for frags (for the most part), just let it go and be patient.

 

[Nathan Belz]

I would agree with most that have posted so far, you shouldn't necessarily be looking for vert. growth at this point. I personally think people make to many mistakes not leaving enough room for the bases. Some of my favorite sticks have 4" plus bases before they really got going vertical, then they take off.

I wouldn't recommend it myself, but you can frag off the top 1/8" or put a couple of tiny nicks in the skin with a scalpel and usually when they heal they branch off or start new branches respectfully.

 

[CastAway]

Same experience with my pink lemonade. When it started vertical though, it really went up.

Maybe corals are like pyramids; the broader the base the more tall they can be?

 

[cpvince]

I'd say just leave it and let it do its thing. This colony took a few months to lay down the base before sprouting a single branch. After that it grew tons of branches off the main trunk within a year or so.

 

[cpvince]

Forgot to mention...flow can be a factor as well, as already mentioned by hybridazn. My sticks are under high flow so there's a lot of thick branching going on. And probably why it wanted to lay down a thicker base first.

 

[|FATHOM|]

That acro looks great should fill in just nice eventually