My sps grow up before they encrust.

[mikedrumm22]

Pretty much as the title says. I know people tend to prefer vertical growth, but I would really like to see some nice encrusting growth from my sps (A. tenuis & A. yongei). Anything I’m doing wrong?

Params:
Alk: 170
Cal: 340
Sal: 35
NO3: 2.0
PO4-0.8

Light:
2x AI Prime

 

[mikedrumm22]

Pretty much as the title says. I know people tend to prefer vertical growth, but I would really like to see some nice encrusting growth from my sps (A. tenuis & A. yongei). Anything I’m doing wrong?

Params:
Alk: 170
Cal: 340
Sal: 35
NO3: 2.0
PO4-0.8

Light:
2x AI Prime

Should add AI Primes at peak are:
UV- 130
V- 130
RY- 110
B- 110
G- 7
DR-7
CW- 15

 

[MtnDewMan]

My guess is that they will encrust more when they need a good base due to flow. The higher flow, the more encrusting to get a solid base before they grow up and out. Lower flow allows them to grow upward faster since encrusted base isn't as important to keep a good anchor. This is my personal assessment and experience, not grounded in coral science, just my experience.

Of course light needs play a factor along with other water quality parameters.

 

[reefah]

It just varies. I have sps that encrust and some just grow upward. I’ve seen people with the same sps have different results. Flow, lighting and water parameters all take into effect and vary from tank to tank.

 

[KrisReef]

Very interesting topic.
No science either, but an observation or two.
Natural coral frags (storm breakage of branched or tumbling coral boulders) always grow towards the light. If they landed upside down there is no one (usually) to right them. They grow bases to secure themselves to the substraight, or if they are massive boulders the colony transfers energy to support growth up towards the sun. Broken branches on rubble spread across the rubble to establish a foot hold that is resistant to moving in a storm. Upward branches do not develop until that foothold is secure. How do they determine security? Perhaps stability of position cues a coral if it is secure, or not?

An artificially attached frag properly secured in an aquarium isn't in danger of moving around, so Iff the light intensity is high then upward growth is what you are likely to select for? Dimmer light may create a situation where horizontal (encrusting) growth is preferred. I have always presumed that those broad coral bases act as a solar collector for the colony. With enough energy collected, the vertical growth can be supported from the base but not before.

I've snapped off the verticle growth from an upward branching wild colony. 2 years later it was still not growing branches but continued to spread across the verticle wall it had originally settled upon. I think that if current is too strong, or if branches are in danger of being removed (think tumbling coral boulders), then the colony sticks with encrusting growth to miximize long term growth and improve likely survival?

 

[ArachnoJoozt]

An artificially attached frag properly secured in an aquarium isn't in danger of moving around, so Iff the light intensity is high then upward growth is what you are likely to select for? Dimmer light may create a situation where horizontal (encrusting) growth is preferred. I have always presumed that those broad coral bases act as a solar collector for the colony. With enough energy collected, the vertical growth can be supported from the base but not before.

Interesting topic indeed!
In regards to light, I would expect that there would be more vertical growth with dimmer light. Kind of like a shaded plant (or a Zoa for that matter) stretching for the light. The first growth would be vertical to try to gain enough energy to put down a base.

 

[KrisReef]

Interesting topic indeed!
In regards to light, I would expect that there would be more vertical growth with dimmer light. Kind of like a shaded plant (or a Zoa for that matter) stretching for the light. The first growth would be vertical to try to gain enough energy to put down a base.

Maybe? Plants don’t have calcium skeletons to complicate stretching towards the sun, and a narrow extension towards the light needs a storm worthy base to remain in place.
The establishment of a base allows the development of a broad coral head on top.

The difference between a tabling coral and a branching coral (birds nest, or similar growth) is another issue that is wrapped up in all of our observations.

 

[jmichaelh7]

My guess is that they will encrust more when they need a good base due to flow. The higher flow, the more encrusting to get a solid base before they grow up and out. Lower flow allows them to grow upward faster since encrusted base isn't as important to keep a good anchor. This is my personal assessment and experience, not grounded in coral science, just my experience.

Of course light needs play a factor along with other water quality parameters.

Interesting this explains why all my sps encrust 2” wide

 

[Cali Reef Life]

Here's a great video I watched last night from Jake Adams. This had a lot of talk about par and flow and how the corals grew.