SPS help

[little_ocean_treasures]

Okay, about a year ago I had a problem in my 29 gallon HQI Biocube. A thick really tough turf like algae was blooming so bad that no effort (and I tried EVERYTHING, literally) was fixing it but rather making it worse it seemed. So I gave up and moved all the corals and fish to a 40 breeder. But instead of tearing the 29 all down like I wanted to I decided to remove the sand, run it bare bottom, and see if I could get it to bounce back. Left one fish in it...flame angel to help eat the algae. And even though the skimmer and GFO were taken off of it and put on the 40 gallon, I still did water changes, vacuumed bottom, changed filter floss weekly, kept the Pheonix 14k bulb renewed, and took care of anything else on a regular weekly basis like before. It was not neglected at all. Well over a year later, it finally is bouncing back now...with the help of my awesome sea urchin. Algae is 3/4 gone and the rocks are purpling up with coralline.

Anyways, my question. When I moved the branches of SPS to the 40 gallon it left their flat coral bases still on the liverock in the 29 gallon. I've noticed that those bases are growing and even coloring up...but still remaining flat as if they were Monti Caps. At what point will the grow branches again, or will they ever? Any tips to get them to grow? I know one is an Acropora Valida and the other not sure, might be an Acropora though again not sure. Thanks!

 

[hart24601]

They will grow branches again, but it generally takes time. I don't think you can get a time frame though since so many different variables are at work like species, water chemistry, food, flow, light and more, but they will branch again. How big are the areas that have encrusted?

 

[little_ocean_treasures]

The Valida is maybe 1.75" in diameter and the other is maybe 2.5" in diameter. Not super big, but they have been flat for over a year. lol