How to get SPS to grow outward???

[henrystyle]

How do you get sps to grow outward and not just encrust the base?
Does it have to do with light intensity? Flow?
Or do some SPS just take there sweet time growing out due to the species?

I have a 250w SE 20k radium/blue wave 3 hqi ballast.
Lumenbright mini wide pendant.
30 gallon mixed reef.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

i'm not much of an sps expert but i think the base grows first then they grow outward

 

[DrGonzo]

the base grows first then they grow outward

agreed.

 

[KuyaMark]

sps

i'm not much of an sps expert but i think the base grows first then they grow outward

+2

 

[DrGonzo]

Think of it as a tree that is laying down its roots.

 

[henrystyle]

OK. thanks

 

[finksmart]

Like the looks of the tank in your profile pic. Got any more pics of it?

 

[henrystyle]

Just switch my ballast yesterday to a Blue Wave 3 HQI and put in a radium 250w SE 20k.......HOLY S^%@!
What a glow......perfect....snapped some new pics... I fined tuned this calcium reactor finally.
8.3 dkh Alk
440 ppm calcium
Magnesium 1320
ph 8.35
nitrate 2 ppm
phosphate 0
salinity 1.026
temp 78
lumenbright mini wide reflector

 

[henrystyle]

 

[henrystyle]

 

[jackson6745]

For stubborn SPS that refuse to put on a growth tip, I usually clip a very small piece from the tip. As it heals, usually a new growth tip is formed and it will grow outward.

 

[bimmer01]

Nice pictures. You're SPS looks great!

 

[henrystyle]

For stubborn SPS that refuse to put on a growth tip, I usually clip a very small piece from the tip. As it heals, usually a new growth tip is formed and it will grow outward.

Thats what I was looking to find out.....thx

 

[henrystyle]

Nice pictures. You're SPS looks great!

thank you!

 

[greggnyce]

Also your flow can effect growth forms.

 

[SevTT]

Also your flow can effect growth forms.

Not can, will. This is particularly evident with montipora and acropora species, but affects a lot of other corals as well. Mounting montipora specimens in a relatively lamellar flow should help induce the coral to grow more surface features. (Convertering lamellar flow to controlled turbulence is a major part of the reason for those surface features/plating/fingers/etc, since polyps don't feed well in that type of flow.) My limited, unscientific experimentation so far seems to support this. Mounting Montipora capricornis which isn't plating yet vertically -- so that the surface of the coral is at 90* or so to the substrate -- appears to help, too; the surface of the coral won't receive as much light this way, so it'll grow to take advantage of the light that's available a few millimeters away.

 

[Josh]

Not all SPS corals will encrust onto the base, some only produce outward growth.