Are there materials that encrusting corals won't grow on?

[Thomas Jedlicka]

I am new to corals so I don't have much experience in that regard, but my question is not necessarily about keeping something in my tank, It is more of a general question.

Are there materials that encrusting corals do not grow on, or alternatively prefer to grow on in a faster manner than they would to standard rock for example; I had an idea to 3d print a sports logo to see an encrusting coral would grow to become the shape of the logo for example. I don't know how realistic this is in practice, but I imagine it is possible. Are there materials people have found encrusting corals love vs hate, or are they completely indifferent to the surface?

Some materials that come to mind are tile, plastic, rock, etc. If I 3d print a logo and secure tile on top of it carefully, will it grow along the tile first, or will it spread out radius-wise?

 

[blaxsun]

Just make sure it's reef-safe plastic. Corals have a mind of their own; sometimes they follow our designs and other times they run amok and grow where we don't want them to.

 

[Thomas Jedlicka]

Just make sure it's reef-safe plastic. Corals have a mind of their own; sometimes they follow our designs and other times they run amok and grow where we don't want them to.

I always planned to use reef safe coral but i didnt know if people had experience with specific materials like subway tile for example where that specufic substance isnt a great place for encrusting corals to grow because its hard for them to attach too etc. I wouldnt use anything non reef safe

 

[damsels are not mean]

I don't think there are any materials like that. They'll even encrust over glass if you let them.

 

[zheka757]

I don't think there are any materials like that. They'll even encrust over glass if you let them.

I have acro that grows on glass in my frag tank

 

[fmp47]

I have acro that grows on glass in my frag tank

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