encrusting to branching

[GR808]

My thought for today while I was looking at my tank is, when do corals stop encrusting and start branching? For example, I started with a branch frag of a green slimer and it encrusted well, to the rock it was glued to and the one branch started an a shoot from the top but what starts other branches? It's starting to encrust the larger rock it's rock is attached too as well...

 

[divewsharks]

unfortunately each coral in each tank is different. there is no real method to the madness. I've had some puddle for a year+ before branching and taking off, some seem to do it almost the moment the hit the water.
I've talked to some folks that 'encourage' a coral to branch by placing on a rock or location where it has limited area to encrust before it is the only area left is away from the light, at which point it begins to branch towards the light (hope that makes sense).

 

[Electrobes]

I tell you what it drives me nuts because of my situation with two gorgonian frags. I have one more out in the open another more slightly hidden (I bought a back up frag because I liked it so much). The more hidden one started branching, looking cooler than all get out. The more open one that people can see? Still encrusting like it's going out of style. I've tried speaking sense into it, but it refutes my claim that it would look more like a gorg if it started branching. Stubborn beings, these corals!

 

[butts182]

I think the coral will start to shoot up new branches once it feels stable enough to do so...the more encrusting the better.

 

[Captain Nemo]

This is one of the 7 wonders of the world. Actually its the 8th.:xd:

 

[Wy Renegade]

+1 to the variety in each tank, although I think it has to do with the light as well. I have a purple digi that has encrusted about a 8" area, and is finally after a year starting to send out some small branches (about 3/4" tall at this point). I have it within about 12" of a 6 bulb t5HO fixture. My buddy has the same coral in his 210gal under 3 150w MH 4 PC fixture, and his almost no encrusting and all branching.

 

[returnofsid]

I think a lot of it depends on the type of coral, as well as differing tank conditions. For instance, I've got some SPS that encrust forever, before shooting branches. Other SPS, such as Seriatapora hystrix, never encrust, but shoot branches quickly. "Heavier" corals seem to encrust more, before branching. It's like they "know" they need a firm foundation, because they're gonna be BIG!

 

[GR808]

+1 to the variety in each tank, although I think it has to do with the light as well. I have a purple digi that has encrusted about a 8" area, and is finally after a year starting to send out some small branches (about 3/4" tall at this point). I have it within about 12" of a 6 bulb t5HO fixture. My buddy has the same coral in his 210gal under 3 150w MH 4 PC fixture, and his almost no encrusting and all branching.

Would it b fair to say that MH encourages more branching than encrusting? Taking into consideration the type of sps? Interesting observation

 

[Wy Renegade]

Would it b fair to say that MH encourages more branching than encrusting? Taking into consideration the type of sps? Interesting observation

My thoughts would be more toward intensity. My t5s at 12" provide more intense lighting than the 150w MH do over his very deep 210. My personal guess would be that because the whole base is getting plenty of light it doesn't need to branch/grow up. When I had the same digi under a 250w HM, but off to the side, not directly under the light, it also branched and didn't encrust.

 

[Madreef]

Lighting is only one factor in growth of sps. To say that it's the limiting factor in if a coral branches or encrusts is not true ime. Flow and water quality/stability have as much if not more to do with it in my experience. I have found moving a stagnant coral and giving it a little hair cut encourages it to grow more new growth tips.

 

[KLR]

I think its funny when people say "I dont like my coral encrusting!",no offense to you at all(im actually jealous),I would love for my acro to grow in general,I have bad luck with acroporas....

 

[Wy Renegade]

Lighting is only one factor in growth of sps. To say that it's the limiting factor in if a coral branches or encrusts is not true ime. Flow and water quality/stability have as much if not more to do with it in my experience. I have found moving a stagnant coral and giving it a little hair cut encourages it to grow more new growth tips.

Indeed I agree, sorry if any of my posts came across that way, as that was not what was intended. I was simply sharing some results that I have observed in two tanks that have similar conditions in terms of quality/stability. And in my own case, the same flow and the same corals, but different lighting schemes.

 

[Madreef]

Yeah, I just didn't want anyone to read the thread and think that they should have one type of lighting for ideal sps growth.

 

[GR808]

What I did notice substantially is that when I changed from Wave bulbs to Geiesmens, there were alot more growth. Which would kinda support the light intensity analogy.
All great points imo.. Thanks for all of the info.. Interesting topic