Need help with chalice placement

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Hi, I've been trying to research this via search but I still have some questions.

I've got a small tank (reefer 170) SPS dominant mixed SPS/LPS.

Real estate is critical.

I'm getting a couple new chalices tmmrw along with some mushrooms, blasto and others.

I have one chalice that is super happy but it is mounted horizontal and growing like a plate.

I would like to consider mounting a chalice on a vertical surface.

So my questions are...

1. Can I mount on vertical surface but growing horizontal? So how?
2. can I mount on vertical surface growing vertical.
3. Can I mount growing vertical or horizontal on back glass?

Thx for your time!

 

[ndrwater]

Coral will grow toward the light. If you mounted vertical, there is a good chance that the side closest to the light will grow much faster than the side furthest from the light source

 

[watchguy123]

Coral will grow toward the light. If you mounted vertical, there is a good chance that the side closest to the light will grow much faster than the side furthest from the light source

In my experience, photosynthetic coral seem to grow toward the light but they also like to “track” along a surface whether vertical or horizontal.

Chalices grow wonderfully round when growing horizontal (perpendicular) to the light and on an available flat surface. However sometimes the urge to track along a firm surface (rock work, disk, or glass) may lead them to travel “away” from or “towards” the light. I have had chalices that once they over grow their disk will cup away from the light and other times absolutely cup toward the light. Seemingly growing/searching for a surface to grow against sometimes dominates and other times the light dominates.

I think of chalices as LPS but there is often a debate whether they are LPS or SPS. Probably because LPS and SPS are not scientific terms but the hobby's own descriptor.

Here is a chalice with the disk against the back glass, so perfectly vertical. And you can see it is growing vertical and against the disk. I don't have the follow up photo, but the bottom of the chalice started cupping toward the light and away from the disk surface. So this would be an example of a chalice cupping toward the light.

the photo below is a chalice frag ( with the green rim) on a disk that is not perfectly horizontal. As the frag grows, it is cupping downward i.e., away from the light, and I believe seeking out a surface to grow onto.

And below is another example of a chalice frag that as it grows, is tracking /seeking a hard surface and not aiming for the light.

And lastly here is a photo of a chalice that is growing predominantly horizontal and is not overly seeking out a surface or the light. But again, it is not perfectly flat and although not attached to the rock work below, tends to conform to it.

Lastly, I prefer chalices not to encrust onto rock work which they will normally do given time. Some chalices can grow really fast and they have stingers, sometimes really long stingers, and can be very aggressive against their neighbors. By keeping them unattached, I can either move them when I choose it appropriate or just trim them down to a smaller size.

 

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@watchguy123 Thanks so much for taking the time to write your post. That answers my questions.

 

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@watchguy123 rereading this. Awesome shots and chalices btw.

 

[ReefGrammie]

@watchguy123, fantastic post and pictures! Answered my questions exactly. Thank you!

 

[ReefGrammie]

Lastly, I prefer chalices not to encrust onto rock work which they will normally do given time. Some chalices can grow really fast and they have stingers, sometimes really long stingers, and can be very aggressive against their neighbors. By keeping them unattached, I can either move them when I choose it appropriate or just trim them down to a smaller size.

I especially appreciate this. I currently have my chalice on it's original plug glued to a larger flat rock that I can move around. I was thinking about removing it from the flat rock and gluing it to the back wall, but your very in depth post made me change my mind. It's staying on the flat rock!

 

[canadianeh]

Glad I found this thread.
I want a chalice that I can affix to the back glass to grow away from glass to make a cup. Is there a way to guarantee this?