Same coral, same tank but different growth rate?

[DancingShark]

Got these frags on August 19 last year.
They were QTed together and then dropped in the tank in mid December at the same time.

Frag 1

Frag 2

As you can see frag 2 has barely grown. They are about 4 feet apart. The source of light is coming from sbreeflights. Although they are from two different units. I can't explain why this is happening. Have anyone had any experience with this?
Thanks

View attachment 20170908_125458.jpg

 

[HotRocks]

Could it be placement? Amount of flow? Amount of lighting variance from the two locations?

 

[DSC reef]

Could it be placement? Amount of flow? Amount of lighting variance from the two locations?

All the above, +1

 

[BoomCorals]

Can you provide a full tank shot? I’m guessing it’s light and flow difference.

 

[DancingShark]

They are about the same depth from the surface of the water almost right under the light source. Flow could be a possibility since the bigger coral is in a much more open space. I have tried to increase flow but can't without making a sand storm. One reason why I have really consider going barebottom.
I'll post a tank shot after getting back from work today. Thanks guy.

 

[29bonsaireef]

IMO, once a coral is fragged it is individualized. I liken this to plants. Grafts, seeds etc.. from the same parent plant do not always grow at the exact rate as a sibling plant or seed. Sure lighting and flow will play a huge role on how a coral will grow and develop, but at the end of the day that frag is its own coral now and may not take the exact growth pattern as a sister frag.

 

[DancingShark]

Can you provide a full tank shot? I’m guessing it’s light and flow difference.

That's the best I could do. For flow i have 2 gyre 250s running in alternate mode at 60 percents all the time.

 

[DancingShark]

IMO, once a coral is fragged it is individualized. I liken this to plants. Grafts, seeds etc.. from the same parent plant do not always grow at the exact rate as a sibling plant or seed. Sure lighting and flow will play a huge role on how a coral will grow and develop, but at the end of the day that frag is its own coral now and may not take the exact growth pattern as a sister frag.

I get what your saying and it makes sense.
I am just new to acros or coral in general. Under a year if I recall. This is one of the first turned into a small colonies so I dont have any experience with growth patterns. This just seemed strange to me that one would grow and the other won't.

 

[jzw]

might try upgrading your flow? your tank looks around 5 feet long.

i have a 7 foot tank and 2 maxspect gyre 280s, and 2 mp60s. i started with just the 280s on both sides... only the 280s were not nearly enough. i spent an enitre night once moving around (side to side, up and down) all the internal pumps and return line direction to max out flow. my return is ~3k gals per hr, and found out that night that output nozzel direction mattered tons... eventually pointing it about 60 degrees from the originating corner. like they say, every reef tank (and aquascape) is different.

i've seen some rough estimates for how far each model of pump pushes water on this board. i'm no expert, but it looks like my mp60s push maybe 3.0 to 4.5 feet. the 280s push a wider stream, but only about 2.5 to 3.5 feet. its not like the water "stops" after X feet lol - i'm referring to more "active"(?) flow. actually, thinking about the #s, i might of overestimated the 'active' flow #s.

in any case, dial ur 250s up 100% ;Cat

 

[Fishfinder]

3.0-3.5 sounds about right for the MP60s. That's what mine do

 

[DancingShark]

might try upgrading your flow? your tank looks around 5 feet long.

i have a 7 foot tank and 2 maxspect gyre 280s, and 2 mp60s. i started with just the 280s on both sides... only the 280s were not nearly enough. i spent an enitre night once moving around (side to side, up and down) all the internal pumps and return line direction to max out flow. my return is ~3k gals per hr, and found out that night that output nozzel direction mattered tons... eventually pointing it about 60 degrees from the originating corner. like they say, every reef tank (and aquascape) is different.

i've seen some rough estimates for how far each model of pump pushes water on this board. i'm no expert, but it looks like my mp60s push maybe 3.0 to 4.5 feet. the 280s push a wider stream, but only about 2.5 to 3.5 feet. its not like the water "stops" after X feet lol - i'm referring to more "active"(?) flow. actually, thinking about the #s, i might of overestimated the 'active' flow #s.

in any case, dial ur 250s up 100% ;Cat

Tank is 6 feet long 125g. The gyre is able to circulate water cross the length of the tank. Maybe it's because my tank might be narrower than your,rock structure layout(aquascape) I dont know. Here is a some months old pic of it. I bought the second gore about 3 weeks ago.

I will try to add rocks at the bottom to try to not create a sand storm once I up the speed on them.

 

[DancingShark]

Ok. After working on this problem I think I have figured out what is wrong and it's my aquascape affecting my flow. The corals that seem to no grow as fast are towards the center of the tank. On both far side there is a bigger rocks that flow have to go over and come down to hit the center corals. Now I can get some flow by making both gyre go on at the same time at high speeds but that will pick up all the sand from the center and move it to the far sides.

Is changing my lay out the only option here?

 

[Fishfinder]

Most likely, my corals in the center get less flow and seem to grow slower

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Could it be placement? Amount of flow? Amount of lighting variance from the two locations?

I totally agree with this.

 

[DancingShark]

I changed some of my aquascape a bit. I moved the rocks back. Opened up the center more. Titled them forward towards the flow. Added some in the center that I had in storeage and mounted frags on them directly on the flow path.
I have noticed a lot more polyp movement with less power from the gyres. That's keeping the sand in place.

Hopefully I will see a improvement in all of these guys.