Acro's are growing horizontal not vertical

[CBehr]

A majority of my acro frags grow horizontal over the side of frat plug long before they grow vertically. Does this usually mean too much flow?

[CMcNeil]

it could be flow and or light related,but some may be tabling acros.

[CBehr]

I'm not saying your wrong, but how would light cause horizontal growth and not vertical, if there is too much light will they grow like that?

I don't think lighting is as issue as colors are nice and I have the main colonies so I know the frags are not from a table acro.

I should have given a little more info on the setup. Frags are about 8" down under 250w DE Phoenix 14k bulbs.
CA 450
ALK 10.5
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0

Flow is two modded MJ 1200's and two normal 1200's on a wave timer. Return does another 700gph.

[CMcNeil]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11593071#post11593071 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CBehr
how would light cause horizontal growth and not vertical
just a thoery

[broke1]

Most of my frags encrust the plug before they grow upward, sometimes I even glue the frag sideways so it will grow like that. I would assume higher flow would make the base grow a little bit more, but for the most part all corals encrust before vertical growth.

[Fraggle Rock2]

Personally, I think it's just natural for a lot of corals to do that.

It makes sense to me in that they need a strong physical base in order to grow, otherwise it could just break off and fall over. How would a coral know this? Beats me, but biology is pretty interesting.

This is one reason why people also mount frags horizontally, so a strong base is provided and upward growth can start.

[shred5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11593071#post11593071 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CBehr
I'm not saying your wrong, but how would light cause horizontal growth and not vertical, if there is too much light will they grow like that?

I don't think lighting is as issue as colors are nice and I have the main colonies so I know the frags are not from a table acro.



lower light can cause this not to much light. The coral has to grow vertical to have more surface area in which to capture light..


A coral will also do this depeding on the type of coral it is... Like has been mentioned a table acro needs a giant base in which to support the weight of the coral.

Also higher flow can cause this, again to support the wieght of the coral in the higher flow. Higher flow can also cause thicker branches and a more dense skeleton.

Also competition from other corals can cause this as they try to secure space.


Dave

[twon8]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11592909#post11592909 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CBehr
A majority of my acro frags grow horizontal over the side of frat plug long before they grow vertically. Does this usually mean too much flow?

i've never heard of such a thing as too much flow; that is how acros grow