SPS encrusting well but hardly growing any other way

[CrazyPuy]

Hello all,

Okay so in as much as I'd like to give my parameters I don't really test on them as I rely on weekly water changes of 15-20%.

I have:

~15 gallon tank
Custom LED lighting with a 9 hour lighting period.
Spec gravity ~1.025
Temp 78 degrees

The tank is about 1 year old. I forget the exact date I started it all. The biggest indicator that tells me my water parameters are ideal (but hardly test) is that my LPS are all doing well and my SPS are encrusting very well too. BUT that's the problem. With exception of one of the SPS in my tank, the other SPS are mainly just encrusting and not really showing any upward growth. Any ideas? I've changed the water temp as I used to keep it at 79-80 and I've also lowered the lighting an inch or so. Is there something I'm overlooking?

A full history of my tank is located here:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1969898

Thanks all!

[C Dog]

Flow and lighting will effect on how they grow. Maybe if you have too much lighting it doesnt grow up? Also are you sure it is not a encrusting only SPS?

[CrazyPuy]

Well from the posts that I've been reading up on people have had some results from changing water flow and changing the lighting time cycle.

Right now I have two hydor-flo's as a closed loop but the flow might be too much still? I guess I could try not using them for a month and see how that goes before i change the lighting cycle.

As far as the species of the SPS go, im not 100% sure which ones I have but it's a constant that the majority of them don't grow up and only encrust.

I'll try decreasing the flow first unless people have any other ideas?

[chrishayes]

Post pictures, that ought to clear up whether theyre just encrusting species

[shayna123]

How long have you had them? They will usually set down a nice base then start to send up shoots.

[santarosasalt]

Agreed with above. Also what kind of time length are we talking about. Sps sometimes grow painfully slow compared to lps. As long as they are growing (whether it be upwards or engrusting) and you have polyp extension you are doing something right. :)

[nonstopfishies]

I would start by buying some test kits. Low Calcium, Alk, Magnesium, and high Phosphates and Nitrates all could contribute to a slower growth. Are you dosing at all? LPS can do well in less than ideal situations and isn't much of a judge for SPS growth. I don't think you could have too much flow, not really possible with sps. The main issue with flow is when it is too direct and constant.

Other issues like people have said above, how big are the pieces you are talking about? Small frags will often times encrust for a while before starting to grow upward. The intensity of the LED's? How high the SPS are located in the tank?

[MammothReefer]

I wouldn't worry about it all. The more it encrusts the more places it will start to grow from.

[Reef Bass]

My bet is that alk, ca and mag are low and lighting borderline. Decreasing flow is generally not helpful with sps growth, unless one likes the long spindly branch look.

[Reefaddict24]

I have a RP thats only encrusting so tagging along.

[dahenley]

I had/have a bonsai that I got from a friend that encrusted for over a year before getting 25+ up sprouts.
I say this is normal because all corals encrust, just some more then others. My other acros were rocking... this one just encrusted.
I run 400w MH with VHO actinics, and a good amount of flow.

[chrishayes]

Ive seen mature RP in person therefore I wouldnt get one for my 45g. They are HUGE and table which puts a lot of stress on one main stalk so its only natural that the coral would make sure to have a big stable base to grow from.

OP can you tell us how large of a puddle there is now? Does it look healthy? Its strange to not even have a nub pop up here and there. IME when a coral just wants to encrust it still will shoot a "feeler" sprout up for lack of better word. It doesnt normally grow much but it still has some upward growth.

[Reefaddict24]

Ive seen mature RP in person therefore I wouldnt get one for my 45g. They are HUGE and table which puts a lot of stress on one main stalk so its only natural that the coral would make sure to have a big stable base to grow from.

OP can you tell us how large of a puddle there is now? Does it look healthy? Its strange to not even have a nub pop up here and there. IME when a coral just wants to encrust it still will shoot a "feeler" sprout up for lack of better word. It doesnt normally grow much but it still has some upward growth.

My RP is on a frag plug ATM so there goes my growth for awhile.

[dahenley]

here is an example of a 2nd coral that is like that. (this is 4 months worth of encrusting to get to this point.)
if you look on the upper right side... you will see a brown colored acro with purple tips right next to the Grape monti.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad227/james1307oak/240%20Reef/IMG_5169.jpg

Here you can see it now. (this is 9 months difference between the 2 pictures.)
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad227/james1307oak/240%20Reef/IMG_20110908_161526.jpg

its actually larger now.. but you can see that sometimes it just take a while.
i couldnt find the pictures of my bonsai, but this might make you feel better.
(the coral is called a "lavender" acro. nothing special, but it looks nice now that it has sweet purple tips!)