Aquascaping an LPS tank

[MinibowMatt]

When aquascaping/designing your tank do you purchase and expect to grow? In essence waiting for the day when you will look at it an see a fully grown in mature reef?
OR
Do you buy large colonies/pieces and place them to give you a more immediate feel of maturity?
OR
Do you go for a mix- Some big, some frags and hope they are all still there in the end when it is mature?

 

[crvz]

In general I only buy to grow stuff. But that may do more to my cheap tendencies more than anything.

 

[All Delight]

I buy frags and watch them grow

 

[Grunt]

same as above

 

[hops523]

I like the go small with the idea in mind of them getting larger, because I like to watch them grow. But if there is something that I like and I just have to have it because its one of a kind then I dont think it matters(haha but that hasnt happend to me yet)

 

[PoukieBear]

I know that patience is a virtue, especially in this hobby....But I like buying full colonies.

I do have several frags in my tank that have taken off and have grown like weeds, and I can now consider them a full colony, but I still like getting a HGUE piece of coral and placing it in my tank.

 

[blange3]

I go for a mix.

One or two large showpiece colonies and then fill in the blanks with frags, leaving plenty of growth room.

 

[hiendmusic1]

Frags is great

 

[AC11337]

buy whatever nice pieces are available for a good price.

 

[tsr770]

I like frags too, why have 20 polyps of one color when you can have 4 polyps of 5 colors is the way I look like it. Although I have splurged on a few big pieces that caught my eye

 

[PiXieCath]

I bought frags for a long time...but since I got a LPS dominated tank, I always buy large pieces for 2 reasons...It's more easier to do aquascape with full colony...and IMO, it's beautifull than small pieces...(ok...i'm privileged, my best friend own a reef shop so I've really good price!)

But I agree, it's nice to watch frags grow too.

 

[BuddhaKiss]

I prefer frags for 3 reasons....
1) I like watching frags grow and document it in pics
2) If for some reason the coral doesn't make it, I've spent only $20-50 rather than hundreds
3) I'm cheap (this hobby is expensive as it is)

 

[FiSHy sAy HeY]

I just buy frags and give them space to grow