aussie acan growth question

[Kigs]

Not sure how to exactly ask this; Do they need to be mounted to a surface and encrust upon it in order to grow? Or will they continue to make new exoskeleton in a freestanding state adding onto the old ones.

 

[Scythanith]

They will lay down their own skeleton as long as they have a good source of calcium, etc to do it with.

 

[Kigs]

Sweet, thank you for the help Scott!

 

[juniormc8704]

Ive got a ton of small to large colonies, and have found across the board that need to be mounted. They will grow all the way around a rock of you let them. I had a couple that grow 100% around the rock they were on. I had to cut it in half, and mount both halves onto a larger rock.

I also run a massive calcium reactor, so i know its not a lack of calcium.

 

[muzz]

If they can spread to a hard substrate, such as rock, they will grow faster(or spread faster). If they are on sand, and have to lay down their own skeleton first, they may take longer to grow or multiply.

 

[All Delight]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12944082#post12944082 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by muzz
If they can spread to a hard substrate, such as rock, they will grow faster(or spread faster). If they are on sand, and have to lay down their own skeleton first, they may take longer to grow or multiply.

Very true.

Use epoxy to construct a "ramp" to make a smooth transition from your piece to the larger rock. I find that works the best.

 

[Kigs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12943538#post12943538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by juniormc8704
Ive got a ton of small to large colonies, and have found across the board that need to be mounted. They will grow all the way around a rock of you let them. I had a couple that grow 100% around the rock they were on. I had to cut it in half, and mount both halves onto a larger rock.

I also run a massive calcium reactor, so i know its not a lack of calcium.

This is exactly what was happening on one of the acan colonies I picked up recently. It grew all around + encrusting on the bottom of the rock! I ended up fragging it so I could let the bottom polyps breathe a bit.

Thank you for the tips Jr, muzz, and All Delight. I'll be picking up some aquamend @ HD this week.

 

[Scythanith]

This is why i love RC. I know then can create their own skeleton but it didn't dawn on me to elaborate in the way that you guys did.

Sweetass!