Motiopora caps dont grow as i want.

[Norberg]

I have problem with my green, red and purpel caps. They dont grow in flakes as i want.
All their growing points turn downwards and try to atatch to the botom of the aquarium or to the rock.
They sit on the boton of my tank under 4 400w 10k reeflux and the tank is 24" deep.
All water parameters are good and my other SPS grow very vell.

Any ideas about why they do like this?

 

[twon8]

i would suggest flow, get more of it. how about moving it up in the tank? I love the growth out of mine, and i can tell you it gets lots of flow.

 

[Norberg]

Maybe it could be more flow that is needed. I have 35X turnover with 3 Tunze streams in the tank but maybe it isnt reaching the bottom where they sits.

And i cant move them higer ity is filled with acroporas higer up!

 

[Ti]

move it down.
Too much light.

 

[Norberg]

It should be ok with the light i think, they are sitting on the boton of the tank on the glas. Aprox 22" (55 cm) under the water surface.

So to mutch light and not enough flow.

Any other ideas?

 

[clkwrk]

Too much flow. I had a 7 layer cap turn into on layer because one of my streams was producing a flow that went down on it . My other caps grow fine and don't have the down ward flow. A goood random upward flow produces the best effect. IMO

 

[ReeferMac]

I don't think it's too much light at all. If anything, perhaps it's not enough down at the bottom?
I keep my plating monti's in the top half of my tank, and they all do fine. Whorl and plate very nicely. Reducing flow will make them grow thinner, more flow will make them grow thicker, but you want it to be random/oscilating, not constant and laminar.

- Mac

 

[SunnyX]

I also think that too much flow may be the issue.

My orange caps are growing beautifully while the green cap which is across from a Tunze, is not growing as nicely.

 

[david8956]

i would suggest flow, get more of it

Too much flow.

Too much light.

I don't think it's too much light at all.

:lol: :lol:

 

[Amphiprion]

The direction of the overal flow and how it interacts with other currents, other corals, etc. probably have a lot to do with colony shape--at least more so than intensity of light and flow. I speculate this b/c I have seen beautiful tiered colonies in high flow/high light and low flow/low to moderate light tanks. Orientation of the colony in relation to flow also may make a significant difference.

 

[Norberg]

Hehe, thera are some different ideas here, pleas more ideas and experiences about this!

Here is a picture of the tank and where the caps are standing. There is 2 streams in the left side that is out of sight at the photo. The tank is 40" wide and 64" long
The red cap has some slime on it but it is beacuse one of my fishes is nipping a lot on i.

 

[Ti]

I've had caps grow down cause of too much light, but you guys couls be right about flow and what not.
I guess just try some new placements.

 

[Norberg]

Bump