SPS Placement..Proximity and Overlap

[MHG]

So I am looking at lots of FTS and top down photos as I place my frags. I see many tanks where the acros must have been place like 5 to 8 inches apart... I also see some top down shots that show frags on a rock wall over one another. Causing a shaddow.

My question is, is there a general rule for proximity? I also assume the bottom frag should be growing out first before another frag is placed over it on a vertical wall?

I also hear from some people who say this colony is attacking that colony. would not they do the same sitting on the frag rack?

 

[MHG]

Evening bumpski

 

[64Ivy]

No simple answer to that one as it seems corals can be as individualistic as fish sometimes. In redoing my tank, my general game plan is to place the delicate and 'smoother skinned' acros on the bottom, farthest from the current. Then the tablers so they don't shade out anything beneath them, and the remainder a mix of staghorns, millies and other high light and high flow lovers. I also made myself a wish list of every acro I wanted then cut it in half. That part was not easy.

Oh, and be careful of encrusting Montipora. Cute in the beginning but some species can become quite invasive as they grow. The 'Idaho Grape' monti cap is one of the worst.

Finally, try to photograph your bare aqua scape, make several prints, and then with a Sharpie, draw in what you'd like your tank to look like when fully mature. Sometimes this'll help give you an idea of where to place your frags now.

Hope this helps.

 

[FF337]

One suggstion from a couple fellow reefers was once the tank grows out and needs a major trimming was to plan it out close to a scheduled Frag swap or 2. Recoup some money or some nice trades.

 

[MHG]

Thanks

 

[ridetheducati]

I provide a 8" diameter (buffer) left, right, top, and bottom from each frag. Also, consider the growth pattern, such as plating, tabling or vertical. When I do not follow this rule, I must relocate a coral to a better location. I often purchase upwards of 40 frags knowing I will end up with approximately 12-15 corals when they mature.

 

[chessmanmark]

Those really great builds that you admire... well most are not the first build. It's through experience that you learn which corals you can mount low and which you need to mount high. You also learn which are fast growers and which are slow growers. Stags generally grow tall while efflos grow wide. Then you may consider which colors will pop sitting next to each other. You can see what others have done, but generally you learn through experience and like a good chess game, you improve with reflection.

 

[Alex T.]

Give them some room to grow. If they show that they can grow and color up, you'll see their growth patterns and tendencies and then can mount other frags in the bare spots that the colonies are not growing into. That is, if you want to.

Personally, I find it much more appealing to see large mature specimens exhibiting natural growth forms rather than everything being the size of a baseball for the sake of covering up the rockwork like a fruit stand.

Patience and being on the conservative side of stocking and feeding can go a long way.

 

[animalkingdom]

Most of my corals are too close together. I'll have to move them as they grow. Now when adding coral I make sure to leave plenty of room

 

[colesreef]

gives you a great reason to build another tank or go larger

 

[MHG]

Well I am just gonna let the holes in the rock dictate where I put them and learn from what happens. I should be so lucky to have so much growth that I need to remove some...