M. capricornis placement...

Modo · #1 09/27/2001, 01:58 PM

I did a search and came up short on M. capricornis placement. So, I was wanting to get some opinions. I read through the thread on this board on placement and how people have seen it affect growth patterns of Acropora and M. digi ( http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbull...threadid=24638 ). So, I recently recieved a M. capri frag and would like to know the best route on placement.

So if flow and lighting are met which is the optimal position for growth in M. capricornis, Perpendicular or Vertical to the surface? Will this effect the growth patterns of this coral as it does in branching SPS? Does one direction induce more encrusting as it does in a M. digitata? Or does it even really matter in a coral with this type growth pattern?

Any input would be great. Thanks guys!

Carlos · #2 09/27/2001, 05:24 PM

What type of lighting and placement did the coral come from?

What type of lighting do you have?

I ususally start all corals at the bottom and then move them up in time.

Carlos

Modo · #3 09/27/2001, 06:08 PM

Carlos- I guess I wasn't too clear, actually flow and lighting is not what I am concerned about.

I am interested more about growth patterns in correlation to horizontal or vertical placement as was discussed in the thread I linked above.

For example, it was noted in the thread that some have seen that branching SPS (Digitata and some acro) actually put out more "branches" when mounted horizontally than those mounted vertically. I was wondering if the "whirled" type sps frags are affected like this also (well of course not branching). Has anyone that has experience with this seen a difference in structure?

Thanks again...

therman · #4 09/28/2001, 02:29 AM

i prefer to mount just about everything horizontally, or obliquely, especially plating Montipora.

you'll get a much nicer encrustation out of the coral in the long run, with a more stable base, and once it starts plating the coral will grow evenly (and darn cool lookin

). mounting plating coral frags on their edge results in a coral that you can tell was grown from a frag of x shape, glued in x manner usually. IMO corals mounted horizontally look like theyve grown to fit the system perfectly.

HTH

Tim

Modo · #5 09/28/2001, 09:00 AM

Thanks Therman,
That is exactly what I was wanting to know.

By-the-way, the frags you sent me are doing great!

therman · #6 09/28/2001, 12:13 PM

awesome

glad to hear it!

dougc · #7 09/28/2001, 12:20 PM

In my experience, it doesn't seem to matter much how the initial frag is oriented. M. capricornus seems to inevitably find a growth pattern unrelated to the original orientation. I almost think that the best approach is to start with the tiniest possible frag, which makes the orientation less of a factor.

Jabrams · #8 09/28/2001, 04:16 PM

I agree with doug, They do have a pattern all there own.

Mine is taking over; ofcourse, I do have a 20g hex

SueT · #9 09/28/2001, 07:15 PM

I agree about mounting plating monti's horizontally. Every one that I have has been done in that manner and they seem to have very nice shapes. I got some of therman's plating montipora'a and have mounted them accordingly. Start with great frags and you are sure to have something very nice.

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