Reef Discussion

[ryan1986]

Hi all quick question what would called an "average" growth rate for corals like
Hammers, Zoa, Blasto.
Just asking as I got glue to hold coral in place and trying to look at correct spacing as I want a beautifull hammer garden.

 

[Franklin Dattein]

I would expect an average growth of 30%-50% per year, for Hammers and Blastos, when in adequate light and flow.
Bear in mind that Hammers not only grow fast, but they also have long sweeper tentacles that can be annoying to their neighboors.
Building a "Garden" is a good way to avoid coral warfare too early.

Zoas are less predictable, because they can qadruple in numbers or not grow at all, on the same period.

 

[Savage Henry]

I also have experience with zoas either not multiplying at all, while others multiply very fast once they settle in.

Also, polythoa can multiply very fast!

I have not had a problem keeping zoas near hammers. Also, with zoas you can cut them back/scrape them off if they get too close to a coral.

I have had branching hammers grow quite fast, especially once I have cut heads off to allow the remaining heads more room to expand.

If you had the room I would keep a 10cm free space around a hammer to allow the hammer to expand and also because the hammer will shadow corals around its base.

I don’t know anything about blastos.

Keep morphs and mushrooms away from hammers. I’ve had green fluoro rhodacti kill hammers.

I have also had a ric move towards a hammer and the hammer killed part of the ric.

Hammers can be close to each other, but you will get to a stage where you will have to spread them out otherwise they can crowd each other and heads can die.

Once I spread my hammers out the heads spread out double what they had been as a bundle and so took over more than quadruple the space they had taken up beforehand.

 

[Savage Henry]

I should also add that once I spread the hammers out the size of each polyp really increased. I actually prefer the look of smaller polyps, but I guess the hammer was happier with the bigger polyps?

 

[ryan1986]

I'll try and keep room between them if i need to cut and glue individual heads id 100000% ask someone to help as I don't feel that comfortable.

 

[RobbieMVFC]

Hey mate,
I think it all depends on their environment.
I have a tank full of SPS with some LPS ( hammers , frog spawn & a torch ).
Im my tank the SPS are growing like weeds and the LPS have done FA

 

[ryan1986]

Hey mate,
I think it all depends on their environment.
I have a tank full of SPS with some LPS ( hammers , frog spawn & a torch ).
Im my tank the SPS are growing like weeds and the LPS have done FA

Atm tank seams to be very reluctant to drop from 5-10ppm nitrates. And everything else is stable.
I got good flow from 4x pumps (2× returne pumps 2000lph, 1500lph)(1500lph, 8500lph wavemakers) and now a hydra 52 led light running Saxby using aclimation.

 

[Savage Henry]

Hey mate,
I think it all depends on their environment.
I have a tank full of SPS with some LPS ( hammers , frog spawn & a torch ).
Im my tank the SPS are growing like weeds and the LPS have done FA

I have read that hammers, frog spawn, torch etc come from the inner reef/protected/lagoon areas where the water quality may not be as good as the cleaners reef areas that LPS live. So maybe a less well kept tank like mine is better for these corals than a well kept tank for LPS??? Who knows - there are so many variables.

I do think the branching hammers are easier to keep and ate definitely easier to propergate than the non-branching hammers.

Not sure if you get branching frog spawn and torch???