how long

[newtothereef]

how long does it take for a frag to have a visiual impact on your aquaria.

 

[Myteemouse]

depends if it's SPS LPS or softie and your lights and tank perams..
ALOT depends on YOU..

 

[newtothereef]

well i will tell you my how my tank is set up and maybe that will help me find out. i have a 90 reef ready currently running my salinity is 1.22 my nitrates have been at 0 but my phosphates have been a little high at 2.my filters include a ecosystems refugium. since i got it used i am not sure of the size but from what i can tell its about 40 gallons. my lighting is 4 t5 (2 and 2) and i am also running 2 65 pc attinics and 1 65 pc 50/50. and my skimmers is a aquarium systems skimmer. rated for a 75 gallon( i know it is a little small but came with it) there is 100lbs of live rock(atleast) and 40 lbs of live sand. my calcium is 440 give or take. i have been using the 4 suppliments recommended by garf.org seachem reef bulder, reef plus, reef complete,and reef calcium according to the recomendations on the bottle. so again i ask how long does it take for a frag to have a visual impact on your aquarium

 

[Chichas01]

I think Myteemouse's question still stands: what kind of frags?
I'm also hoping you meant 1.022 and not 1.22 for your SG.
What are the corals you would like to eventually keep. Also, 1.022 is probably good for a fish only tank, but you will need to get it up to at least 1.025-1.026, if you're looking to do a reef tank with most corals.

 

[newtothereef]

all i am asking is there a standard rate of growth for each family of corals and does anyone know what it is. i am sure we all started out with soft because they are easiest and mushrooms before they split and grow onto other rocks things like that. that is the question i am asking. i am sure someone has somkind of guide line for growth rate of corals. that will help me decide what corals i would want to start with to have the most impact in my tank. that will help me decide what ones i buy first and then add as i become more familar with what each coral take. i want to buy frags since captive usual fair better than wild ones and are more forgiving

 

[returnofsid]

No, there isn't a standard rate of growth for each family of corals. There are way too many variables about coral growth. You could have 2 frags of the same coral in 2 tanks that are set up identically and one will grow faster than the other. You could alter your flow just slightly and it will effect coral growth. Neighboring corals, within the tank will alter coral growth. Unfortunately, figuring out how fast a coral will grow in your tank is an impossible question to answer. You'll just have to wait and see.

Here's an example, in my own tank. I have an ORA Rose Millepora that has been in my tank for 2 years with NO growth at all. About 2 months ago, it started showing a lot of growth. It hasn't been moved, no significant changes to the tank have been made. I have no idea what caused it to start growing.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Agree with sid... the question you're asking doesn't have a useful answer. Here's my example:

Stylophora frag mounted on a rock high in my tank for about a year with very little growth and minimal polyp extension. I had to move it out of the way of a neighboring torch coral (which WAS growing like a week) and moved it just 4 inches. Literally... 4 inches. (Also got rid of the torch coral!) In the few months after I moved it, it's taken off like a weed. Several things could've been going on - growth was stunted because it was spending it's time fending off the torch coral; more flow in new spot; or something we'll never know. I'm thinking it's the "more flow" reason because those 4 inches put it into a pretty turbulent area of my tank.

I'm sure there are coral scientists that can give you specific rate of growth for their corals... in very controlled conditions, and in very specific locations. But that only applies to that coral, in that tank, in that location. Not really useful for us hobbiests.

But to give you somewhat of an answer... if you want a coral that will grow like a weed (assuming it's happy) try an ORA green-tipped birdsnest (seriatopora guttatus). I got one about 6 months ago that was just a small normal size ORA frag and it's easily a 5" diameter colony now.

[PS... while you didn't ask for advice regarding those supplements, I'd be careful with all that doseing. I have a hunch you're headed down the road to an imbalance in your ca/alk numbers because I don't think the makers of those things assume that you'll be using them all at the same time. Going by the directions on the bottle doesn't account for what they all do mixed together. Just be sure you're testing for everything you're adding - first rule in reefkeeping!]

 

[returnofsid]

LOL Kurt, you just proved our answer!!! I have an ORA Seriatopora guttatus. It's a SLOW grower for me. High flow, high light, slow growth.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

There ya go... perfect example! Try medium light and low to medium flow. Mine is at the water's surface (base is about 4" below water line) under 2x 96W compact fluorescent, with not a lot of flow.

 

[returnofsid]

Hmmm, maybe I oughta put it in the 46, under my PCs.

 

[jag3534]

You can go get some really good books out there that can give you some great info on all the different species of corals and their experienced growth rates. It will also tell you the best conditions you can give them to get optimal growth. The other part is good old fashioned patience. we too have a "frag" tank, with all frags and no colonies. Another option is to have a higher number of frags in your tank for "more visual impact." You would have to be prepared to find new homes for them as they grow and or be an aggressive fragger... but i don't know that that is your best option. This is a SLOW hobby, and evrything does better when you slow down. A hard lesson to learn!! i know!!