Another Dumb SPS Question/Hows Can You Tell SPS Is Growing?

[peterh1975]

Hey All,
Sorry to ask questions like theses since i only know about softies. I have bought serveral more frags of SPS and was wondering how do i know signs of growth? I have gotten theses frags a week ago and but i don`t know much about the name but i do know the commons one like the purple tip/brown stalk SPS and was wondering how do I know its growing?. I also have some kinda SPS that looks like a montipora but it s brown and is encrusting, I have noctice this guy is starting to a bit of a white on the tip and the encrusting base of the edges are sorta white as well? I know white tips are good on him but what about the white edge base of the encrusting area? thanks.

 

[Sue Truett]

In healthy, growing sps corals a white tip or white leading edge of encrusting growth is a good sign. Sometimes if the sps coral has a colored tip, for example a blue tipped acropora, the encrusting base edge can be blue. Growth can be seen in lots of different ways. Longer tips, more branches coming up from the encrusting base etc. Long as the white tips are growth and not bleaching all should be well. Give them excellent water quality, light, current and they should grow just fine and take it slowly.

my 180 ecosystem sps/clam tank:
http://berlinmethod.com/suet/
my 120 ecosystem sps tank:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html
www.marshreef.org/members

 

[MiNdErAsR]

Take pictures every now and then, and compare.

 

[peterh1975]

Thanks for the reply Sue!

 

[esmithiii]

I take monthly digital pics using a ruler. I try to take the same angle to document the growth. Here is an example:

Orange Montipora Dec 28,2001

Orange Montipora May17, 2002