Manipulating a Montipora?

[reef_dart21]

I have recently fragged a ora red montipora, and was reading how water current can diret how it grow as well as the light?
Is this true and if so how much light as well as how much curent?
I am trying to make the montipora grow more shelf like than my current tight cup shape.

 

[videoguy]

I don't think lighting plays a role in how montiporas grow plating or swirling. Low flow might encourage shelf growth. In sps more flow = thicker stalks and more encrusting. I don't know if this even helped you out. Here's 2 pic's from my tank. The bigger 1 is up top with lots of flow where the 2nd one is getting less current but it's still 2 small to see how it's growing out.

 

[reef_dart21]

Thanks i guess its in the luck of the draw

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by Reef_Dart21
http:///forum/post/3096209
Thanks i guess its in the luck of the draw
It's not a luck of the draw, it's actually very deturmined by flow.
A scroll coral (for example) in low flow will grow flat and shelf-like, where as in high flow it twists and turns and earns it's name.
I have a cap in very low flow and like yours, it looks like a tight cup... I ended up breaking it off cause I was tired of looking at the back of the coral.

High flow and they will out stretch more...
A lot of corals look different in different flows... I had a spindly long branched tort in my last tank (little flow) but in my current tank, the branches are very thick.
And I even have one coral where some branches, the ones in front of the powerhead, are rediculously thick, where as the ones on the very top are a lot thinner...
Flow plays a major role in their growth.
But if you aim a PH straight at it, you will encourage algae. Increase the flow in your whole tank and it will make a diff.