Hanging frags

[richiev]

I've seen a variety of coral rejuvenation stories over time, and noticed the use of strings or other ways of growing out frags. For example: https://www.wsj.com/science/florida-coral-reef-climate-change-heat-wave-6d5ee30b

I've also in the past heard the idea of laying sps frags gorgeous horizontally versus straight up, as a way to get more light across the entire body.

Has anyone ever done this in a frag tank, or even in a display? Seems like it could be a cool look, and solve a variety of complications in a frag tank. I'm imagining a thin grid across the top and bottom of the tank. Attach sps frags to fishing line, and then connect the line to the grid.

Benefits would be minimal detritus spots, minimal algae growth spots, easy ability to control light levels by changing the frag height, and ability to vertically stack / offset frags. Main cons be would be only useful for certain types of frags, and likely difficult for fish to deal with.

Might be a dumb idea, but seems interesting.

 

[Bruce Spiegelman]

It's been tried many times to great success. The increased flow and lack of light shadows seems to increase growth greatly.

 

[Coral reefer]

I def put many frags horizontally into tiles for several years. Works well. Gets more encrusting quicker

 

[Darkxerox]

I def put many frags horizontally into tiles for several years. Works well. Gets more encrusting quicker

Microfragmentation is really effective too. Taking a few small pieces and letting them grow together.

 

[BAYMAC]

I've seen a variety of coral rejuvenation stories over time, and noticed the use of strings or other ways of growing out frags. For example: https://www.wsj.com/science/florida-coral-reef-climate-change-heat-wave-6d5ee30b

I've also in the past heard the idea of laying sps frags gorgeous horizontally versus straight up, as a way to get more light across the entire body.

Has anyone ever done this in a frag tank, or even in a display? Seems like it could be a cool look, and solve a variety of complications in a frag tank. I'm imagining a thin grid across the top and bottom of the tank. Attach sps frags to fishing line, and then connect the line to the grid.

Benefits would be minimal detritus spots, minimal algae growth spots, easy ability to control light levels by changing the frag height, and ability to vertically stack / offset frags. Main cons be would be only useful for certain types of frags, and likely difficult for fish to deal with.

Might be a dumb idea, but seems interesting.

Jim Adelberg, prior BAR VP, played with that back in early days of the club. I bet he has some posts here about it.

 

[JVU]

Both the laying flat and the strings have been tried and can work well. The laying flat in particular does. If you think about it, this is a natural way for SPS to propogate when a piece breaks off and lays flat on a new rock. I personally have had pieces break off and quickly start encrusting and growing up from sideways if I don’t get around to fetching it quickly.

The strings approach is great in theory and some have gotten it to work, but also tales of a mess of strings/tangles. Plus the string will serve to grow algae, and your snails can’t get there to help. Seems to me more of a “Hey look at this weird way I can get coral to grow” as opposed to better. But I never tried it myself. Others here have.