An observation

[lilrobb]

Every time I introduce SPS grabs they are doing fine with some minuscule problems.
Every time I introduce a larger frag or colony - it does poorly, loses tips, RTNs or STNs and only eventually makes it, smaller and quite beat up.

My drags thrive and grow to large colonies without issues.

Could it be that you cannot teach an old dogs new tricks - meaning, the longer a coral lives in it's given environment the harder it is for it to adapt to new settings???

 

[sharkbait]

LilRobb;672240 wrote: Every time I introduce SPS grabs they are doing fine with some minuscule problems.
Every time I introduce a larger frag or colony - it does poorly, loses tips, RTNs or STNs and only eventually makes it, smaller and quite beat up.

My drags thrive and grow to large colonies without issues.

Could it be that you cannot teach an old dogs new tricks - meaning, the longer a coral lives in it's given environment the harder it is for it to adapt to new settings???

LOL. I think it may just be to the fact that the colony has grown and thrived in a environment and moving it into your new environment some of the colony reacts and begins to act that way you are describing. Just a thought.

 

[ralph atl]

I would check your phosphates and nitrates with low range testers...

 

[rjrgroup]

+1, Ralph hit the nail on the head with my parameters.

mysterybox;672242 wrote: I would check your phosphates and nitrates with low range testers...

 

[lilrobb]

mysterybox;672242 wrote: I would check your phosphates and nitrates with low range testers...

So these parameters play a role when we're talking colony and no (or limited) role for frags???

 

[hnguyen]

IMO and mines alone. I don't think a colony being in one environment will differ from a frag when it comes to being moved to a different environment. Where do you think the frag came from? ( the colony right)? Having that said, I believe the frag will react to a change in environment the same way a colony will. There has to be another explanation for why your colony is rtn/stn and your frags aren't. Kinda like how Jesse can't keep sps frags but he can keep colonies.


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[lilrobb]

I am thinking along the lines that kids adapt better to new environments than adults.

 

[ralph atl]

LilRobb;672272 wrote: So these parameters play a role when we're talking colony and no (or limited) role for frags???

Very possible as phosphates prohibit growth, so a larger colony would see it's effects far quicker than a frag, IMHO.

 

[rjrgroup]

I thinking along the lines of a huge guy is going to starve faster than a little guy. hahaha Seems to me the the larger the colony the higher the demand for correct parameters.

LilRobb;672281 wrote: I am thinking along the lines that kids adapt better to new environments than adults.

 

[dawgface]

Hnguyen;672279 wrote: IMO and mines alone. I don't think a colony being in one environment will differ from a frag when it comes to being moved to a different environment. Where do you think the frag came from? ( the colony right)? Having that said, I believe the frag will react to a change in environment the same way a colony will. There has to be another explanation for why your colony is rtn/stn and your frags aren't. Kinda like how Jesse can't keep sps frags but he can keep colonies.


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Like Hoang said, I have the opposite problem my colonies do fine its the frags I have issues with.

 

[ripped tide]

It could be placement or lighting as well. Its tough to stick a big colony in the best spot for the coral. Its usually easy to find a spot that a frag likes, and they are easier to move.

 

[seth the wine guy]

Ripped Tide;672295 wrote: It could be placement or lighting as well. Its tough to stick a big colony in the best spot for the coral. Its usually easy to find a spot that a frag likes, and they are easier to move.

+1
A colony is just that. A collective group that works together to reach a common goal. When that colony has specific light and/or water standards set, different parts of the colony are accustom to contributing in different ways. Each part of the colony sends chemical signals to the rest according to the light they are receiving in and given section. Each part of the colony reacts accordingly to bring balance to the whole.

Think of it this way, ten McDonald's employees are thrown into a Ruth's Chris and told to work together the same way they did at McDonalds and perform well. Take one of those McDonalds employees and throw him in and tell him to perform. Which do you think will adapt quicker?

In the end, it's much easier to get an individual to adapt to a new environment than it is a group.

My commentary is based more on overall evolutionary/sociological beliefs than it does to reef specific scientific studies. (Just want to make sure I have a disclaimer)

 

[smoothie]

All play an importenat part. Acclimation is something that can take a few hours or months. Sucks I know!
A friend of mine Rusty had the worst hair algae, oldest lighting and the darkest ro/di filtration. This happened over a few years with hardly any fish in the system. He had some of the nicest colonies but they would not live in ANYONE else's setup.

 

[smallblock]

so could he try acclimating the colony like we do fish? With a slow drip type deal do you think this would increase the chances of a better outcome?

 

[wineman]

My thought would be that the larger colony had grown and adapted to a certain flow in the original tank. If both the water parameters and lighting are duplicated, how could we reproduce the same flow???

More flow, less flow, steady flow, pulsing patterns and random flow.

We have all moved frags around our tanks trying to find the perfect spot, that produce both the proper response from the frag it's self and some place we find pleasing to the eye.

We have all observed certain growth patterns as our corals grow out. Those growth patterns are in response to the flow they receive, in addition to the other environmental conditions, lighting and water quality.

Just my thoughts.