Cultivating frags by hanging on string?

[Shigshwa]

Check this out

Breeding Coral Reefs That Grow 50x Faster - Karmactive

The Indian coral reefs are the most ancient and dynamic part of the Indian marine ecosystem

www.karmactive.com

Don't care for the rest of the panels, great work, but the first panel shows a PVC structure with SPS growing on strings. I wonder, any benefit to this for us reefers to do this?

 

[damsels are not mean]

Lots of restoration efforts use this method. I believe the idea is that it gives the corals better even flow and lighting to all polyps, allowing optimal growth rates. Kind of looks weird though. If you are a farmer go for it otherwise I don't think the small edge in growth is worth the look to me.

 

[taricha]

I'd be interested in seeing how this goes in a tank

 

[Subsea]

No doubt, if optimizing production is priority number 1, it’s a production technique not suited to our displays but easily integrated infrag/growout tank instead of using eggcrate.

Clam & mussel farmers as well as seaweed farmers use nets in protected waters.

 

[trevorhiller]

I've seen this before in several coral restoration documentaries. It apparently expedites growth. I actually contemplated trying to do it by using a piece of fishing line and a pencil to suspend a frag from my screen net top for a frag that was stalled.

IMO, it's not the most attractive method of growing corals, but neither are frag racks or plugs and if it's temporary it could be interesting to see if you can get a coral that isn't growing, growing.

 

[taricha]

update: for me - this can serve as a nice buffer time between when I get a coral frag home and when I finally commit to where I want it in my scape.

I got a gorgonian and tied it to thread and hung it in the tank for a week before I glued it in a spot. It worked great and has now encrusted the new placement.

 

[Jamie814]

Lots of restoration efforts use this method.

I've seen this too I'm sure there's some science behind the method, but I agree it would look funny and un-natural in a reef tank.