I went from Iwasaki's to the Ushio 10,000K and liked what I saw. The Iwasaki's were just a tad too yellow for me. The 10,000K gave me the same "white" look, but without my bad algae glowing under that yellow light!
I have a 20x turnover rate in my 65G reef... that might explain why mine is not growing vertically. My Monti Cap is also very thick; which I have read that coral branch thickness is significantly affected by currents.
I've seen alot of the member's Monti Cap and most of you have really interesting growth patterns. Specifically Billy and Karen. Mine just grows straight/flat out.
Are there any "grooming" secrets to get the spiral shapes? The one in the picture below is about 6-7" across.