In subsequent growth runs on (000 (1) over bar) seeds of 4H-SiC, the grown layers were used to study the growth rate and defect formation. Whereas the total pressure drastically influences the growth rate, there is almost no effect of varying the seed thickness on mass transport conditions. Using optical microscopy two different regions have been identified. One, being the (000 (1) over bar) plane and the other, being the so-called off-facet area. This leads to different growth regimes at the interface simultaneously.