How to keep GSP from taking over?

[Utahsaltnoob]

I keep seeing cool tanks with large areas of GSP attached to main rock structures. How do they keep that from taking over?
I like the look of it but at its rate of growth I fear it would take over my whole tank so I keep it on little islands away from the main structure.

 

[Dempsey941]

They either prune it regularly, or they may have corals nearby that sting the GSP back keeping it contained.

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

They either prune it regularly, or they may have corals nearby that sting the GSP back keeping it contained.

The GSP doesn’t over run the other corals?

 

[Dempsey941]

The GSP doesn’t over run the other corals?

It can, but if you can get an aggressive coral with some long sweeper tentacles they can stall the growth.

 

[Twìsted~Coral]

Don’t buy it

 

[Mical]

The GSP doesn’t over run the other corals?

It will if you don't prune it back. You can put it on rock islands and that will slow it down but I've found if conditions are right won't stop it.

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

I’ll keep it away from the main structures!

 

[flyline]

I’ve heard just don’t do it unless you want a dominant gap tank

 

[deahttub]

just isolate it from the rocks...i mounted my rock with a 1” acrylic rod...had it for years never spread and looks great...

 

[Jeeperz]

I keep my gsp in a plastic tub buried in the sand, same with pavona. If it grows over the edge of the tub it gets trimmed

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

just isolate it from the rocks...i mounted my rock with a 1” acrylic rod...had it for years never spread and looks great...

That's a great idea! Looks awesome too, almost like its floating

 

[Dennis Cartier]

just isolate it from the rocks...i mounted my rock with a 1” acrylic rod...had it for years never spread and looks great...

I agree, that is a neat idea. I just might steal that idea for my tank. It kind of looks like the floating mountains from Avatar.

Dennis

 

[Jason boles]

can you explain a little more how you managed this!? I love it. Little lawn in the tank.

just isolate it from the rocks...i mounted my rock with a 1” acrylic rod...had it for years never spread and looks great...

 

[deahttub]

can you explain a little more how you managed this!? I love it. Little lawn in the tank.

super easy...drill divet for the rod to sit into and get some aquarium epoxy to lock it in. Drill hole in another rock for it to keep it up right, if i used a flat rock and glued some pieces on it and let them do the rest...i think if i had added some structures to it to not make it so flat might look a bit cooler...lemme know what you do!

 

[Jason boles]

Ok. Will do. I’m setting up a 180 right now and I will make one!!

 

[Jason boles]

@deahttub where is your build thread!?

that reef looks amazing and I wanna see more.

 

[deahttub]

@deahttub where is your build thread!?

that reef looks amazing and I wanna see more.

Thanks! No build thread its a 220 gallon with an 8 bulb ati fixture...here is an older FTS...

 

[Phil D.]

I found out that Red Sea's Aiptasia-X kills off the mat at the edge of the GSP. Works good on zoas too. The effect lasts about 3-4 months.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Rock islands and corals to sting it!
I actually know a guy who takes a lighter and burns the edges which is a unusual one.

 

[Indytraveler83]

I never really understood how gsp overruns a tank. I've got a huge patch of it on my main rock structure. If it starts branching in a place I don't want, I trim it. It's a crazy fast growing coral, but it's not hair algae.

As a bonus, if you have an lfs that buys frags, gsp frags can get you some credit towards other stuff. Not alot, but I've traded trimmings for frozen foods and CuC.