It's been over 6 months and my GSP's haven't grown at all, what am I doing wrong?

Thanos

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I know asking for faster GSP growth is probably going to raise some eyebrows but I'm really stumped as to what's going on here. I've had my reef tank up for about 10 months now and a GSP frag was part of the first batch of coral I bought a little over 6 months ago. While it thrived for the first week or so, it quickly started to do poorly as parts of it died off and the polyps would barely open most days; over 6 months later and it still looks like this with no visible growth. About 2 months after I got the first frag, I bought a 2nd larger frag that followed a very similar trajectory. The thing is, all of my other corals are doing great. My zooanthids and xenias have shown incredibly fast growth while my mushroom and green nepthea are showing average growth as well overtime. Everyone says that GSP grows like a weed and how if you try hard enough you can probably grow it out of a toilet, but for the life of me I can't find success with this. The only thing I can think of is that it's placed pretty high up in the tank (based on tests I found on YT with my light, the par should be around 150-200 where its located), and it's receiving too much light which is hurting it. After so many months in the same spot though, I assume it would have acclimated by now. I'm really considering lowering it down but I don't want to harm it even more with a pointless move. Any advice?
 

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I've seen gsp do well in high and low light. I'm suspecting maybe parameter swings but that wouldn't account for your success with other corals. What is the flow like? Best of luck :)
 
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I've seen gsp do well in high and low light. I'm suspecting maybe parameter swings but that wouldn't account for your success with other corals. What is the flow like? Best of luck :)
Flow is pretty average, although it's hard to tell since most polyps are closed and the ones that are open barely extend. There seems to be some movement in the extended polyps though so it's definitely getting some flow.
 

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Do you happen to know how high the par is up top? If possible you could lower it in the tank and have just enough flow to move the polyps around a little bit. Similar to a tree in light wind. I would also test your parameters often to see what may or may not be going on, if you aren't already. Again best of luck and I hope this works out for you.

EDIT- sorry just saw that's the par you have it at. I would lower it a little and see if it responds better :)
 

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I've heard of people having the same issue, I have always kept my GSP on walls near the top of my tank so its likely not due to high light. I will say the polyps extend more with flow but probably still would without it. I would just go through and test all of the important parameters (phosphate, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, PH, Temperature). The results of those could possibly give an indicator as to what is going on.
 
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Thanos

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I've heard of people having the same issue, I have always kept my GSP on walls near the top of my tank so its likely not due to high light. I will say the polyps extend more with flow but probably still would without it. I would just go through and test all of the important parameters (phosphate, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, PH, Temperature). The results of those could possibly give an indicator as to what is going on.
Just to give an update, I lowered it down to an island in the bottom of the tank and started feeding a bit heavier to raise nitrates. After about a week it started doing much better and it's started quickly encrusting all over the rock.
 

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I know asking for faster GSP growth is probably going to raise some eyebrows but I'm really stumped as to what's going on here. I've had my reef tank up for about 10 months now and a GSP frag was part of the first batch of coral I bought a little over 6 months ago. While it thrived for the first week or so, it quickly started to do poorly as parts of it died off and the polyps would barely open most days; over 6 months later and it still looks like this with no visible growth. About 2 months after I got the first frag, I bought a 2nd larger frag that followed a very similar trajectory. The thing is, all of my other corals are doing great. My zooanthids and xenias have shown incredibly fast growth while my mushroom and green nepthea are showing average growth as well overtime. Everyone says that GSP grows like a weed and how if you try hard enough you can probably grow it out of a toilet, but for the life of me I can't find success with this. The only thing I can think of is that it's placed pretty high up in the tank (based on tests I found on YT with my light, the par should be around 150-200 where its located), and it's receiving too much light which is hurting it. After so many months in the same spot though, I assume it would have acclimated by now. I'm really considering lowering it down but I don't want to harm it even more with a pointless move. Any advice?
If you do not mind take some photos of everything and when you can get a parameters reading so we all can take a look!
 

TheSheff

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Just to give an update, I lowered it down to an island in the bottom of the tank and started feeding a bit heavier to raise nitrates. After about a week it started doing much better and it's started quickly encrusting all over the rock.
Glad to hear it!!
 
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Thanos

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If you do not mind take some photos of everything and when you can get a parameters reading so we all can take a look!
I'm currently away at college so I haven't seen the tank since the end of August, before I left the GSP was doing far better in its new location with the higher nitrates and from what my parents tell me and from the grainy pictures they send, it appears to be spreading at a decent speed now.
 

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