Using Setosa to grow Cyphastrea

[SamsReef]

Pic says it all

I will be taking pictures of its progression over the body of setosa. Already it has started to take over.

Sam

 

[TUSI]

Why do want to kill the setosa

 

[SamsReef]

Because I have a huge setosa in the tank already and cannot afford more space for the same coral and the cyphastrea needs something to grow on. That's what happens in the nature. Corals grow over each other.

Sam

 

[Coronus]

Their is a faster way to remove the setosa. Only applies if you can remove the rock. But what has worked for me is to use a dremell to slice into the coral, then place a flat head screw driver in the slice, then twist and the encrusting Coral will pop off.

 

[Tahoe61]

Too cool Sam.

I love to see this kind of documentation. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

Their is a faster way to remove the setosa. ...

... put it in my tank?

Every setosa frag I have tried dies in my frag tank, unlike past tanks where they grew great.

 

[SamsReef]

Too cool Sam.

I love to see this kind of documentation. Thanks for sharing.

You are welcome. I will share progression pictures once in a week. Hoping to give a nice shape to this encrusting coral.

Sam

 

[erky]

I have the opposite issue, cyphastrea is taking over in areas! One giant piece is encrusted on my glass, looks cool and i will let it go. the other is in the middle right center of my tank and it is encrusting all over my rocks getting close to some acros that are near. I'll post pics if i can get some.

 

[SamsReef]

I have the opposite issue, cyphastrea is taking over in areas! One giant piece is encrusted on my glass, looks cool and i will let it go. the other is in the middle right center of my tank and it is encrusting all over my rocks getting close to some acros that are near. I'll post pics if i can get some.

This is another reason why I want the cyphastrea on a structure such that if I need to break and remove, its easy. Cyphastrea is aggressive but looks great but instead of growing on live rock, it will be much better to grow on a body structure of setosa, which has a soft coral structure.

Sam.

 

[erky]

10-12 inches encrusted on the glass, kinda cool, but going to be an issue to clean off one day...

 

[revhtree]

Following!

 

[Dsnakes]

I want to follow this as well, very interesting to see. Thanks for documenting it. I love my Setosas. I have 6 in my tank. I would like to get a cyphastrea as well, however, mine will be on its own rock.

 

[chicago]

following

 

[FarmerTy]

Cyphastrea will kill anything! I regretted adding some to my tank. Luckily I've isolated it too one giant rock now and just let it sit there without touching anything.

That being said, fun experiment. The cyphastrea will no doubt eliminate it easily as setosa loses to everything in my tank.

 

[SamsReef]

Cyphastrea will kill anything! I regretted adding some to my tank. Luckily I've isolated it too one giant rock now and just let it sit there without touching anything.

That being said, fun experiment. The cyphastrea will no doubt eliminate it easily as setosa loses to everything in my tank.

That is true. This setosa is also isolated on a rock. So if cyphastrea becomes too aggressive, I can just break it right off the setosa body, which is always soft and easy to do.

Sam

 

[Sir Chris]

My frag. Used a tort or granulos frag skelly as a test

 

[john.m.cole3]

That's going yo be so rad. I want to cover a tonga branch in different ones for each branch

 

[Dsnakes]

How is this going @SamsReef ? Would love to see an update

 

[SamsReef]

Abandoned it mid way. It was growing very well over setosa surface but could not afford to have a large space in tank for this purpose...tossed it and saved the pieces of the Cyphastrea.

Need to add updated pics of the tank on my build thread...

Sam

 

[Sir Chris]

Well it’s works well with the Skelys of a chosen coral then fragment is simple as ever!!!! Then u can add new corals for it 2 take over. Turns an encrusting into a branching and is really fun 2 watch it as it’s covering it fast vs growing like a branching!! I’m sorry it’s so bad but I’m treating fluco for both bubble and bry. So with me luck and here’s my best. I’d get better pics but the glass is bad and u get the idea. It works well