GSP: Friend, or foe?

[Dave-T]

I'm a new reefer, with a 240 gallon tank with a massive overflow. I'm considering growing a sheet of GSP over the overflow. But I could be talked out of it. I really like the look of a sheet of GSP, like an expansive green wall. On the other hand, so many corals are green, and it's hard not to have an overly green look to a reef tank. . So a big sheet of GSP could push it over the edge, in that department. And I REALLY don't want it to spread and take over my tank. And there are other cool things that you can grow on the overflow (suggestions appreciated!) Also, it's very difficult to work in my tank - it's high over the ground, the tank is 28 inches high, and I have an enclosed canopy. I'm up for periodically having to trim the GSP, but not if it's more frequent than every few months.

Thoughts? I'd appreciate input on how much work it would be to maintain, and if I can successfully keep it from spreading. Is it possible that stray pieces could break off when I'm trimming, which would lead to unmanageable growth on my scape? And again, if you have other ideas for growing something on my overflow, I'm all ears!

Thanks!

 

[EugeneVan]

I'm a new reefer, with a 240 gallon tank with a massive overflow. I'm considering growing a sheet of GSP over the overflow. But I could be talked out of it. I really like the look of a sheet of GSP, like an expansive green wall. On the other hand, so many corals are green, and it's hard not to have an overly green look to a reef tank. . So a big sheet of GSP could push it over the edge, in that department. And I REALLY don't want it to spread and take over my tank. And there are other cool things that you can grow on the overflow (suggestions appreciated!) Also, it's very difficult to work in my tank - it's high over the ground, the tank is 28 inches high, and I have an enclosed canopy. I'm up for periodically having to trim the GSP, but not if it's more frequent than every few months.

Thoughts? I'd appreciate input on how much work it would be to maintain, and if I can successfully keep it from spreading. Is it possible that stray pieces could break off when I'm trimming, which would lead to unmanageable growth on my scape? And again, if you have other ideas for growing something on my overflow, I'm all ears!

Thanks!

I like it on the bottom of my tank like green lawn. Very easy to keep and very easy to maintenance. You can peel it off and cut it to the way you want it to cover.

 

[Dave-T]

Thanks! So how often do you trim it? Any issues with it spreading where you don’t want? Is that GSP on the rock in your pic, or something else? Green pipe organ?

 

[Gtinnel]

I let mine grow on the back wall of my tank and I accidentally let it grow across the sandbed and onto the back of my aquascape. The back of my tank is hard to reach and now I have to manage to somehow kill it from my rockwork in an area that is hard to get to.
Had to do over I probably wouldn’t have added it, but if trimmed every couple of months it would probably be okay.
I do like the way it looks though and if I weren’t so lazy it probably would’ve been fine when it just needed cut and the overgrowth easily pulled out.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm a new reefer, with a 240 gallon tank with a massive overflow. I'm considering growing a sheet of GSP over the overflow. But I could be talked out of it. I really like the look of a sheet of GSP, like an expansive green wall. On the other hand, so many corals are green, and it's hard not to have an overly green look to a reef tank. . So a big sheet of GSP could push it over the edge, in that department. And I REALLY don't want it to spread and take over my tank. And there are other cool things that you can grow on the overflow (suggestions appreciated!) Also, it's very difficult to work in my tank - it's high over the ground, the tank is 28 inches high, and I have an enclosed canopy. I'm up for periodically having to trim the GSP, but not if it's more frequent than every few months.

Thoughts? I'd appreciate input on how much work it would be to maintain, and if I can successfully keep it from spreading. Is it possible that stray pieces could break off when I'm trimming, which would lead to unmanageable growth on my scape? And again, if you have other ideas for growing something on my overflow, I'm all ears!

Thanks!

On the overflow, eventually it rises to the inlets of overflow however I love this stuff under right light waving in the current

 

[uhgster1]

It’s just like having a lawn. If you don’t mow the lawn you’ll be able to tell. This coral is just like that, a lawn. Ever have grass growing in the sidewalk cracks and spaces? Exactly. I have some that I keep isolated on a rock and trim it constantly. With a tank as large as yours, you are asking for trouble if you put it somewhere you can’t easily access. It’s easy to trim off glass, almost impossible once it encrusts on a rock. Multiply that times a thousand if it’s a large rock, which i imagine you have in a tank that size.

 

[EugeneVan]

Thanks! So how often do you trim it? Any issues with it spreading where you don’t want? Is that GSP on the rock in your pic, or something else? Green pipe organ?

Every month I cut out whatever grown above the trim of the bottom of the tank. Yes, those green stuff on the rock are GSP too. I trim them down whenever they grow close to my SPS which is half way up the tank.