GSP Inquiry

[Colin Levy]

I am pretty new to the whole coral thing. Have a variety of beginner coral in my nano.

I just ordered a frag of GSP. It looks like it is doing good so far. Been in my tank 5 days.

Question about it. Since day 1 when it opened, only half of it actually opens up (as seen in the photo). Does that other half not open because it is growing or maybe something is wrong or is that normal?

p.s. Sorry about the terrible quality/color photo.

 

[tupes]

How old is your tank? What are your water parameters? When I soon in it looks like it has algea growing on some of the tips. Could be a flow thing for algea to get on it like that. Sometimes gsp will close for a few days and them open back up for no reason.

 

[tupes]

I had a 8x8 mat of gsp on my glass is it would close sometimes up to a week then look better than it did before when it opens again.

 

[Colin Levy]

My tank has been up since February but GSP have only been 5 or 6 days. I see a few of the tips are green as the color of the GSP but the others are dark greenish, almost black.

Parameters as of the other day:
Temp: 79.5
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.0
Calcium: 440
Alk: 8
Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 0
Magnesium: 1500 (little high)

Another photo...

 

[kashman100]

Take a soft toothbrush and remove the algae and up your flow. It will open eventually

 

[tupes]

Mag is a bit high and nitrates are a bit low. Zoas and gsp like a little dirtier of a tank. Knock off that algea and it should help.

 

[Colin Levy]

Mag is a bit high and nitrates are a bit low. Zoas and gsp like a little dirtier of a tank. Knock off that algea and it should help.

I have been fighting the high mag for a while. Everyone just tells me to keep up with water changes, which I do. Every week I do large water changes but mag still stays off the charts (1500 or so). Could it be my salt? I just use the instant ocean salt.

 

[DSC reef]

Ive seen a few posts on here stating really high magnesium from IO salt, might be something to that. GSP like flow and algae will stick like glue on the matt of GSP if flow isn't adequate. Being that it's a small frag, try using a turkey baster to blow off any debris before using a toothbrush.

 

[Colin Levy]

Ive seen a few posts on here stating really high magnesium from IO salt, might be something to that. GSP like flow and algae will stick like glue on the matt of GSP if flow isn't adequate. Being that it's a small frag, try using a turkey baster to blow off any debris before using a toothbrush.

I am upgrading from a 5g to a 25g lagoon in the coming weeks (already have tank and equipment ready)

I plan on changing salt, so will so some research and see if I can't find another viable option.

In the mean time I will try to clean off the GSP tips, and up the flow in the tank (hard to tell what is too much sometimes)

 

[DSC reef]

Check out red seas blue bucket salt. Very quick to mix and nice parameters. Once the GSP is acclimated it can grow quickly so try to isolate it. Ive got it growing on the overflow. Good luck.

 

[tupes]

I've only ever used red sea and Red Sea Coral Pro. Both very good options.

 

[Colin Levy]

I've only ever used red sea and Red Sea Coral Pro. Both very good options.

I think one of my LFS sell the RS salt.

I am due for a water change in the next few days and are actually out of my instant ocean.

If I got Red Sea (either regular or Pro), would you recommend small water changes with it for the next few weeks when using a different salt?