GSP - Stick or Go

[Streetlamp]

So I got my first coral a GSP frag.

IMG-4668 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/158173144@N02/, on Flickr

After doing some reading I'm a bit daunted by it. I love the colour and movement. However I'm now concerned its going to take over. All my rock work is interconnected. I have a little island I could put it on or I can try manage it in place.

Do I stick with it or get out quick while I still can?

 

[Braves Fan]

My vote ,, get rid of it ,, get yourself one of those green knobby Pasamacoras

 

[DSC reef]

I personally like GSP. It was easy to manage with a razor blade, just cut and peel the purple mat. I isolated the rock it was on near the over flow and let it take off from there.

 

[jeffchapok]

I had a similar concern when I first started but my GSP, while looking healthy, has done anything but overrun my tank. Over 9 months or so, it has barely spread at all. Its polyps are fully extended any time the lights are on, so it seems okay. I have it in medium light, low flow, although I've read that they will thrive under almost any conditions.

I'm not complaining at all, just surprised after all I read about how pervasive they can be. If anything, my hairy shrooms will take over my tank long before this GSP does.

You can see it here all by itself on the small rock in the center back, just to the right of the royal gramma.

 

[Bryknicks]

I like GSP but it WILL overrun your rock work. I would isolate it on an island or attach it to the glass. I have two patches that I glued to my back glass that is easy to manage with a razor blade.

 

[Magellan]

I had a similar concern when I first started but my GSP, while looking healthy, has done anything but overrun my tank. Over 9 months or so, it has barely spread at all. Its polyps are fully extended any time the lights are on, so it seems okay. I have it in medium light, low flow, although I've read that they will thrive under almost any conditions.

I'm not complaining at all, just surprised after all I read about how pervasive they can be. If anything, my hairy shrooms will take over my tank long before this GSP does.

You can see it here all by itself on the small rock in the center back, just to the right of the royal gramma.

What are your params like? I’ve had a small patch of gsp in my tank for like 8 months now and it hasn’t grown much. Everything else grows like weeds.

 

[Mical]

Let it grow. When it starts crowding stuff frag it and sell it. It's like sod...lol I literally give it away.

 

[jeffchapok]

What are your params like? I’ve had a small patch of gsp in my tank for like 8 months now and it hasn’t grown much. Everything else grows like weeds.

 

[Mical]

If anything your salinity could be a little higher. I try to keep mine between 1.025 and 1.026 - everything else looks good.

 

[Magellan]

you and stability are friends! are you dosing nitrates/phosphates to get those consistent numbers? I have lower calcium (around 410) lower alk (8), similar mag (1250ish) and 1.025 salinity, with undetectable nitrates and phosphates...at least with my cheap*** tests. not sure how your tank isn’t growing GSP like mad!

I have a metal halide lighting my tank, does GSP perhaps have an issue with that?

 

[jeffchapok]

I'm not dosing anything on a regular basis, other than Kent Marine Coral-vite once per week. Over this last week I did add some Tech-M because my magnesium seemed a little low. My P04 and N03 have been stable at these levels for months. I initially worried that they were both a little high, but everything seems to be happy. I have battled some GHA, but have just added more snails slowly until they finally seem to have gotten the better of it.

Here's a current closeup of my GSP...

That crazy flame hawk photo bombs me every time!

 

[jeffchapok]

This is what it looked like in March. So it has grown some, but not hugely.

 

[splitting_lanes]

If it’s not causing a problem, keep it! It’s pretty enough, and if you keep it from overtaking the tank you’ll be fine.

the takeover doesn’t happen overnight, so if you maintain the tank, you can maintain the GSP

i like the photobomber. Lol!

 

[Magellan]

I got a frag plug of it in late march/early April. I put it in the back corner of my tank, on the sand. Thinking it would attach itself to my back wall and start growing up...didn’t happen. At all. But barely got any flow. So I added it to a piece of rock, drilled a hole for the frag plug and everything. Glued some Kenya leather to the other side of the rock. The gsp has sort of grown since then, while the Kenya tree is now a Kenya forest. I was initially concerned the gsp would kill the leather...LOL

 

[Streetlamp]

I moved it to its only little island. I like it so i'll keep it. I'm going to build the island up a bit more.