Wall Coral

PaulPerger · Jun 17, 2019

OK. So, I want to cover the back glass of my tank with some sort of coral. I am looking for inspiration!

I have seen people use what looks like mushrooms. I have seen green star polyps. I have seen wall hammers.

Photos VERY Welcome!! I am looking for something that will grow on the back glass fairly quickly.

Please give me some guidance and suggestions, and as mentioned photos would be very helpful!!

nickkohrn · Jun 17, 2019

I have seen Green Star Polyps and Cyphastrea covering the rear glass panes of tanks, and it can look really nice. I don't have experience with doing it myself, but I'm a fan of those two corals being back there. If you look at earlier videos that Dutch Reefer uploaded to YouTube, he has encrusting Montipora and some others on his rear glass.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp0F-VR6fG67yvmTYwAiqjQ

Wen · Jun 17, 2019

My vote is to go with green star polyps.
I have them on both overflows and love the movement it has with dueling wave makers.
Visitors comment on the gsp more then the high end pieces. It’s a crowd pleaser.
Grows fast, it’s easy, not expensive...just super glue it on!

PaulPerger · Jun 18, 2019

Wen said:
My vote is to go with green star polyps.
I have them on both overflows and love the movement it has with dueling wave makers.
Visitors comment on the gsp more then the high end pieces. It’s a crowd pleaser.
Grows fast, it’s easy, not expensive...just super glue it on!

This looks awesome! Do you have an FTS?

Butuz · Jun 18, 2019

Just make sure GSP stays on the back glass and doesnt jump to your rockwork. If you dont control and trim when needed, it will take over your entire tank. Also, even though the Dutch reefer in the video above says that GSP only grows up towards the light, that has not been the case from my experience. It grows in all directions. You really need to stay on it and trim when needed. I use a glass scraper, you can trim carpets of this stuff with it, very clean.

Wen · Jun 18, 2019

PaulPerger said:
This looks awesome! Do you have an FTS?

Not a very clear fts...

PaulPerger · Jun 18, 2019

Wen said:
Not a very clear fts...

Thank You. Your tank is beautiful!

count krunk · Jun 18, 2019

i am a fan of doing GSP, clove polyps, and montipora on the back glass. the Monti i will also sometimes attach to the side glass.

LuizW13 · Jun 18, 2019

There used to be an LFS in my area that had green Pocillapora growing on the back wall, it was awesome.

PaulPerger · Jun 18, 2019

LuizW13 said:
There used to be an LFS in my area that had green Pocillapora growing on the back wall, it was awesome.

The only thing that I don't like about Pocilapora is that it can spread all over the tank unpredictably.

LARedstickreefer · Jun 18, 2019

JF home wrecker.

PaulPerger · Jun 18, 2019

LARedstickreefer said:
JF home wrecker.

That would be a homewrecker...[emoji2] [emoji2]

kireek · Jun 24, 2019

Unsightly walls? Try a Cyphastrea.

Red1CA · Jun 24, 2019

kireek said:
Unsightly walls? Try a Cyphastrea.

Beautiful but looks like a pita when it’s time to remove?

kireek · Jun 25, 2019

Oh that's not coming off, it will die first.

PaulPerger · Jun 25, 2019

kireek said:
Unsightly walls? Try a Cyphastrea.

BEAUTIFUL! So, two questions:
1. How did you get it to grow on your glass?
2. How long did it take to cover that much glass?

ThatFishGuy · Jun 25, 2019

So what do you do with the trimmed GSP off the back wall?

kireek · Jun 25, 2019

PaulPerger said:
BEAUTIFUL! So, two questions:
1. How did you get it to grow on your glass?
2. How long did it take to cover that much glass?

The frag was simply leaned up against the wall. There is a large Favites below that may have encouraged it to grow upwards. Also there is a lot of spill over light from the LED that hits this wall.

This represents at least 2 years of growth.