Removing a GSP colony?

[dwall174]

I need some help on trying to remove a large GSP colony! This green monster has grown & covered several pieces of LR & is now starting to grow over a Zoanthid colony. Should I just cut the main GSP colony out as shown by the red line? Or would it be best to just do one section at a time so that it doesn’t effect the mother colony as much all at one time?

 

[Reefreak]

I have a similar situation and have removed small portions at a time and larger portions at a time, up to a third. Under both circumstances the remaining colony didn't open for a few days and then seemed return fine. So in the future I will will just do it all at once, seems to be about the same amount of stress either way.

That has been my experience. Maybe someone else will chime in.
Good luck

 

[wooddood]

i think it looks kinda cool can you maybe just remove the zoas colony?







dave.:smoking:

 

[BoomerD]

Good luck...If you miss even the most minute piece of the GSP colony, it will continue to re-grow. As you have experienced, the stuff is highly invasive, and will spread to any rock it can reach, even sending out "runners" looking for rocks to attach to. How about replacing the rocks affected with "new" rocks, and breaking that one up and selling frags? heh-heh...spread the misery, so to speak?

 

[dwall174]

i think it looks kinda cool can you maybe just remove the zoas colony?

Yea I could do that! However I will still need to remove the GSP from the other rocks so that it don't spread & take over my other corals.

How about replacing the rocks affected with "new" rocks

That’s kind of what I want to do, I plan to move the GSP Mother colony to the far end of the tank & hopefully it will just move up the glass. Once I get it out of the way I can work on getting the smaller pieces off the rocks with the other corals. I just wasn’t sure if it was more harmful to do it all at once or just a little at a time? Also could there be any possible harm to the other corals in the tank? Would it be better to just cut it all out & place it in a separate tank?

 

[Woodstock]

Replacing the rock will be the easiest method. I have GSP on my overflow only and don't allow it to grow on the rocks.

 

[Witfull]

best spot for GSP is on the glass,,,it peels right off and easy fragacillin.

 

[dwall174]

I have GSP on my overflow only and don't allow it to grow on the rocks.

best spot for GSP is on the glass

Yea now you tell me that LOL!
When I first got the GSP it was only about the size of a silver dollar & I thought I had it far enough from my other corals! Now it's over 10” in dia. When I do get it off the other rocks I’m going to place it in the far corner & keep it away from the rocks.

 

[BoomerD]

I went through the same thing. I started with 2 pieces about the size of a silver dollar. Within a year, it had completely covered one HUGE rock, and was spreading fast to the other rocks. It DOES look nice, almost like grass waving in the breeze, but given a chance, it will take over all the rocks in a tank fairly quickly. Some people are able to pick it off their rocks, but it's a time intensive chore. If the rock has lots of crevases and "bumps", you may never get it all off, and it will continue to plague your tank. I considered using a blow-torch on more than one occasion!

 

[DEA_MT]

i'd just remove it one rock at a time or just load them all up and take them to the lfs and w/ the credit buy some fresh liverock and you'll probably have some left over w/ all that!!!

 

[dwall174]

Well the GSP met the razor blade this morning & I ended up taking it all out at once! The main colony stayed together fairly well & I only needed to remove several runners that had spread to the other rocks!

Break that one up and sell frags? heh-heh...spread the misery, so to speak?

I still need to remove the GSP from the Zoa rock, Which I'm going to have a fellow reefer help me with, So I should end up with about 10 good size frags to help spread the misery with.

I have GSP on my overflow only

That sounds cool! My overflow box is in the upper corner, Any ideas on how to attach the GSP to it?

 

[Woodstock]

Super glue gel works great! You can even cut a piece of the gsp and glue it to a small rock for frag trading

 

[dwall174]

Super glue gel works great!

The overflow box is plumbed through the side of the tank so I can't take it out to glue the frag to it. I could alwas lower my tanks water level next time I do a water change & glue it then?

 

[Woodstock]

no..that is not necessary. Simple remove the gsp, put some super glue gel on it then quickly place it in the tank overflow. The glue sets in or out of water... it's good stuff!

 

[dwall174]

The glue sets in or out of water... it's good stuff!

Cool I'll have to try that!
Any particular brand of super glue gel?
I’ve tried the regular super glue for underwater use & it didn’t seem to work?

 

[Woodstock]

I've used many different brands and they all work the same.. just make sure it is the GEL. The GEL is much easier to work with!

 

[dwall174]

Thanks Woodstock!

 

[Witfull]

i get mine at walmart, in the hardware dept. its 2 tubes for $1.87. no need fpr the pricey stuff....gel is gel~

 

[BoomerD]

You can usually get larger sizes of the good gel super glue at hobby stores, often at a considerable savings over the tiny tubes sold in most stores.

 

[Witfull]

i prefer the little tubes, if the tip dries shut, i dont waste a big tube by cutting the hole larger and larger and it oozing out all over.