How to stop GSP from spreading?

[STiTCH87]

So I have some GSP growing on my rockwork, and I DO like it, but I planned a specifric pattern and area I wanted to grow it within. Well now (as GSP always does) it has started spreading to areas that I don't want it to be at. I tried peeling it away and also scraping at it with my nail (I wore gloves) but it didn't really do much other than make my entire colony close up and only a few pieces came off the rock. So I was wondering, is there any way to stop the spreading of GSP without killing the entire colony? Kind of like a mark-off line that it won't cross? I've heard lemon juice but I don't want to kill the colony, just a certain section. I also heard something about kalk paste? Would that work? What is it and where do I get it? I do plan to grow corals on that area of rockwork which is why I want to remove the GSP from that area, so I was also wondering if I can grow corals on an area I used kalk paste on?

 

[Bobbofin]

That stuff will grow to plague levels and spread everywhere. I've been doing this 21 years. I won't have yellow colony polyps, mushrooms or GSP in my reef tank. They look great for a while but within a year they start spreading and you're pulling your hair out.

 

[STiTCH87]

So... What you're saying is I should remove and sell these rocks and get replacement LR that is GSP free? -_- Cuz that'd suck. Lol. Even though it is possible for me to accomplish...

 

[clowninout456]

burn it.

 

[Bobbofin]

So... What you're saying is I should remove and sell these rocks and get replacement LR that is GSP free? -_- Cuz that'd suck. Lol. Even though it is possible for me to accomplish...

I know it stinks. It will spread and not from just growth on the rock. A piece scraped off can start growing on the other side of the tank. I had those GI Joe zoas (light and dark green), they were growing a 1/2" a month. I got rid of the rock and where they jumped to an adjacent rock I sealing the poylps in reef epoxy. Luckily the zoas I do have have not spread and they're on rocks by themselves on the sand bed.

It all matters on what you want to do. Some people like tons of yellow polyps, zoas and GPS covering all their rock work.

Thinking ahead, I think to myself, "in one year how much will this coral grow/spread?" This is a major consideration especially with softies.

 

[STiTCH87]

Yeah I had tried that planning ahead thing myself. Thinking it'd look nice to have GSP grow on my rockwork I made into a cave so it'd look like a grassy cave. And it does, and looks great IMO at that, but now it wants to move onto other rocks. And that's a big NO in my tank. Lol. I really don't wanna get rid of all of it though cuz I love what areas I do have of it. =\ wish there were a way to stop it dead in it's tracks. Like a magic "do not cross" line. Haha. If only.

Weird how the only zoas I have that grow fast are my longlashed eye of rahs and everything else I don't think has grown more than 1 polyp every month or two tops. My eagle eyes have rounded out a bit though. I gotta take new pics of this tank, lol.

 

[JayM]

yellow colonial polyps, GSP, blue palys, xenia, anthelia...all will spread without control

your only options, if you want to keep them, is to allow them to run wild (bad idea) or to keep them on 'island' rocks in your sand bed, where they cannot spread easily...and then watch them like a hawk.

 

[frank180reef]

the island rock is agood idea

you could also lower ur flow and place kalk paste on the parts you want to control

 

[STiTCH87]

Well the problem is that the two rocks I have GSP on, are the two biggest rocks in my tank, in the center of my tank, supporting every other rock in my tank. D'oh...

I might just try the kalk paste thing. Is there anything I can stick to the rocks that they cannot grow on? Like reef epoxy? Maybe a fine line of it or something. Meh IDK I just don't wanna get rid of all of it, nor disturb all that rockwork.

 

[MofoCorals]

I just keep mine on the sand away from the rest of my rock.

 

[STiTCH87]

I think I may just wire brush it at every water change to keep it where I want it. I have a nice plastic bristled wire brush I could use. Dunno if that'd work. It's pretty much impossible for me to remove the rocks that have it on it, plus if I do I won't like my tank anymore since the GSP adds a lot of color to the drab rockwork colors. Granted I do have other corals, but still the GSP amounts for the majority of the colour in my tank.

This should give you guys an idea of what I mean by it's location:

And that's an old pic from Aug 15th, it's grown considerably since then.

 

[JohnK]

It WILL take over. I would move and isolate those two rocks.

If you really want to kill GPSs, I hear that napalm works well

 

[STiTCH87]

Well I don't want to kill any GPSs, because mine is working just fine in my car outside. But this GSP is another story...

Sorry, had to.

::Grabs gasoline and styrofoam::

Yeah I gotta figure out what i'm gonna do. I mean I personally think it looks beautiful how it is currently, but by this winter it's gonna be too much i'm sure. And i'm not looking forward to a possible tank breakdown. Aiye dios mios. I think i'm just gonna try and keep an eye on it and see if the ocaisonal scrubbing will keep it in check. And if not worst case scenario i'll either destroy it all with kalk or something, or use a spare 10g as a temp tank and rebuild this whole 29g from scratch.

 

[nichols]

It WILL take over. I would move and isolate those two rocks.

If you really want to kill GPSs, I hear that napalm works well

I had a GSP covered rock which I put in the bottom of an unlit 150 gal sump for close to a year. When I put the rock in the rock into one of my fuges the GSP started to regrow.
Isolate it on the sand bed or remove it from the tank. It will take over and you won't be able to control it. The purple mat will over grow everything.

 

[MPevine11]

i love your tank!

i cant help with green star polyps, but your tanks looks great

 

[JohnK]

Well... Napalm would probably kill both GSP or a GPS

 

[STiTCH87]

Lol thanks MP. Looks even better when everything isnt closed like in that picture, haha.

I know I honestly like the way this GSP looks a lot, but I just dont want it to spread any more. My frogspawn is getting close to its limits for my comfort too so a head of that might be getting fragged off by January.

Is it possible to kalk all of this GSP while it's inside the tank or is that too much kalk? Or does it have to be done outside of the tank? It'd be very difficult and inconvenient to have to remove any rockwork.

 

[STiTCH87]

It just sucks because if I take these rocks out, i'll need new LR to put in its place. I wish I could trade an LFS this rock of GSP for plain old LR or a rock of zoas but IDK if greg at underwater would do that. Guess I can call him tomorrow. Unless someone on here has extra LR in their sump they'd be willing to trade for these two rocks?

I've honestly been getting closer and closer to a complete tank breakdown and sale lately which saddens me. But with so many things to aggravate me about reef keeping, and it constant expenses, it's seeming like a better and better idea for me right now. Atleast until I have my own place then I can just get back into the hobby again with an aggressive tank and/or FO. Idkkk... I really don't but it's making me sad. =[

 

[The Ng Thing]

you could always score the mat with a razor blade and peel it off then sell it

 

[SteveDola]

I would rearrange your rock and set up one of the rocks with GSP as a isolated island of GSP. otherwise it will take over. And kalk will work shortterm but eventually it comes back. its just one of those things, easy and fast to grow but difficult to maintain or destroy.