Does gsp only "carpet" to spread?

[Scooter21]

I have some GSP, it's isolated on a rock and seems to be spreading as a carpet. It is NOT the branching kind. When the polyps are extended, the stick out around 1/2" to and 1" (just guessing). Let's pretend that the max distance the polyps stick out is 1". If someone had their rock structure 3/4 to 1" away from the back grass, would the polyps that are sticking out and just licking off the glass, would they find a way to attach themselves to the glass? Or would it just continue growing down the glass? I'm not attaching it to my back glass, I'm just wondering how it grows


TLDR: does gsp ONLY spread as a sheet or can it reach out and touch things above it?

 

[NanoJHB]

It can definitely " reach out " a bit. I have mine isolated in the sand bed and there's a little "floating" portion growing out in hopes of attaching to something lol

 

[Scooter21]

It can definitely " reach out " a bit. I have mine isolated in the sand bed and there's a little "floating" portion growing out in hopes of attaching to something lol

Do you mean from the edges of the carpet or is it growing arms from the center of itself?

 

[Scooter21]

The reason I ask, I want to build a structure for it to grow on. Like a fake SPS coral. I'm trying to work out how tight the branches can be before it just ends up as a big blob

 

[NanoJHB]

Do you mean from the edges of the carpet or is it growing arms from the center of itself?

Ahh I understand your question a bit better, it's been from the edges not the center

 

[NanoJHB]

The reason I ask, I want to build a structure for it to grow on. Like a fake SPS coral. I'm trying to work out how tight the branches can be before it just ends up as a big blob

I think this would definitely work, great idea

 

[homer1475]

GSP usually only grows as a mat from the edges. I have seen many structures "carpeted" with GSP. Some old staghorn would most certainly work, Just start at the base and allow it to grow up. I once had a back wall of GSP and thats how it started(reached out from the edge and grew up the glass).

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

If you want it to grow up the back glass, just put the rock it’s attached to against the glass. Feed only, that side with Coral Food. I recommend, ReefRoids, with the pumps off, as it seems to be the easiest to direct, when spot feeding. BTW, it will have an easier time attaching to the Plastic on an Internal Overflow, than the glass.

 

[Scooter21]

I think this would definitely work, great idea

I think the picture I posted will work a lot better than something like this:

I'm just trying to figure out how many "arms" I can put on before it doesn't grow how I want it to

 

[Scooter21]

GSP usually only grows as a mat from the edges. I have seen many structures "carpeted" with GSP. Some old staghorn would most certainly work, Just start at the base and allow it to grow up. I once had a back wall of GSP and thats how it started(reached out from the edge and grew up the glass).

Would I be able to cut little pieces and glue them all over the structure? Would they all end up growing together in to one mat?

 

[homer1475]

Would I be able to cut little pieces and glue them all over the structure? Would they all end up growing together in to one mat?

yes, but gluing the mat is tough as it slimes up quite a bit. Better to just let ti climb on it's own, and something like an old staghorn branch would be the perfect substrate for it to spread quite fast.

 

[rmorris_14]

unless you use something with branches WAY more spread out your GSP is just going to like like a big hairy ball and you might as well have just used a rock.

 

[Scooter21]

yes, but gluing the mat is tough as it slimes up quite a bit. Better to just let ti climb on it's own, and something like an old staghorn branch would be the perfect substrate for it to spread quite fast.

I have a couple carpet of gsp and I haven't had much trouble gluing it. I just take it out, dry the bottom with a paper towel and put a glob of superglue gel. I've thought it glued up the best out of any of the coral I've tried

 

[Scooter21]

unless you use something with branches WAY more spread out your GSP is just going to like like a big hairy ball and you might as well have just used a rock.

That's pretty much what I'm thinking. If it all grows together, it'll totally lose the effect I'm going for

 

[Scooter21]

yes, but gluing the mat is tough as it slimes up quite a bit. Better to just let ti climb on it's own, and something like an old staghorn branch would be the perfect substrate for it to spread quite fast.

My plan is to custom make something. Build it out of acrylic rods. Heat them to bend them and use solvent weld to weld them together and then cover it in epoxy and sprinkle sand on it

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have some GSP, it's isolated on a rock and seems to be spreading as a carpet. It is NOT the branching kind. When the polyps are extended, the stick out around 1/2" to and 1" (just guessing). Let's pretend that the max distance the polyps stick out is 1". If someone had their rock structure 3/4 to 1" away from the back grass, would the polyps that are sticking out and just licking off the glass, would they find a way to attach themselves to the glass? Or would it just continue growing down the glass? I'm not attaching it to my back glass, I'm just wondering how it grows


TLDR: does gsp ONLY spread as a sheet or can it reach out and touch things above it?

I have both and they stay in same place. Many do spread infinitely.

 

[Gtinnel]

In my experience gsp will eventually start extending out with some fleshy branches. It has happened on my tank where gsp is covering my back wall, I’m not sure if it would grow vertically up as easily as it does horizontally out though.

If wanting to use an old sps skeleton I would definitely pick the one with the farthest distance between the branches. I suspect that birdsnest that you posted a picture of would just eventually become a big ball of gsp.

ETA- just saw you said you were making the structure. I would keep the rods pretty far apart.

 

[Scooter21]

Here's what I came up with. I didn't have much of the bright green gsp to spare. I just put a couple specs in various spots. I probably went overboard on the glue, but i wanted to make sure they didn't fly off. I see life in all of them, but only one piece has totally opened up. I'm hoping it spreads fairly quickly.


Not too terrible for a first attempt

 

[NanoJHB]

Please keep this thread updated, I'd love to see how it progresses

 

[Scooter21]

Please keep this thread updated, I'd love to see how it progresses

Will do. I have pretty high hopes for this. I think it's going to work well