GSP is easier to control than GHA

[Rincon_Reefer]

Fast growing corals can save your tank....when I started reefing I read a lot of blog posts...and many warned of the dangers of green star polyps and pulsing xinia and the sort taking over your tank. I think this does a disservice to new reefers....here is why. Fast growing and easy to care for corals serve as a nutrient sink and simply cover space so algae can't grow.
Realizing this was the turning point in my reefing experience.
GHA is pretty much public enemy #1 for a new reefer. But if you have something to compete with it naturally it slows down (of course after break in phase).
And....as the title of this post implies....green star polyps or xenia varieties are much easier to remove if they start to get over grown. A razor blade and a stiff brush will pretty well remove any coral and it won't grow back at least not fast. In my experience you can most definitely remove it entirely from your tank if you decide you need room for different or more advanced corals. Compare this to algea where a brush is good for about a day when it is out of control.

I think this is a good tip and worth sharing. Some may disagree, but they can post their counter points.

 

[Miami Reef]

By the time the GSP and Xenia grow to cover the rockwork, the GHA would have already taken over.

If you add GSP and Xenia to your main structure, expect some level for management for a long while. They grow fast and can take over. If someone doesn’t like those corals, then adding them for algae is kind of ridiculous.

We can control algae without adding those corals.

If you like them, go ahead. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to buy a fast spreading coral for algae prevention. It isn’t a reasonable solution, especially if you need the coral to cover the entire rockwork to achieve the goal.

 

[Idech]

I had to take the rocks out and scrub them to get rid of GSP and pulsing xenia. A real pita.

 

[Rincon_Reefer]

I can see how my point could be misconstrued. Definitely not recommending them as a 'solution' to algae, more so as an aid (if algea is out of control other solutions are necessary). But mainly the point is don't avoid them for the sake of other people telling you they are 'bad' and out of control when in fact they can help stabilize a tank.

 

[Pod_01]

I do like GSP, and they definitely can keep algae away and are better looking.

Great on back wall or their own rock. They can also help with tank stability, coral mass and all.

But it can take effort to remove if GSP grows on main rock scape.
Zoas can help as well.

I definitely prefer corals to algae. But that is my personal opinion.

 

[Miami Reef]

But mainly the point is don't avoid them for the sake of other people telling you they are 'bad' and out of control when in fact they can help stabilize a tank.

I think the people warning have good intentions. Real Estate is worth gold in our tanks. Beginners like the corals because they are beginner friendly and cheap, but the price is low because there’s excess from how much they grow.

I wouldn’t use GSP to stabilize a tank. That’s just me. I would use herbivores and corals I enjoy.

If you like GSP, then definitely go for it! They are bright and provide movement. Just beware that they grow very quickly.

 

[Rincon_Reefer]

I had to take the rocks out and scrub them to get rid of GSP and pulsing xenia. A real pita.

Agree, but my point is that it is less than a pita than algea...I have taken rocks out and scrubbed them of algea and still not gotten them 'clean'. gsp and xenia I have never personally had to remove the rock from the tank to effectively remove.

 

[Rincon_Reefer]

I think the people warning have good intentions. Real Estate is worth gold in our tanks. Beginners like the corals because they are beginner friendly and cheap, but the price is low because there’s excess from how much they grow.

I wouldn’t use GSP to stabilize a tank. That’s just me. I would use herbivores and corals I enjoy.

If you like GSP, then definitely go for it! They are bright and provide movement. Just beware that they grow very quickly.

I think this is a good discussion because as a more experienced reefer I totally understand your point, but as a newbie I got scared off them for fear of irreversible harm when in fact they ended up being a stepping stone to achieve my goals. The points you make are totally valid and a more optimal approach but for those who may not be as diligent in finding the right heribivor and getting their levels right I mean to offer another tool.

 

[Cali Reef Life]

I think teaching them to grow it on an island or easy to remove surface rather then main scape is the balance. Also maybe turning lights down and doubling water changes.

Lets use me as example had a good looking mix reef had a return pump turn off for 3 days well on vacation and lost 80 percent of corals slowly over next 3 months. Then I lost my job for 4 months. Stopped buying frags and let my mushrooms go to town and fish survived. I wanted something to have to look at and was embarrassed but had no cash at the time. 8 months later i have 20 lps/ sps frags doing great in qt.

Now I have to remove hundreds of mushrooms from the rock and 10 kenya tress... I should of not let them spread out of control... its going to be more work then seeing a little alage and blank rocks and large bubbletip... if i kept them managed would of done the same benefits.

 

[VintageReefer]

Problem with gsp is if you don’t have it completely isolated it will spread and smother other corals, or take up space other corals could go.

It doesn’t really spread fast, yes faster than other corals but you won’t have a gsp takeover in a few days. Monthly or bi monthly pruning would be fine. It’s. When you stop paying attention that one day you realize all your rock is gsp

 

[Rincon_Reefer]

I think teaching them to grow it on an island or easy to remove surface rather then main scape is the balance. Also maybe turning lights down and doubling water changes.

Lets use me as example had a good looking mix reef had a return pump turn off for 3 days well on vacation and lost 80 percent of corals slowly over next 3 months. Then I lost my job for 4 months. Stopped buying frags and let my mushrooms go to town and fish survived. I wanted something to have to look at and was embarrassed but had no cash at the time. 8 months later i have 20 lps/ sps frags doing great in qt.

Now I have to remove hundreds of mushrooms from the rock and 10 kenya tress... I should of not let them spread out of control... its going to be more work then seeing a little alage and blank rocks and large bubbletip... if i kept them managed would of done the same benefits.

I agree, the optimal approach is putting the fast growers on an isolated rock then you get the best of both worlds. Super easy to contain or go a different direction....remove rock give it to an lfs for credit or something. I would add that gsp on the back wall is also a good option. If you decide you hate it 5 minutes with a scrapper solves that.
As for your scenario, I would have zero regrets with that outcome. You made lemonade out of lemons, had something to look at during a tough time and now you have a good problem to have....too much coral. Sure it is an inconvenience to remove the unwanted, but it is better than having had nothing or the possibility of more algae taking over without the additional biomass of coral to help stabilize and take up room while your tank was in dire straits.

 

[Rincon_Reefer]

Problem with gsp is if you don’t have it completely isolated it will spread and smother other corals, or take up space other corals could go.

It doesn’t really spread fast, yes faster than other corals but you won’t have a gsp takeover in a few days. Monthly or bi monthly pruning would be fine. It’s. When you stop paying attention that one day you realize all your rock is gsp

Yep, that is exactly it. If I quit reading after your first paragraph that is the message that scared me off all fast growers....but reading the next paragraph is the message I finally realized and is what turned the fast growers from enemy to tool for me.

 

[VintageReefer]

Yep, that is exactly it. If I quit reading after your first paragraph that is the message that scared me off all fast growers....but reading the next paragraph is the message I finally realized and is what turned the fast growers from enemy to tool for me.

I just bought these frag rocks. 4$ each. They are about 2-3” and dome shaped. They hold a plug. Something like this would be great for making a small gsp island, that’s in the sand, and away from other corals and rock. Easy to remove and prune when you need to