Aluminimum Foil vs GSP?

rioreef · #1 07/29/2007, 07:10 PM

My GSP is getting out of hand. I had an idea - How about covering the GSP/rock with foil for a period of time. First, any affects of having foil in the tank and second would it work?

Ideas/thoughts.

areze · #2 07/29/2007, 07:28 PM

GSP is right there with aptasia and hair algea IMO.

remove the rock if its possible.

I dont know what the possible implications of putting aluminum in the tank might be...

nrehman · #3 10/23/2007, 10:53 AM

Did you use aluminum foil? Was there any issue? Let us know.

LobsterOfJustice · #4 10/23/2007, 10:56 AM

Use a few layers of black trash bag.

rustybucket145 · #5 10/23/2007, 11:07 AM

Aluminum foil is a no-no. Will corrode to dust in a matter of days in the tank. As well as releasing this corrosion into your tank.

Remove the rock, trade it to the LFS for store credit and get yourself a new better piece of liverock.

Python73 · #6 10/23/2007, 11:47 AM

You can put aluminum foil into your salt water tank. Just as long as you are trying to create a DIY battery. If not, bad plan.

Shading GSP from light is not an effective solution, as you will find out after you restore the rock to lighting. It will grow right back. Your best option is to remove the rocks and trade the rocks for new rock that doesn't have GSP. You can try to scrub it off, but you have to be very thorough or it will grow back. You can kill it if you are willing to kill the entire piece of rock, by setting it out to dry in the sun or soaking in fresh water for a couple days. Both will create a stinking mess, but will allow you to restore the rock after it is dead and cleaned.

S !

PSam · #7 10/23/2007, 11:50 AM

I use D&D epoxy to cover them and add a frag of something more desirable....

xtm · #8 10/23/2007, 12:08 PM

You cannot kill a GSP by simply covering it. I had a mat of GSP that got stuck under a rock which gets almost no lighting at all. About a month later, I re-aquascaped and I found out that it had grown from the underside all the way through the top.

GSPs are very resilient

Mattmcf · #9 10/23/2007, 12:13 PM

Best to just take the rock out, trade it in to your LFS and be done with it. Good luck!

PSam · #10 10/23/2007, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xtm
You cannot kill a GSP by simply covering it. I had a mat of GSP that got stuck under a rock which gets almost no lighting at all. About a month later, I re-aquascaped and I found out that it had grown from the underside all the way through the top. GSPs are very resilient

lol, true that. hence my use of the phrase "I use", not "used". Keeps popping up. I won't remove the rock until I move tanks, have acro encrusted to it that I don't want to disturb, so, the epoxy keeps it at bay.

MrManz1691 · #11 10/23/2007, 12:40 PM

what is GSP?

nrehman · #12 10/23/2007, 01:06 PM

GSP (Green Star Polyps).

Everyone, thanks for your help. How about kalk paste? I was thinking of only doing a 2x2 section at a time (with a 400g total, I figure it won't make that big an impact)

nrehman · #13 10/23/2007, 01:13 PM

Also, does anyone know of a putty that is safe and does not disintegrate in SW? Or is epoxy the only choice. This would be an alternative to kalk paste to smother the GSP.

xtm · #14 10/23/2007, 01:16 PM

GSP will laugh at Kalk paste

even if you manage to take out a 2x2 patch, the other side of the mat will just keep on growing

check out my overflow

Python73 · #15 10/23/2007, 01:28 PM

The GSP will laugh at your kalk paste. It will close up, for sure, maybe for quite a while. But no way will you kalk it to death without using enough to make your tank sizzle. Don't think small. You need to be thinking "blow torch and a pair of pliers" here.

S !

MrManz1691 · #16 10/23/2007, 02:18 PM

i love that stuff. I have been looking to get some for my tank. I would love a wall or tow covered in it.

nrehman · #17 10/23/2007, 03:28 PM

Ah..yes...I am familiar with the GSP concept. Physical removal through the use of brute force... I was trying for a lighter touch! :-)

Are they any animals that can be placed to "corral" the GSP. Acans, zoas, anenomes, etc.

Thanks.

nrehman · #18 10/23/2007, 03:31 PM

xtm...crazy nice overflow!

rustybucket145 · #19 10/23/2007, 03:40 PM

GSP would snort the Kalk then turn around and slap your dumb *** in the face for trying that ****!

is it friday yet? lol...

nrehman · #20 10/23/2007, 03:51 PM

Yes, it's Friday...get home already...

rioreef · #21 10/24/2007, 07:14 AM

To answer an earlier question, no I did not put the foil into the tank, I was just asking.

So, with a natural method are there any effective coral vs. GSP that could be used.

Warning for those that want GSP, make sure the rock is isolated out in the sand bed. This way you can control it.

Python73 · #22 10/24/2007, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Are they any animals that can be placed to "corral" the GSP. Acans, zoas, anenomes, etc.

A decent idea, but... no. In my experience GSP will grow right over stinging corals. Now, if you really wanted to get extreme, you could set up a hard hitter next to a GSP colony and test the theory. Say, a galaxia or a hydnophora. Both of those have long sweepers that will nail other corals.

Predicted outcome: GSP ignores and moves right along. Terminator style.

S !

xtm · #23 10/24/2007, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nrehman
xtm...crazy nice overflow!

lol thanks.. this GSP took over the back wall of my cube and literally grew all over my staghorn frag (and killed it)

If it grows all over your back wall, just peel it out. If it grows over a LR packed with SPS, you're in trouble.. even manual removal is near impossible by then. I have tried razor blade, scalpel, kalk, NOTHING would kill the darn thing.

GSP should be considered a noxious weed... at least with Caulerpa Taxifolia you can pull them out by hand, with GSP's you can't.

conorwynne · #24 10/24/2007, 11:56 AM

I cooked LR is total darkness for two months, when I started up my nano, guess what, some of the "dead" GSP starting growing again.

This stuff just doesn't die. Worlds hardiest coral.
It's pretty though, which is why I have added the original colony back into the tank.

If (nae, when) it spreads, I'll get out the clippers and remove it by force. It will smother anything given half a chance -- aiptasia aswell I would imagine. The only thing which caused it to recede was some red filamentous hard coraline like algae.