Coral encroaching problem

[basssnake]

In my reef, i have a rock that i believe is covered with encrusting gorgonian(it is pink colored crust, looks sorta like star polyp crust, and the polyps that open look sorta like xenia/clove polyps). It is encrusting onto another rock above it and that rock has some really awesome clove polyps on it. It has encrusted over some of the clove polyps already and is spreading more(i can see where some of clove polyps have some of the crust growing on the stocks of the clove polyps at the end of the encrusted area.

I don't want to lose these clove polyps. They are doing awesome and are the biggest i have ever seen(they open at least a inch across). What should i do? The encrusted area is about 1/8 of the rock area, but i am not sure if i can chisel that part of the rock without making a bunch of pieces. I am also not sure if moving the rock is good or not, cause they are doing so well in that spot and it seems that clove polyps are sometimes hard to keep and i have had such good luck with this batch in this system.

Any ideas and suggestions and comments appreciated.

 

[Aquarist007]

Re: Coral encroaching problem

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15419082#post15419082 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by basssnake
In my reef, i have a rock that i believe is covered with encrusting gorgonian(it is pink colored crust, looks sorta like star polyp crust, and the polyps that open look sorta like xenia/clove polyps). It is encrusting onto another rock above it and that rock has some really awesome clove polyps on it. It has encrusted over some of the clove polyps already and is spreading more(i can see where some of clove polyps have some of the crust growing on the stocks of the clove polyps at the end of the encrusted area.

I don't want to lose these clove polyps. They are doing awesome and are the biggest i have ever seen(they open at least a inch across). What should i do? The encrusted area is about 1/8 of the rock area, but i am not sure if i can chisel that part of the rock without making a bunch of pieces. I am also not sure if moving the rock is good or not, cause they are doing so well in that spot and it seems that clove polyps are sometimes hard to keep and i have had such good luck with this batch in this system.

Any ideas and suggestions and comments appreciated.

can you post a picture--I would not think twice about fragging the rock.

 

[basssnake]

So, you would break the rock up then? I am not sure if i can post a picture on here. Not sure exactly how to get them to post. One time i tried but it wouldn't let me.

So, just take the rock out and bust that area off the best i can? Then maybe put a rock in between the two rocks so it would work as a barrier between the corals?

 

[ludnix]

To upload a photo using ReefSome:

Go here and register an account by clicking "Click here to register and start uploading!".

Click the link that says "Welcome, click here to go to your gallery".

Click the upload button at the top right and browse to the photo you want to upload on your computer. It will take minute or so to load depending on the size of your photo.

Add the description or name if you want, click "Finish" when you're done.

You'll be redirected to your folder with the image in it, click the thumbnail of the image to open the window, copy the forum code below the image and paste it in a post here on RC and it'll display the image for you.

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Photo aside, I would frag it like capn said, it's impossible to know how the rock is going to break, but usually you can chisel away chunks using a screw driver and hammer with some carefully placed hits.

 

[darkdruid]

The encrusting gorgonians usually peel off pretty easily from the rock. Keep them pruned back, glue the peeled pieces on some rock or a plug and you have trading material.

 

[Aquarist007]

the alternative for posting pics(which are sometimes alot clearer and larger then rc)

join www.photobucket.com
upload your pictures there from your computer
under each pic will be four codes--copy and paste the "img" code into your posts on here