SPS invasive mess ...

[eskymick]

I never thought I'd ever have to ask this, but what do you do when your SPS colonies become "œinvasive" to one another?

My SPS reef is growing like crazy, and it's getting to the point where the colonies are starting to intertwine with one another.
I hate to chop and dispose, but if I started pruning my reef I'll have so many frags and even colonies, that I wouldn't even be able to give them all away.

To complicate the matter, when the weather warms up, I'm downsizing to a smaller cube. I want to go with a more minimal reefscape, and I'll have a number of colonies I won't have room for. Unfortunately, many of the colonies I now have encrusted onto surrounding rocks (which also have colonies on them). Breaking them apart and putting them in the new reefscape will create even more colonies in the future (from the remaining pieces of adjoining colonies).

As you can see in the photo below, I did some pruning on the mauve acro. The brown areas on the turquoise acro are where the overhangs were.

Should I use a solution to kill the remnants? Should I just let everything run wild (and eventually destroy the symmetry of the new reefscape)?

 

[tmulrney]

Doesn't look like a mess to me. Let nature take its course.

 

[Clear water]

Might have to do a little trimming! Sell them. And then a upgrade. Lol
Nice pic.

 

[TOM BLEVINS]

Might have to do a little trimming! Sell them. And then a upgrade. Lol
Nice pic.

+1 Good Job!

 

[Fsurocks99]

That's one of the best problems to have!!! I'd let them grow the way they want unless one is completely smothering another.

 

[jpacker1508]

One of the things I like to do when it is prunning time is take stuff to a local nonprofit aquaculture facility. There is also a local University that maintains a reef tank at the Vet School for research. Both are ways to discard coral that advance our hobby. Just a couple of ideas when it comes to down sizing.

 

[MHG]

You post a detailed thread on how you got this growth so others can benefit..... Then frag away....

 

[eskymick]

You post a detailed thread on how you got this growth so others can benefit..... Then frag away....

I'll keep it brief ....

1. Get your parameters in line and keep them there. Use a doser for two-part.
2. Use RO/DI water for top off and replacement.
3. Lots of random flow. It can be done with "inexpensive" power heads
4. Keep nitrates and phosphates in check. I use GFO, a chaeto fuge and a good skimmer.
5. Good lighting. I stick with time-tested MH
6. Buy livestock from reputable vendors. I have only purchased aquacultured corals with a record of captive hardiness.

Over time, I've tried many of the latest "techniques", but I've found that keeping it simple (KISS), as described above, works best for me. It often times takes a few months for good growth to start, but once it does, they start to grow like weeds.

When I put up the new reef (slightly smaller), I know I'm going to have handfuls of frags to deal with. I'll give away what I can, and then send the rest on to my LFS. I hate the thought of killing them off.

 

[eskymick]

All of the colonies in the picture above started as frags purchased from online sellers found in the "Propagated Corals & Tank Raised Livestock Selling" forum here on RC.

 

[robs.mark]

awesome job, however, i think we need an fts!

 

[eskymick]

awesome job, however, i think we need an fts!

I'll post a couple tomorrow (tonight in Australia).

 

[eskymick]

A couple of full tank shots. The first is from a few months ago. The second is recent (with flash). The large Emperor (raised from a small juvenile) has moved on to a much larger home. ....

 

[d-man]

So since you'll have such a problem giving them away, I'll pay for shipping on a box full of free frags to start my 325gal. Then maybe one day I'll have that same problem and PIF them out as well

 

[robs.mark]

:thumbsup:

 

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

Beautiful Sps reef

 

[eskymick]

Thank you.

My new build will be a shallower (18") 30" x 30" tank. I want more of a minimalist look to it, with just a handful of prized colonies that are given enough space to mature into their natural form.

 

[FranktheTankTx]

So.... Do you cut them under water? And with what tools & techniques?

 

[bob1435]

I wish I had that problem

 

[eskymick]

So.... Do you cut them under water? And with what tools & techniques?

Yes, I cut them under water. I use one of those stainless steel "bone cutters" available from most online vendors ... in the "fragging" section of their catalog.

 

[MammothReefer]

I added an orange spot file fish. Frag tank is full and my aefw makes me a little reluctant to trade/sell (but I may cave soon and sell w/a warning). Hoping it will slow things down a little bit until I figure out if I'm moving or not and then swap everything to a bigger tank...ok that's just an excuse it's my favorite fish but if the shoe fits ^_^

Outside of that I just clip them when they start touching. I like when they intertwine.