Removing my Birdsnest

[Finland]

I have had this birdsnest for quite awhile and fragged it numerous times. Now it has been getting bubble algae amongst the branches and is almost impossible to get the bubble algae out without busting the coral up. So... I decided it was time to remove the coral.
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Finland3/e_zpsf1cd73f1.jpg (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/Finland3/media/e_zpsf1cd73f1.jpg.html)
It is 12-14 inches in diameter.
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Finland3/c_zps71321367.jpg (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/Finland3/media/c_zps71321367.jpg.html)
Had to bust it up a little and remove my canopy to get it out, but here it is.
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Finland3/d_zpsf429d7ce.jpg (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/Finland3/media/d_zpsf429d7ce.jpg.html)
Still had the frag plug on it, I thought that was cool.
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Finland3/fg_zps7c7ad4b9.jpg (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/Finland3/media/fg_zps7c7ad4b9.jpg.html)
Before
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Finland3/a_zps85b8e694.jpg (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/Finland3/media/a_zps85b8e694.jpg.html)
After. Tank looks so empty now, but It will fill in.

[toothman]

I took my birdnest out also it really gets to big too quick. Along with this stylo. I guess this is the big frag club. now you have realestate for another rock and a few acros. Whoo hoo
<a href="http://s382.photobucket.com/user/eralff/media/photo1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo268/eralff/photo1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo photo1.jpg"/></a>

[reeflover62]

Good choice ! I also think it looks better without.

[McGarnicle]

that thing is massive

[Whisperer]

I am facing the same predicament with my birdsnest. I can't bring myself to remove something I cared for since an inch long frag and had grown bigger that a basketball.

[mr.maroonsalty]

They grow so fast, and have great growth patterns; my little girl's favorite. It's funny I don't like standard plating montis because of the same thing. Maybe that's why I'm considering what to do with my two bn's.

How do these corals compete with acros??? Beyond the obvious shade, can they be persuaded to not grow in certain directions by most acros? I have one trapped by a milli that I believe should show it who's who. The other is a bit harder: I'm planning a plum crazy that's acclimating it's way up above the bn on the rock face, on the side is a tort looking frag. What should I expect, will the bn win by out growing the acros, or can the acros persuade the bn's to stay out of their space?

[Finland]

I am facing the same predicament with my birdsnest. I can't bring myself to remove something I cared for since an inch long frag and had grown bigger that a basketball.

I know what you're saying. It took a lot of thinking and procrastinating, before I finally pulled it. That coral survived all of my blunders in the past, and I felt a little bad for pulling it. I did save a frag of it though:)

[Finland]

How do these corals compete with acros??? Beyond the obvious shade, can they be persuaded to not grow in certain directions by most acros? I have one trapped by a milli that I believe should show it who's who. The other is a bit harder: I'm planning a plum crazy that's acclimating it's way up above the bn on the rock face, on the side is a tort looking frag. What should I expect, will the bn win by out growing the acros, or can the acros persuade the bn's to stay out of their space?
My b-nest would grow anywhere it wanted. If it came in contact with an acro, the tip touching the acro would die, but there was ten more branches near, that would grow up and around the acro. Any time the b-nest would get too close to something, I would just break off a branch.

[kevin_e]

Very nice. How long have you had it?

[fishguy597]

Mine is about 14"x6" . I have grown it this size a few times. I keep mine on the sand bed so I have more room. I have been thinking about taking a saw to it and selling the main colony.

[JD46]

I have the same issue with bubble algae in my birdnests. My favorite reef tool, which happens to work great for this particular issue, is a titanium bicycle spoke. Allows you to get in there without making a mess. One end has threads so you can use it like a fine saw. The other end has a bend so you can pick thinks up and pull them out.

I am also having the same issue with my colony. It may be time to do some cutting. I just can't figure a good way to control/frag it. Every time I try to cut it I end up getting hundreds of pieces all about 1/8" long.

http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o719/jeremyducharme/P1040719_zps48223c0f.jpg (http://s1339.photobucket.com/user/jeremyducharme/media/P1040719_zps48223c0f.jpg.html)

[jroovers]

You know you are doing something right when you have colonies that are so big that there is no other choice but to remove them (grown from a frag none-the-less). I recently did the same with a large prostrata I had, I left the base on the rockwork, and it is already springing new grow tips from what was left. The other corals have benefited from the increased flow and light penetration/lack of shade that resulted from removing the large colony.

[dowtish]

Here was my green birdsnest. It was 14" in diameter and I sold it and the pink birdsnest when I moved and upgraded tanks. My 2 part demand went down 75%

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii62/dowtish/20130921_150451_1_zps7977fbca.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii62/dowtish/20131026_092050_zpse6468491.jpg

[Geeray]

Here was my green birdsnest. It was 14" in diameter and I sold it and the pink birdsnest when I moved and upgraded tanks. My 2 part demand went down 75%

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii62/dowtish/20130921_150451_1_zps7977fbca.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii62/dowtish/20131026_092050_zpse6468491.jpg

Nice green birds nest

[AcroporAddict]

If you have good luck with your SPS, you eventually have to start making choices, and I have already gotten rid of a 10-12" diameter green poci and a green BN myself. They're green and there are other, more desirable corals out there. I have always considered seratioporas, stylos and Pocis to be kind of beginner SPS corals anyways because they are easy to grow, as SPS go.

465 gallon

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0085_zps8618d83c.jpg

[dowtish]

If you have good luck with your SPS, you eventually have to start making choices, and I have already gotten rid of a 10-12" diameter green poci and a green BN myself. They're green and there are other, more desirable corals out there. I have always considered seratioporas, stylos and Pocis to be kind of beginner SPS corals anyways because they are easy to grow, as SPS go.

465 gallon

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o729/acroporaddict/IMG_0085_zps8618d83c.jpg

I totally agree. This is why I parted with them. Kinda felt like I had 'been there, done that' with them. Now it's all acros and maybe 3 montis.