Chalice outgrowing frag plug

MAXreefer · Mar 3, 2011

So my Meng's Mummy Eye starts to grow over the frag plug and filled up the sides of the plug and soon will attach onto the bottom of the frag tank.

Could I mount the frag plug onto a piece of LR or is he not going to like the uneven surface of the rock and I should just use a bigger frag plug?

Thanks for suggestions
Michael

mdb_talon · Mar 3, 2011

I would put him on the rock he wont mind the uneven surface. If you keep putting larger plugs underneath eventually it will look like a tiered wedding cake (a green one).

Captain Nemo · Mar 3, 2011

+1 on the live rock, just make sure you secure him very well, especially if you have snails and crabs in your tank....

subdrive · Mar 3, 2011

I think it all depends on what your going to do with it.
If you plan to keep it for your own collection and grow it out, I dont think gluing it on LR is a problem as long as you find the good location for it. In my experience, location for chalice is critical. on the sendbed and 4 inch above sandbed makes a big difference.
But if you plan to frag it oneday, I think it would be better to place bigger frag plug and glue it there.

reefsponge · Mar 3, 2011

Hi Michael,
What I have done with my Meng's and others is take a full tube of aquamend putty and knead it out into one thin circular sheet. Like making cookies, real thin cookies. I roll mine out in the bottom of a wet sink so it doesn't stick to everything and tear. Once rolled out you can add ridges and rugae as desired or try to match it to the rock structure for easy glove like removal in the future. I let it "cure" outside of the tank until it's solid, mount my coral with super glue gel and voilà. I like the result and it doesn't take to long to get coraline growing on it. How's the icefire doing? Lovin the new set up you've got rockin! Here's my Meng's:

ashton · Mar 3, 2011

NIce I like that reefsponge. I just glued my original mummy eye to the back of a big plating monti skeleton and it is attaching and growing over the dead skeleton.

returnofsid · Mar 3, 2011

If the frag plug has a stem, you can snip it off, with a pair of side cutters. Then, you can glue the plug to a piece of live rock, a piece of tile, etc. If you plan on being able to frag it, in the future, make sure you glue it to something that's easily removed from your tank. In other words, don't glue it to a 50lb piece of live rock...lol. Also, gluing it to something that you can move, will help, if you need to move it's location.

foxhuntr · Mar 3, 2011

i just set mine on the bottom on the subsrate and they keep growing and dont attach to nothing but a few little pieces of gravel or sand....them if you deside to frag it later you can just pick it up and cut off what you need......i have some chalices that are about 3 or 4 " over my plugs and keep growing...

butts182 · Mar 3, 2011

I like what foxhuntr said, but If you want to frag it, now sounds like a pretty good time...maybe trade someone for a new chalice.

drainbamage · Mar 3, 2011

Once at that point, I usually frag off a portion and put that on a new frag plug, and the rest gets attached to the tank somewhere permanently. That way I now have a backup piece, as well as a peice that I can continue to frag off of easily if I want. On top of that, I now also have a permanent piece in my display.

But yea, we've gotten used to seeing chalices on flat surfaces in the hobby because of fragging, but they are quite happy on live rock and randomly structured shapes.

gooch · Mar 3, 2011

You could try a chalice dome. These work great for growing out chalice corals. We sell a lot of them. The chalice will grow to the shape of the dome and in most cases you can pop it off the dome to frag it and then put it back in place.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/alternative-reef/40798-welcome-chalice-dome.html

MAXreefer · Mar 3, 2011

Thanks for all the great advice. Lots of options to consider.

Here is a recent pic. Quick shot and not the best quality.
I should mention I had a small disaster a while ago and actually surprised he is doing so well.
First of all my Alk dropped below 7 for a couple days and secondly my return pump failed and having the heaters in the sump the tank cooled of to about 65 degrees for a whole day.