Do you glue your corals?

[mmorrison55]

As title suggests… Do you guys glue your corals to your rock scape? I just watched a reef aquaria design video where they were adding corals to one of their builds and they just placed all their corals on the rock and didn’t use any glue. There were also no frag plugs. So this got me wondering how you all approached coral placement.

Glue or not to glue to the rock and do you remove your frag plugs.

If you are not gluing, im curious how long it takes the coral to “latch” on?

 

[Hunna’s Stunnas]

Just glue doesn’t work. At least not for me with massive snails that can easily knock it over. I’ve switched to glue, reef putty, glue and that has been working great. Haven’t come home to something knocked over and had to reattach it since switching to this.

 

[bubbgee]

Glue cures within 48 hours (provided the flow isnt strong enough to blow it off).
I don't always remove the plugs, but if you can remove it, all the better for encrusting, since sps can encrust on the base of the plug. Also get some coral/rock putty. Sometimes it wont stick to the rock and you need an intermediate substrate --especially on edges. Sometimes I use putty instead of glue to create a holder for the frag plug into the rock as well.

Alternatively, I use this too.

https://www.amazon.com/Printed-Reef-Coral-Frag-Holders/dp/B09NTTNP5N/

 

[Bxr126]

Initially I set them in place (if possible) to see if they are happy in that location. Once I've found a spot they like I use the coral putty and super glue to hold them in place. This keeps them from getting knocked around or carried off by my urchin. The time it takes for them to "latch on" varies per coral and tank conditions.

 

[MoshJosh]

If you dont glue your corals they are likey to be dislodged and fall to the bottom. Think this is mostly due to snails and other CUC bumping into them. If you have a urchin they will likely end up wearing most of your unglued corals.

If there is not a lot of encrusting onto the plug I will remove the coral before directly gluing it to the rock. If there is good encrusting I will brake the peg part of the plug off and glue the top of the plug with the encrusting coral to the rock.

IF there is a natural hole in the rock that will snuggly fit the peg of the plug then I will friction fit it the entire plug. I will also friction fit SPS corals directly into holes in the rock if I have a good spot. Those are about the only times I dont glue corals down and even then they can become dislodged.

Alternatively when setting up a tank you can pre drill frag holes into your rock work. This can work really well and I like this approach, however, the brittle nature of some pieces of rock means some break during drilling which could mean ruining the scape you worked hard to build.

 

[I never finish anythi]

Just glue doesn’t work. At least not for me with massive snails that can easily knock it over. I’ve switched to glue, reef putty, glue and that has been working great. Haven’t come home to something knocked over and had to reattach it since switching to this.

This ^^^

 

[skey44]

I glue them in. I have used progressively more glue to secure them in though. The little one time use tubes are great. Can even be used under water. I just don’t like handling 2 part putty or the skimmer reaction that results.

 

[ColorMeGone]

If I don't glue them to the rocks the snails will knock em down.

 

[BryanM]

As title suggests… Do you guys glue your corals to your rock scape? I just watched a reef aquaria design video where they were adding corals to one of their builds and they just placed all their corals on the rock and didn’t use any glue. There were also no frag plugs. So this got me wondering how you all approached coral placement.

Glue or not to glue to the rock and do you remove your frag plugs.

If you are not gluing, im curious how long it takes the coral to “latch” on?

I glue mine. Sometimes they get knocked off, I just reglue.

 

[CHSUB]

Like others….glue and epoxy and push with force. Nothing worse than corals falling after placement!

 

[fishface NJ]

I remove all frag plugs(you don't know if there are any pests between the frag and the plug), I do my dips, then I place them in QT for 3 weeks. When they go in the display tank, I glue them down. I know my par levels to the kind of coral going in. If in 2-3 weeks the coral doesn't like the location I can still move it since the frag isn't grow onto the rock

 

[CHSUB]

I remove all frag plugs(you don't know if there are any pests between the frag and the plug), I do my dips, then I place them in QT for 3 weeks. When they go in the display tank, I glue them down. I know my par levels to the kind of coral going in. If in 2-3 weeks the coral doesn't like the location I can still move it since the frag isn't grow onto the rock

Great! Don’t have the patience to qt corals….well done!

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

I just put them on my urchins since they are going to take them anyway…it’s kind of like a traveling frag rack

I replug all of my corals and after a few months in the frag tank I cut the stem of the plug and use glue to attach to the rocks.

 

[Bartanto]

Ideally a super glue epoxy sandwich sans frag plug after testing the spot for a ‘while’.

While = coral is showing signs of life and whenever I get to it, hopefully before the plug is totally encrusted.

 

[CBonito]

I use putty and I dont use glue at all. I find that by not mixing the putty so thoroughly, it sticks better and cures a but slower, but stronger. It becomes too brittle to work with when mixed too long.

 

[exnisstech]

I just watched a reef aquaria design video where they were adding corals to one of their builds and they just placed all their corals on the rock and didn’t use any glue. There were also no frag plugs. So this got me wondering how you all approached coral placement.

Sounds to me like they were creating a video not a reef tank. I mean did they just set these coral on the rocks and they magically stayed in place? Maybe I'm misunderstanding the statement?

 

[CBonito]

Sounds to me like they were creating a video not a reef tank. I mean did they just set these coral on the rocks and they magically stayed in place? Maybe I'm misunderstanding the statement?

Yeah, no coral magically stays in place unless it's on youtube.
They have to be secured. They wont even grow if they're constantly moving.

 

[bubbgee]

Question for the experts, anyone know what glue they’re using for this?



I can’t seem to find it anywhere

 

[CBonito]

Question for the experts, anyone know what glue they’re using for this?



I can’t seem to find it anywhere

I cant even see what he's doing. It looks like something that comes with some kind of adhesive on it already.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I for years have used HoldFast coral putty and recently 2 part putty by Tunze