First time fragging a Chalice

[fsu1dolfan]

I have done my research and i think i am ready to go. I am going to start with bone cutters to see if i can just cut my frags. If i am having a rough time, i have diamond blade dremel as a back up. My main question is to dip after i frag?
I was thinking about a lugols/saltwater solution (not strong) to dip both the mother colony and frags after i am done. Then dip into some new saltwater (without lugols) and then back into my display.

Would this be a good thing to do or not necessary?? Would something else be better??

Thanks for any help.
Jason

 

[foxhuntr]

i dip all my chalice frags in lugols and revive and salt water....i leave them soak for about 15 minutes

 

[fsu1dolfan]

i dip all my chalice frags in lugols and revive and salt water....i leave them soak for about 15 minutes

So do you put lugols and revive together in the same bucket of saltwater?? What is the ratio?

I have heard about revive...i might have to pick some up.

 

[foxhuntr]

i use a plastic bowl which holds about 3 cups......i put a cap full of revive in and about 3 drops of lugols in and mix it well

 

[subdrive]

I don't think bone cutters is the tool to use on chalices. I mean they will do the job, but believe me, you will not like the result!
if you have dead chalice bone, try it for experience, you will see what im talking about right away.
Save up for bendsaw, I never looked back

 

[fab1971]

Curious, but is it prove that dipping after fragging will help speed up the corals healing time? I never dip mine but I do own some revive. Might have to try it out some time to evaluate the healing. Maybe I'll dip on frag and leave the other one on it's own.

 

[subdrive]

Another thing I noticed in fragging chalice is that you should make sure the 'slime' created while fragging chalice should be removed becore putting back into the tank.

 

[soccerbag]

I use Revive personally, but lote of folks use Lugol's with great success as well. I doubt a combo of both would hurt at all. While there is some iodine in Revive, it's not nearly as concentrated as Lugol's is. One or the other would be fine. And your idea of dipping, then dipping again in saltwater is fine - just make sure that the temp of the water is close to that of your tank as to not shock them. Bone cutters would not be my first recommendation for cutting chalices. Lots of folks use dremmels with great success (many vendors too). I would dip any piece that is cut by either bone cutters or with dremmel - and that goes for the mother colony too! the tissue gets pretty beat up and a dip helps them a great deal. Would also recommend some low light for a few days to help them recover.

Best of luck to you : )

 

[soccerbag]

Curious, but is it prove that dipping after fragging will help speed up the corals healing time? I never dip mine but I do own some revive. Might have to try it out some time to evaluate the healing. Maybe I'll dip on frag and leave the other one on it's own.

I'm not sure if anyone has ever studied this fab, but I have always dipped mine and haven't lost many at all. I think some sort of dip would be better than no dip at all, but that may just be me being paranoid...lol.

 

[fsu1dolfan]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I am actually heading to the store soon so i might pick up some revive anyway...better to have both.

 

[Mr E Wrasse]

I use revive and it works great for me with all corals.... definitely stay away from the bone cutters with the chalice, it will probably cause stress breaks in places you dont want! If you use a dremel be very careful if you're having to go through rock, I'm very fortunate i never sliced my hand open while using one in the past. An Inland band-saw is the way to go. They're pricey but they make fragging soooo much cleaner and easier

 

[soccerbag]

I use revive and it works great for me with all corals.... definitely stay away from the bone cutters with the chalice, it will probably cause stress breaks in places you dont want! If you use a dremel be very careful if you're having to go through rock, I'm very fortunate i never sliced my hand open while using one in the past. An Inland band-saw is the way to go. They're pricey but they make fragging soooo much cleaner and easier

Agree with Jordan here. The bandsaw is the way to go. Main reason is that the bandsaw cuts while the blade is wet. The means no heat gets to the tissue and that is best for the chalice. If your going to be doing some fragging down the road, it's well worth the investment. They are pricey but perhaps if you have some other folks in your local reef club, you can all go in on it together and pass it around as needed. Just an idea.

 

[subdrive]

Agree with Jordan here. The bandsaw is the way to go. Main reason is that the bandsaw cuts while the blade is wet. The means no heat gets to the tissue and that is best for the chalice. If your going to be doing some fragging down the road, it's well worth the investment. They are pricey but perhaps if you have some other folks in your local reef club, you can all go in on it together and pass it around as needed. Just an idea.

+1 bandsaw

 

[fsu1dolfan]

Yeah i have looked into a band saw but i probably wont be getting one anytime soon.

Mr. E Wrasse - I will definitely becare...i have fragged my hammer a couple times with the dremel. So i am pretty good...plus the chalice is not over rock...it has over grown the plug it is on by a lot.

 

[returnofsid]

If you can't get a band saw, right now, look for an inexpensive Wet Tile Saw. I picked one up, a couple years ago, at Harbor Freight, for under $50.00. I cut Echinos, Acans, and other various LPS and encrusting SPS, with it, all the time. Put saltwater in the reservoir and you're good to go. An Inland Band saw, will make a smaller cut, than a tile saw, and allow you to make curved cuts. However, a wet tile saw works great too!

 

[ashton]

If you can't get a band saw, right now, look for an inexpensive Wet Tile Saw. I picked one up, a couple years ago, at Harbor Freight, for under $50.00. I cut Echinos, Acans, and other various LPS and encrusting SPS, with it, all the time. Put saltwater in the reservoir and you're good to go. An Inland Band saw, will make a smaller cut, than a tile saw, and allow you to make curved cuts. However, a wet tile saw works great too!

+1 I've also got a wet tile saw that I use to frag stuff with and it is a good cheaper alternative to the bandsaw. It is harder to cut smaller 1 eye frags and etc with but is good for doing straight cuts or cutting larger pieces.

 

[foxhuntr]

i always like to keep my inland bandsaw wet while i cut.........+1 on the inland band saw ......i love mine...i used to use a dremel but there is so much splattering and it really stinks

 

[skinz78]

+1 I've also got a wet tile saw that I use to frag stuff with and it is a good cheaper alternative to the bandsaw. It is harder to cut smaller 1 eye frags and etc with but is good for doing straight cuts or cutting larger pieces.

Meh, who wants one eye frags anyhow:tongue: