Frag plug GOLD MINE!!!

[Glenner’sreef]

Purchasing new corals is more fun than should be allowed. The colors, shapes, varieties etc. truly make for a nice shopping experience. Once acclimated to your tank params, popping the coral off of the disgustingly ugly “frag plugs” It’s time to mount the coral with your favorite coral glue and or epoxy.
But often times there's encrusted coral fragments still on the plug. I like to find a nice section of my 180g reef to let these plugs grow out. And they do! And I don’t have to pay for these corals again. In the attached photo are some Christmas gifts from my wife. They don’t look like much now but they will in weeks to come. Am I the only one doing this??? Merry Christmas!!!

 

[exnisstech]

I'm actually doing the same thing with some acros I cut off the plug. If nothing else it helps me to develope more patience lol

 

[Derrick0580]

I’m guilty of just cutting off the stem and glueing the whole plug.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I'm actually doing the same thing with some acros I cut off the plug. If nothing else it helps me to develope more patience lol

Your patience is paying off. Your aquarium showcase displayed that. Congrats.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I’m guilty of just cutting off the stem and glueing the whole plug.

Same here. Especially when you can tell there’s no encrusting coral on the plug.

 

[Doctorgori]

I'm actually doing the same thing with some acros I cut off the plug. If nothing else it helps me to develope more patience lol

those darn rubber ORA plugs …
you can’t easily remove the frag so you break it…so I do something similar although not purposefully as. much

 

[Cell]

I like to remove the plug for dipping and pest control purposes, so whatever growth remains on the plug gets tossed. If I kept them, I'd just clip off the stem and mount the coral that way without damage to the coral. The disc gets grown over and covered up eventually anyway.

 

[Fish Styx]

I’m guilty of just cutting off the stem and glueing the whole plug.

^ this

 

[Glenner’sreef]

1. The original frag more than a few months back.

2. What it looks like today.

3. What grew on the frag plug.

 

[Areseebee]

What's interesting in those pictures is that the colony that grew from the plug looks "better" perhaps because it didn't start from a branch glued end up.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

What's interesting in those pictures is that the colony that grew from the plug looks "better" perhaps because it didn't start from a branch glued end up.

Good observation!!!

 

[shakacuz]

I’m guilty of just cutting off the stem and glueing the whole plug.

this is me as well. very few instances i’ve found coral remnants on the plug but they’ve never lived for me lol

 

[Reefahholic]

I never put plugs in my tank. That is the first place pests will be. If you like AEFW’s, eggs, etc. Put the plugs into the tank and don’t cut the base or dead tissue off your SPS frags.

 

[VintageReefer]

I have designed a coral grow out system that does not require removing the coral from the frag plug. I pitched the idea to a reefer with a 3d printing side hobby and my idea has now come to life!

When your acro starts to encrust on a plug, you normally have to damage the coral to remove it. We know that they encrust their base before really starting to grow upwards, so small frag plugs are not ideal. You want a nice large base

My system is a magnetic shelf that fits a custom (or standard) 2x2 frag tile with a hole in the middle that your plug goes into. You leave the coral on the plug and allow it to encrust onto the tile, giving you a much larger base. Then when the coral is encrusted on the larger tile, it will start to grow vertical and grow into a mini colony. Once it’s too large you remove the tile and relocate your mini colony wherever you want. Pop in another blank tile and you are ready to start again

Since many of us use magnetic frag racks, mid way (or higher) on our glass, our corals are used to growing in certain conditions - par, flow, etc, somewhere on our glass. Relocating to a normal grow out tile means moving it to the sandbed changing the conditions it’s used to, lowering par, and risking it getting irritated by the sand and critters.

The magnetic shelf also accommodates your existing standard 2x2 tiles want to move them out of the sand and to different conditions while they grow out

The kit is 15$ and comes with the magnetic shelf and two tiles to get someone started.

I profit nothing from this, I just thought it was a good idea I had and wanted to spread the word! It’s great not just for sps but anything really…zoas, acan. I’m using it now for a goni

Frag Rack for Propagating , Reloadable, Fits 2x2 Tiles See Tile Listing for Extra Tiles - Etsy

This Aquariums & Tank Decor item by D3DPThingz has 3 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from West Lafayette, IN. Listed on Mar 26, 2024

www.etsy.com

 

[Reefahholic]

I have designed a coral grow out system that does not require removing the coral from the frag plug. I pitched the idea to a reefer with a 3d printing side hobby and my idea has now come to life!

When your acro starts to encrust on a plug, you normally have to damage the coral to remove it. We know that they encrust their base before really starting to grow upwards, so small frag plugs are not ideal. You want a nice large base

My system is a magnetic shelf that fits a custom (or standard) 2x2 frag tile with a hole in the middle that your plug goes into. You leave the coral on the plug and allow it to encrust onto the tile, giving you a much larger base. Then when the coral is encrusted on the larger tile, it will start to grow vertical and grow into a mini colony. Once it’s too large you remove the tile and relocate your mini colony wherever you want. Pop in another blank tile and you are ready to start again

Since many of us use magnetic frag racks, mid way (or higher) on our glass, our corals are used to growing in certain conditions - par, flow, etc, somewhere on our glass. Relocating to a normal grow out tile means moving it to the sandbed changing the conditions it’s used to, lowering par, and risking it getting irritated by the sand and critters.

The magnetic shelf also accommodates your existing standard 2x2 tiles want to move them out of the sand and to different conditions while they grow out

The kit is 15$ and comes with the magnetic shelf and two tiles to get someone started.

I profit nothing from this, I just thought it was a good idea I had and wanted to spread the word! It’s great not just for sps but anything really…zoas, acan. I’m using it now for a goni

Frag Rack for Propagating , Reloadable, Fits 2x2 Tiles See Tile Listing for Extra Tiles - Etsy

This Aquariums & Tank Decor item by D3DPThingz has 3 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from West Lafayette, IN. Listed on Mar 26, 2024

www.etsy.com

Cool idea, but still too risky for any system. If you don’t remove the plug and cut the base of SPS…you’re begging for trouble.

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

I’m guilty of just cutting off the stem and glueing the whole plug.

It's what I do. Also makes it easier to move if you need to.

 

[VintageReefer]

Never had an issue, I always dipped. Maybe I just got lucky. Also bought from reputable sources

 

[braaap]

I have designed a coral grow out system that does not require removing the coral from the frag plug. I pitched the idea to a reefer with a 3d printing side hobby and my idea has now come to life!

When your acro starts to encrust on a plug, you normally have to damage the coral to remove it. We know that they encrust their base before really starting to grow upwards, so small frag plugs are not ideal. You want a nice large base

My system is a magnetic shelf that fits a custom (or standard) 2x2 frag tile with a hole in the middle that your plug goes into. You leave the coral on the plug and allow it to encrust onto the tile, giving you a much larger base. Then when the coral is encrusted on the larger tile, it will start to grow vertical and grow into a mini colony. Once it’s too large you remove the tile and relocate your mini colony wherever you want. Pop in another blank tile and you are ready to start again

Since many of us use magnetic frag racks, mid way (or higher) on our glass, our corals are used to growing in certain conditions - par, flow, etc, somewhere on our glass. Relocating to a normal grow out tile means moving it to the sandbed changing the conditions it’s used to, lowering par, and risking it getting irritated by the sand and critters.

The magnetic shelf also accommodates your existing standard 2x2 tiles want to move them out of the sand and to different conditions while they grow out

The kit is 15$ and comes with the magnetic shelf and two tiles to get someone started.

I profit nothing from this, I just thought it was a good idea I had and wanted to spread the word! It’s great not just for sps but anything really…zoas, acan. I’m using it now for a goni

Frag Rack for Propagating , Reloadable, Fits 2x2 Tiles See Tile Listing for Extra Tiles - Etsy

This Aquariums & Tank Decor item by D3DPThingz has 3 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from West Lafayette, IN. Listed on Mar 26, 2024

www.etsy.com

Might wanna find someone who knows how to print before selling an item. The print quality looks awful.

Personally I cut them off and toss the plug. If I can't cut them off I will lightly cover the plug in glue to avoid pests. I've had AEFW and Tidal Gardens tried to give them to me again recently. I don't risk it anymore.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Never had an issue, I always dipped. Maybe I just got lucky. Also bought from reputable sources

Very nice look! Congrats.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

It's what I do. Also makes it easier to move if you need to.

I used to do that but 2-3 years ago , I upgraded my aquascape with Caribsea life rock, shapes, pedestals etc. So many nice little holes everywhere. Perfect for a frag without any of the frag plugs showing. So I either throw away the empty plug or let them grow out if there’s some encrustment going on. “Encrustment” a brand new reefing term. Lol.