Frag Plugs: The demise of Western civilization, or a necessary evil? "Shut up Fellman."

[Harold Green]

I use a set of dikes, diagonal pliers, to snip off the post. I tend to use the frag plugs to mount most coral I frag at home however I prefer to glue zoa's on bits of shell or rock for a nicer look while they adjust to growing. Normally I keep a tube or two of the rose colored epoxy and wrap it up the sides of the frag plug breaking up the profile while mounting the plug to the display live rock. I have to agree that the plugs couldn't look worse than having a beautiful encrusting monti in your display with a large square raised area in the middle.

 

[uniquecorals]

I love how this one got resurrected! Funny timing: Jake and I were discussing the merits of yanking egg crate out of sections of our raceways, which lead to the discussion of using flat-bottom plugs versus ones with pins in them...We'll see how that plays out!

-Scott

 

[liquid]

I have a general disdain for plugs - mainly because of the peg on the bottom that one pokes through eggcrate. Because of it, I designed a frag plug with a removable peg: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:17313

 

[Tapio]

I have a general disdain for plugs - mainly because of the peg on the bottom that one pokes through eggcrate. Because of it, I designed a frag plug with a removable peg: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:17313

But the plugs are bright blue or yellow? Are they also ceramic?

 

[liquid]

They are actually 3D printed using a bio-based plastic called PLA. Coloration can be pretty much whatever filament color you have on hand.

 

[mgdmirage]

I've always disliked them too. I only use disks and tiles and when i get frags elsewhere i chop off the peg.

 

[ChuckFu]

I can't stand them either. I buy fresh cuts. I don't want to run the risk of adding any pest to my systems. Algae as well. I do glue the frag to a plug when it goes through QT, but gets yanked off and re-glued to a piece of rubble, which is then glued to the scape.

 

[SteelerMike]

What I hate is when I try to snip the pin off the bottom and the coral goes flying across the room! This has happened to me a few times and it is quite unsettling and needless to say not the best for the coral :mad:

 

[pup]

I absolutely hate frag plugs. It's what I hate most about this hobby actually. I don't have a lot in the way of local shops so I buy most of my coral online. I see all these great softies that I'd love to buy and put in my tank but almost every place exclusively uses frag plugs at this point. To me it seems counter productive to buy a great coral only to take a razor to it.

 

[Newtybar]

Weird - I have removed most of the plugs I get with good results.

 

[Harold Green]

I take a clean half gallon plastic ice cream container and put enough water in it to cover the coral. It's a simple matter to reach in and clip of the peg while holding the frag upside down in the water.

 

[jasonandsarah]

Most plugs are really simple to cut up. The only plugs I hate to get my frags on are those brown plugs with the purple coraline dye on the top! Those are the hardest plugs to snip ever! Plus the bottom isn't very porous so the glue doesn't always stick well.

Also someone needs to come out with a frag glue that's a little thicker and cures a little faster! I know they have the insta cure for cyanoacrylate but I'd love to see it all wrapped into one!

 

[Russ265]

i hate plugs as well. they will be overgrown after a set time, but i prefer LR rubble instead.



glowstick on a rubble-plug.

after a couple weeks the rock will be covered in aqua-trash and blend better

 

[JBNY]

A little bit late to the party Scott but here is what I did a while back when I was really getting my hate on for coral plugs. I used red decorative rock that you can buy at home depot, and glued the frags to that, they are heavy so they can take some good current.

After they encrusted a bit and I moved them to the display tank, you hardly notice the plug up against live rock.

Oh course, like Adam mentioned it doesn't really matter once the frags have grow into colonies and the plugs are covered anyway.

I have since come to grips with my hate for frag plugs and just leave them on and glue them down to let the frag grow over and encrust.

 

[uniquecorals]

Awesome solution, Joe! We'll be sure to send you your corals on the gnarliest frag plugs we can find, LOL!

 

[JBNY]

I would expect nothing less from you!

 

[uniquecorals]

 

[Clayalaleona]

I dont mind plugs, I feel like they keep me organized

 

[FantasyCorals]

This is going to sound dumb, but what area of HD is the red decorative rock located? Is that what it is listed as?

A little bit late to the party Scott but here is what I did a while back when I was really getting my hate on for coral plugs. I used red decorative rock that you can buy at home depot, and glued the frags to that, they are heavy so they can take some good current.

After they encrusted a bit and I moved them to the display tank, you hardly notice the plug up against live rock.

Oh course, like Adam mentioned it doesn't really matter once the frags have grow into colonies and the plugs are covered anyway.

I have since come to grips with my hate for frag plugs and just leave them on and glue them down to let the frag grow over and encrust.

 

[Oscaror]

’’’’’’’’’’
This is all I see instead of quotation marks and apostrophes
’’’’’’’’’’
it’s really annoying, can someone fix this?