Gorgonian placement/attachment

[pseudorand]

I picked up two gorgonians at Reef Stock in Denver last weekend but I'm not sure how to place them.

I know they're not photosynthetic and that they need flow. Do I just cement the fatter end to a rock so they stay upright? How do they attach in nature?

I've tried to wedge them into a rock, but between high flow and my urchins, they won't stay put. Attaching them at various points laying flat would probably work, but I feel like they should be growing up like a tree/bush/acro.

Beautiful white polyps we're extended in the display at the show, but I haven't seen them in my tank yet. They still have color though.

 

[Tcook]

You can glue the base. I glued mine. Good flow to prevent algae growth. Do you feed phyto?

 

[Dburr1014]

For gargonians, wire stripers are your friend. You want to drill a very small hole in a rock. take your wire strippers and strip the last 1/8" of flesh off. Start at the bigger end of the strippers and work your way down to the smaller holes cuz the stiff stalk could be any size. Glue only the stalk! No super glue on the flesh. Dip in salt water to cure the glue. The flesh will grow down to the rock.

 

[Tcook]

For gargonians, wire stripers are your friend. You want to drill a very small hole in a rock. take your wire strippers and strip the last 1/8" of flesh off. Start at the bigger end of the strippers and work your way down to the smaller holes cuz the stiff stalk could be any size. Glue only the stalk! No super glue on the flesh. Dip in salt water to cure the glue. The flesh will grow down to the rock.

That's a great method. Will look quite natural

 

[pseudorand]

Just glueing the base worked like a champ. No idea if it will hold, but it's worked for 3 days so far, and they're all out and hungry.

Sorry for the terrible pic, but that's them: