Mounting Coral

[Freenow54]

So I am going to post this again hoping I get more response on a weekend. The frag plugs are annoying at best they are for the LFS not us. So how do you go about mounting the coral?

 

[Freenow54]

Has anyone tried using snippers to cut off the plug part?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If possible, I will use a knife and pop the coral off the plug.

If the coral has overgrown the plug and can't be popped off, then I cut the stem off the plug and just glue the disk.

 

[CHSUB]

Has anyone tried using snippers to cut off the plug part?

Yes. I either remove coral from plug or cut off post part. Very easy….

 

[Freenow54]

If possible, I will use a knife and pop the coral off the plug.

If the coral has overgrown the plug and can't be popped off, then I cut the stem off the plug and just glue the disk.

How do you cut off the stem?

 

[Freenow54]

Yes. I either remove coral from plug or cut off post part. Very easy….

Thanks how do you cut off the stem?

 

[zusima]

So I am going to post this again hoping I get more response on a weekend. The frag plugs are annoying at best they are for the LFS not us. So how do you go about mounting the coral?

I think the right response is what type of coral is being mounted and where. I remove most and put on grow out tiles if something like zoa or chalice. Gonis I keep on plugs and use a single piece of lock line glued to rock to hold plug. Acans go on tiles. Montis removed and glued to a magnetic rock i made/make. Scoly and meats on printed stands. Torches and hammer on 45° ocean box frag holder. Acro will be switching over to frag spikes that except plugs from a r2r member who prints as it was recommended for better versatility. Cutting stem off plugs..shears won't work after a few, use a pair of linesman pliers and the snap pretty easily but do leave a jagged stub.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How do you cut off the stem?

I just use a sharp pair of scissors, its just clay, its very easy to cut or break.

 

[zusima]

I just use a sharp pair of scissors, its just clay, its very easy to cut or break.

Ever try to cut an sbb plug lol

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Ever try to cut an sbb plug lol

Oh you mean those un-cuttable ones lol? I forgot about those, I hate them lol.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

But even just the frag plug disk is not ideal, sometimes the colony grows out looking like this:

 

[Don’t fear the reefer]

Thanks how do you cut off the stem?

I use a Dremel with a diamond wheel bit. I hold the plug with pliers. Takes like 1 second and it’s clean.

 

[Freenow54]

So This is my state as of this morning I think it is a good idea to wait a while and let the new coral settle in. They are the ones in the racks. I itemized them all as to name and requirements. The one rack is low light, low fl

ow.. The other with the branch type coral is medium floe medium light. You can see the mess I made with my first 6 lost 2 of them already one I cant explain. The other fell apart it was the one with neon green bulbs, this morning even the plug is gone. I have all the lights set and have par readings, and have realized these lights are no good for SPS Aquanest all mine are supposed to be easy SPS cant get the par over 250. Fine with me don't need the headache. Just be aware to do better research for lights than I did. I will show my mess the first picture is the second day the rest are 4 days later. The ones in the racks are 2 days old

 

[zusima]

Definitely let those settle in. Practice good cleaning techniques and clean water to give them a good clean home. If they survive build from there. ..if they die then fix tank before adding more.

 

[BriDroid]

Thanks how do you cut off the stem?

I have a pair of cheap bone cutters from Amazon. Works great, just keep your fingers out of the way, trust me :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[Freenow54]

Definitely let those settle in. Practice good cleaning techniques and clean water to give them a good clean home. If they survive build from there. ..if they die then fix tank before adding more.

Tank should be good all readings great. Only unknown are bristle worms

 

[DanP-SD]

In response to the OP, I’ve had good success using a thin flathead screwdriver to pop most frags off the plug and then use a sandwich of crazy glue and Tunze coral gum. The gum is easy to mix, doesn’t smell and solidifies fast. I put a layer of glue between the gum and the frag, then press the gum into the mounting spot to shape it like the live rock, then lift it out, add some glue to the impression the rock made and hold it back in place about 30-60 seconds. I’ll also try to shape the gum while it’s soft to wrap around and grab any protrusions in the rock.

For some frags, the coral can be overgrown enough to make it impossible to just pop off with a screwdriver so then I use bone cutters to either cut the plug off the disk or to cut the base of the frag.

 

[zusima]

Tank should be good all readings great. Only unknown are bristle worms

Bristle worms are good.

 

[Freenow54]

In response to the OP, I’ve had good success using a thin flathead screwdriver to pop most frags off the plug and then use a sandwich of crazy glue and Tunze coral gum. The gum is easy to mix, doesn’t smell and solidifies fast. I put a layer of glue between the gum and the frag, then press the gum into the mounting spot to shape it like the live rock, then lift it out, add some glue to the impression the rock made and hold it back in place about 30-60 seconds. I’ll also try to shape the gum while it’s soft to wrap around and grab any protrusions in the rock.

For some frags, the coral can be overgrown enough to make it impossible to just pop off with a screwdriver so then I use bone cutters to either cut the plug off the disk or to cut the base of the frag.

Thanks for the detailed response very appreciated for all the advice from all of you getting alittle more confident lost a lot of coral due to ignorance 25 years ago

 

[Freenow54]

Bristle worms are good.

That's what I have always read. Hard to trust such an ugly critter though. I have been stung by them when cleaning stuff