Question for experienced SPS keeper.

[exnisstech]

Greetings all. I'm getting ready to glue frags down to my rock work. I'm a sps newb and have a question. I'm going to be glueing down all the frags on the front row along with the Hawkings in the left corner. I don't think I have it in me to cut the ones off that are encrusting on the plug so plan on gluing those plugs down. My main concern is the 2 acro frags marked. One is just starting to encrust and the other one not really.
1. Should I just cut the sticks off and glue the coral directly to the rock?
2. Glue the plugs to the rock?
3. They are too small, wait until they get larger to glue them down?

Thanks

 

[FIN&BONEZ]

If not encrusted I usually just break em off and epoxy in a small hole for a more natural look. If encrusted I'll cut off the bottom of the plug and epoxy to a flat surface.

 

[BranchingHammer]

If I can break them off the plug without damaging them (ie cut them at the super glue) and wait for them to encrust on the frag rack a bit until I glue them down. If they came in encrusted, I just let them keep encrusting after inspection and dip.

 

[Dlealrious]

Always cut off the plugs or u will get algae and pest. Worms can be under the glue hiding if there is a tiny hole for them to sit in. If u think that coral will be its forever home glue straight in or reglue to.plug if you think you may move it around

 

[Bfragale]

This is a loaded question. I usually dip and swap plugs when I obtain corals- but if it’s incrusting I usually don’t. As far as gluing plugs to the rock work- I do. The corals usually will eventually cover and hide the plug, and if I ever need to move it it makes it somewhat easier in most cases.

 

[Gatorpa]

You can also break off the post of the plug and then use two part marine putty. Take a clump (after it’s mixed) and stick onto rock where you want it and stick the base of the plug into the putty. like below

 

[Bob Weigant]

I leave the encrusted ones on the plug. Over time you wont even notice the plug is there. If not encrusted I will break off and glue directly onto the rock

 

[Fishyfish22]

I wait until the coral starts encrusting a little. At least onto the glue, before taking the plug, cutting the stem, and gluing the frag disk onto rock. That way if you need to handle the coral later on, it won't break off the plug, the plug will break off the rock which leads to much easier times gluing back

And after the coral encrusted over the plug onto the rock, you won't even notice then because the coral will be formed on top.

 

[ELChingonsReef]

If I let a acropora incrust the frag rack then I brake it off to move it somewhere else will it die?