Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[Miami Reef]

He gave me some good advice on how to do it, but I’ll take and tips and suggestions so I don’t screw it up. lol

Epoxy and super glue. Make a sandwich of super glue on the outsides. Super quick , and it won’t fall off.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Epoxy and super glue. Make a sandwich of super glue on the outsides. Super quick , and it won’t fall off.

That’s exactly what Dwest suggested. Still scares me I’ll mess it up. lol

 

[Miami Reef]

Would it help if I got a video for you? :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would it help if I got a video for you? :)

Yes. Thanks!

 

[Miami Reef]

This glue:

Plus this epoxy:

Is the god-tier combo.

That exact epoxy brand is best because it’s supple and doesn’t crumble when inserted into the tank.

You’ll want to knead it until the gray and pink parts are homogeneous.

Gently press and twist the frag to the rock to lock it in place.

Edit: You do the sandwich method outside the tank, then press the frag to the rock inside the tank.

 

[Miami Reef]

If the coral comes attached to a frag plug (which it probably will) I like to snip off the stem with bone cutters.

You’ll be left with a flat disk which has more surface area and leverage for twisting and jamming it into place without needing to touch the coral. That’s how I do it in the real world.

 

[Reefer1978]

If the coral comes attached to a frag plug (which it probably will) I like to snip off the stem with bone cutters.

You’ll be left with a flat disk which has more surface area and leverage for twisting and jamming it into place without needing to touch the coral. That’s how I do it in the real world.

The only exception would depend on the rock. If it's pukani or marko, those stems are perfect to go into the rock holes with some glue.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think I’d probably use a piece of my old dead rock as a base. Would I be best off making a hole, or a flat surface, or just random rough rock surface?

Would I mount it immediately on shipping arrival, or let it acclimate and stabilize somehow first?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, it will be a raw, unmounted frag.

 

[Miami Reef]

Would I mount it immediately on shipping arrival, or let it acclimate and stabilize somehow first?

Mount immediately. I never acclimate any acro, even if purchased online from BattleCorals.

 

[twentyleagues]

FWIW, it will be a raw, unmounted frag.

I like sps to be on a plug myself. They are easier to mount the way @Miami Reef has said that way. You can mount the unmounted frag with thick superglue gel to a small piece of dry rock or even a small piece of wet live rock and then do the glue samich thing. Just seems mounting sps to living rock surfaces raw is a little more tricky especially if you have stuff that may bump it before it encrusts.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I like sps to be on a plug myself. They are easier to mount the way @Miami Reef has said that way. You can mount the unmounted frag with thick superglue gel to a small piece of dry rock or even a small piece of wet live rock and then do the glue samich thing. Just seems mounting sps to living rock surfaces raw is a little more tricky especially if you have stuff that may bump it before it encrusts.

The dead rock has been dead for years. It is dry and clean. Im thinking a single step of glue the frag to the rock and place it it the the tank. No plug involved. Reasonable?

 

[Miami Reef]

I think I’d probably use a piece of my old dead rock as a base. Would I be best off making a hole, or a flat surface, or just random rough rock surface?

Would I mount it immediately on shipping arrival, or let it acclimate and stabilize somehow first?

It need not be fancy. I mounted mine on pretty smooth surfaces. Theres epoxy under there.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It need not be fancy. I mounted mine on pretty smooth surfaces. Theres epoxy under there.

I was thinking to just attach the coral directly to a rock big enough to hold it in place. Is that sensible?

 

[Miami Reef]

I was thinking to just attach the coral directly to a rock big enough to hold it in place. Is that sensible?

Yep. You can push the stick into the epoxy then smooth the epoxy over the rocks to make a seamless layer. Wear gloves because the glue is a pain to remove from skin.

The epoxy is very pliable.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ammonia Dosing

Given that I have not used this doser in a decade, and it’s on a new timer, I thought it important to verify that it is dosing as expected.

The ammonia bicarbonate “reservoir” is a plastic kefir bottle with a hole drilled through the cap to match the tubing diameter. I weighed the container with fluid in it, and now I can see exactly how much is dosed each day.

First auto dose was last night. I aimed for about 24 mL per day, and the container lost 26 g, so all looks good to let it run. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yep. You can push the stick into the epoxy then smooth the epoxy over the rocks to make a seamless layer. Wear gloves because the glue is a pain to remove from skin.

The epoxy is very pliable.

Any thought on my drilling a hole for the coral end?

 

[Miami Reef]

Any thought on my drilling a hole for the coral end?

Not needed, but you can if you’d like.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Mantis Shrimp Hitchhiker

I just fed some small size TDO chromaboost to the tank, and saw this guy come out. Very cool, but I realize I may need to trap him and send him to a sump. Any advice on him (and possibly his friends)?

Need to move to sump?

Ways to trap?

TBS says they can eat live crabs and whittle down a clean up crew.

@LiverockRocks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Not needed, but you can if you’d like.

Thanks :)