Reef plugs and discs = Algae?

[Znut Reefer]

Has anyone else noticed how these seem to attact algae? I mainly see bryropis trying to grow on them. Anyone else notice this?

 

[Russellaqua]

I've noticed it too. Not sure why it happens. Maybe they're just easier to get a foothold on?

 

[Znut Reefer]

Thats what I'm thinking too. It makes you not want to keep these in your tank.

 

[wicked demon]

its kinda like the old west where all you had to do was plant a flag and it was yours, open reef space is fiercly and rapidly competed for by many organisms, bryopsis is just the fastest grower and it spreads really easily, put your frag plugs in direct flow before mounting to grow some coraline on them.

 

[ucantmakeme]

This is one of the main reasons i do not mount any frags on plugs. I use rock rubble instead. Its already encrusted with corraline and doesnt really detract from the looks of your tank. i cant stand white disks all over my DT (no frag tank/growout tank).

 

[Znut Reefer]

Where can I find some rock rubble to mount some frags on? I don't have any local LFS in my area.

 

[ucantmakeme]

Any of the normal "baserock" selling sites should have it.

do you have an extra rock in your tank? Just grab a small one and smash it with a hammer, or chisel off peices with a hammer and screwdriver.

Its cheaper to buy a pound of rock ans smash it up yourself than to buy the "premade" rubble.

 

[Znut Reefer]

Thanks for the tip. Thats what I will do. I have some extra base rock.

 

[gooch]

I dissagree on them being algae magnets. It's a clean surface. If you have that algae present it may find your plug or any surface. Even if it is rubble rock this can happen.

Our ceramic products will get a little green but quickly coralline over. I was just at my LFS yesterday and they have hundreds of frags on ceramic plugs and not a stitch of bad algae on any of them.

I think a lot of growers also use egg crate to hold corals. If the egg crate is leaching they are algae magnets. This also makes it easier for briopsis to spread. My guess is the majority of the nuesance algae gets it foothold from the egg crate.

 

[BlazinNano]

I make my own flug and disk because my mother owns a cermic company. I will say they will turn green at first but then grow coraline. I have not had a problem with them growing anything else. I even have frags on rubble and a couple of them have green hair starting to grow, now they have been moved to the display tank so something will eat the algae and not take over the frag tank. I have never had a problem with the ceramic disk. I mean the kiln fires them at 1,800 degrees for 5 to 6 hours before they are done. They are clean from what I know. I just soak them in RODI for about an hour to get the air bubbles and dust off of them.

 

[inactive]

This is why I started manufacturing my own plugs and discs.

 

[JR's Reef]

I have the same problem. Frags disk/plugs always get HA on them and the 1st thing that gets HA. It dont matter if there on eggcrate or not. 99% of the time there will not be a spot of HA in my until I put a disk/plug in my tank then it will spread from there. I like the disk but been thinking of cutting my own out of LR with the wetsaw nice and thin

 

[reef-nut]

I hate them they are ugly and dont look right in a reef tank. I will buy a frag on rubble or a rock first!!! Anyone that makes frags could go to there LFS and get all the rubble for frags they want and would not even have to use these things.