Frag Tool Kit - Page 2

**jhale** · 10-02-2006, 02:56 PM

oh, for zoo's you do have to chip off the rock under them, otherwise loose zoo's do not do that well.

the other thing people do is place little rocks all around large colonies.
the zoo's will spread to the little rocks then you can pull them off from the main colonie. the key thing is to get them to attach to something else.

grisha · 10-02-2006, 05:53 PM

LeslieS do not use hammer and chisel in your tank - you will break the glass on the bottom
trick with zoa is very simple
1 make your polyps close
2 cut the area the one you want to frag with the razo blade or a craft knife
3 now you have to cut under the fragging part of the colony , but you need to cut a layer of the rock and not the zoa flesh
4 glue the bottom of your frag to the rock or shell
5 if you want to trim some thing on the large rock which you dont whant to take out of the tank you can try to cut and scrape it with the kent marine algae scraper

zoanthids are the best in the massive colonys so let them be your joy`garden

tomzpc · 10-02-2006, 06:05 PM

Cross-posted from here:http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/...frag-zoas.html

My method for zoanthids. First wear gloves. Just get some powder free latex gloves to work with, especially when fragging zoanthids. Take a sharp razor blade or exacto and pull up the polyps gently from the rock at their base. Some zoanthids grow in a mat on the rock in which case you may be able to just peel a piece back with several polyps. Either way, the idea is to remove the poylp(s) from the colony by cutting as close to the rock as possible and with as little tissue damage as possible. Now take the fragged polyps (I find holding them with tweezers works best) and dab the base of them gently with paper towels. Apply a glop of super glue gel to the base of the polyps and also to a dry piece of rubble or disk that you want to attach them too. Attach the zoanthids to the rock, gently pushing it against the rock and holding it for several seconds with a toothpick or some other object. Then take the rubble with the attached zoas and hold it under water for several seconds. Finally place the zoa rock/disk somewhere in your system preferably in a low flow area where it is unlikely to be disturbed. You can cover it with bridal veil or place it in a cut-off plastic dixie cup with some sand in it to give it a better chance to fully attach itself. After a few weeks it should be good to do.

LeslieS · 10-02-2006, 07:07 PM

thanks guys! I have a pretty good idea about the tools that I will need for this.

I do like the big mat look, but they have completely covered their rock. I want to frag some from the middle to give one of the other colors a chance to grow as they are being crowded out.

DonCisco · 10-02-2006, 07:34 PM

Leslie, if you have to cut a piece of the base rock, your best tool is a Dremel with a concrete cut off wheel. that way you can do pretty nice straight and controlled cuts, dont forget to use the gloves. (Powder free, nitrile is best because they are tear resistant). And a cheap pair of safety goggles for the ocassional chips and pebbles pieces, not to mention any zoa juices if you cut one off.
Damm I sound like the the conscientous type don't I?
Either way, with Zoa's you got to be careful. You need to be in good health at least till Friday

herman · 10-02-2006, 10:50 PM

For zoos I make the polyps close and using a scalpel I cut around the "connecting" tissue. Then using a mini chisel I break off that section where the zoo is on.

When I misplace my tool kit I take out the whole rock grab the fullsized chizel and a mallet

For shrooms I use surgical scissors and forcepts.

And for sps I have 3 sizes of bone cutters.

And then there is the beloved dremel

Spracklcat · 10-03-2006, 08:04 AM

Yup or if you go to a craft store they have wood carving /linoleum carving "blades" for an X-Acto handle--they are like a fine chisel where the end of the blade looks like a crescent if you look at it end-on, so it scoops up nice and is about the right size too.

Christine

10-02-2006, 06:05 PM	#13
tomzpc LET'S GO METS! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pawling, NY Posts: 278 Reefer Ratings: (0) Friends: (0)	Cross-posted from here:http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/...frag-zoas.html My method for zoanthids. First wear gloves. Just get some powder free latex gloves to work with, especially when fragging zoanthids. Take a sharp razor blade or exacto and pull up the polyps gently from the rock at their base. Some zoanthids grow in a mat on the rock in which case you may be able to just peel a piece back with several polyps. Either way, the idea is to remove the poylp(s) from the colony by cutting as close to the rock as possible and with as little tissue damage as possible. Now take the fragged polyps (I find holding them with tweezers works best) and dab the base of them gently with paper towels. Apply a glop of super glue gel to the base of the polyps and also to a dry piece of rubble or disk that you want to attach them too. Attach the zoanthids to the rock, gently pushing it against the rock and holding it for several seconds with a toothpick or some other object. Then take the rubble with the attached zoas and hold it under water for several seconds. Finally place the zoa rock/disk somewhere in your system preferably in a low flow area where it is unlikely to be disturbed. You can cover it with bridal veil or place it in a cut-off plastic dixie cup with some sand in it to give it a better chance to fully attach itself. After a few weeks it should be good to do. __________________ HUDSON VALLEY REEF KEEPERS - www.hvreef.org

10-02-2006, 07:34 PM	#15
DonCisco nano freak Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Staten Island Posts: 344 Reefer Ratings: (5) Friends: (0)	Leslie, if you have to cut a piece of the base rock, your best tool is a Dremel with a concrete cut off wheel. that way you can do pretty nice straight and controlled cuts, dont forget to use the gloves. (Powder free, nitrile is best because they are tear resistant). And a cheap pair of safety goggles for the ocassional chips and pebbles pieces, not to mention any zoa juices if you cut one off. Damm I sound like the the conscientous type don't I? Either way, with Zoa's you got to be careful. You need to be in good health at least till Friday __________________ So long, and Tanks for all the fish

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10-02-2006, 02:56 PM	#11
jhale paper bags are fun! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: G.V NYC Posts: 15,307 Reefer Ratings: (43) Friends: (32)	oh, for zoo's you do have to chip off the rock under them, otherwise loose zoo's do not do that well. the other thing people do is place little rocks all around large colonies. the zoo's will spread to the little rocks then you can pull them off from the main colonie. the key thing is to get them to attach to something else.

10-02-2006, 05:53 PM	#12
grisha Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: brooklyn Posts: 1,107 Reefer Ratings: (42) Friends: (1)	LeslieS do not use hammer and chisel in your tank - you will break the glass on the bottom trick with zoa is very simple 1 make your polyps close 2 cut the area the one you want to frag with the razo blade or a craft knife 3 now you have to cut under the fragging part of the colony , but you need to cut a layer of the rock and not the zoa flesh 4 glue the bottom of your frag to the rock or shell 5 if you want to trim some thing on the large rock which you dont whant to take out of the tank you can try to cut and scrape it with the kent marine algae scraper zoanthids are the best in the massive colonys so let them be your joy`garden

10-02-2006, 07:07 PM	#14
LeslieS Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,946 Reefer Ratings: (9) Friends: (11)	thanks guys! I have a pretty good idea about the tools that I will need for this. I do like the big mat look, but they have completely covered their rock. I want to frag some from the middle to give one of the other colors a chance to grow as they are being crowded out.

10-03-2006, 08:04 AM	#17
Spracklcat Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 101 Reefer Ratings: (1) Friends: (0)	Yup or if you go to a craft store they have wood carving /linoleum carving "blades" for an X-Acto handle--they are like a fine chisel where the end of the blade looks like a crescent if you look at it end-on, so it scoops up nice and is about the right size too. Christine