I have a tank full of colonies and they were bought as colonies and looks like a reef. I do get a coral on a plug once in a while and let it grow. But I see many tanks here that are just plugs and to me it looks like a store rather than a reef. Are these temporary until they grow in or do people really like that look. And if you start from all plugs can you be that successful that eventually it looks like a reef.
Why do you have a tank full of plugs
- Thread starter basiab
- Start date
The answer is "yes" to all above.
Yes, the tank looks great when you buy large pieces and you have an instant reef.
Yes, the tank looks like a store with all them frag plugs.
Yes, some people may not be committed to having the frags long term.
Yes, some corals may need to be placed differently so having them movable is a plus.
And, yes, frags on plugs can be eventually a nice part of a reef.
Yes, the tank looks great when you buy large pieces and you have an instant reef.
Yes, the tank looks like a store with all them frag plugs.
Yes, some people may not be committed to having the frags long term.
Yes, some corals may need to be placed differently so having them movable is a plus.
And, yes, frags on plugs can be eventually a nice part of a reef.
- Location
- NY
Geeeeez, we believe you.....honest!!!! :spin:
swimmer
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
Because some of us dont like insta reefs. We like to see that we grew it ourselves and did it ourselves. I had many opportunities to buy cheap colonies but asked the person to frag me a small piece. Whats the fun of adding a colony? might as well buy a picture or a ornament and do that its the same thing. Now if your talking about someone who has eggcrate in their tanks and many frags on there thats a different story.
It's a 'glitch' in the system... If I delete 1, they all delete!
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
Like the Matrix. I think he is Neo
- Location
- NY
- Location
- Glendale,Queens.
What I find best is using a Dremel with a stone grinding bit and burrow out a hole in the live rock so the frag plug sits in the rock nice tight and flush with the surface of the rock...I hate the look of frag plugs.
- Location
- Howell, NJ
- Location
- smithtown, long island
I have grown tons of corals from small pieces, it's really rewarding but takes time.. I do have several colonies I have bought as well.. I have some corks that are 13 yrs old now (in my possession)
Cut the end off the plug and glue the flat pc on the rock work. Unfortunately not everyone has the money to spend on full colonies and especially the nicer pieces. But it sure makes me smile when i get a frag and i make it grow into a colony. Takes a while but its hard work that pays off
Tony what do you use to cut the plug part off?
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
Electrician dikes
i use coral bone cutter or dikes, they seem like the same tool to me.
dont try to cut the whole stem just pinch a little and it will snap off.
You can use something like this also to just snip the stem off the base of the round part. Witch then like tony said you can glue to your rock. cause you wouldnt want to disturb your coral by trying to lift if off the round part by taking it up by the Mat if there zoas.
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- Location
- Howell, NJ
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
Rob what did you find those in a ancient egyptian mine next to the hierglyphics LOL
After having read horror stories about frags "flying away" while applying pressure to an ORA plug to cut it, I only use a Dremmel equipped with a diamond blade like that one
I hate the look of plugs, so I do the following:
- If it is a softy: easy enough, take a knife and snap the glue between the glue and the plug
- If it is a non encrusted SPS: cut in the glue
- If it is an encrusted SPS: cut as much as possible.
After that, for softies I use cyanocrylate (krazy glue), for SPS: cyanocrylate and 2-part epoxy.
With regards to colonies versus frags. I was looking at my tank today and was pondering on growth. Pretty easy to figure out since Sandy was a "reset" and I restocked mostly at or around the fall frag swap. Well... even for slow growing corals like "strawberry shortcake" I am now seeing really nice new branches. Acroporas especially will spend a couple of months not doing much but encrust. But once encrusted, the branching starts and it becomes a mini-colony.
Even if you buy a mini colony, it will have to go through that encrusting phase. Is it worth the wait? I believe so, and I never had any plugs in my tanks, except when I am fragging!
I hate the look of plugs, so I do the following:
- If it is a softy: easy enough, take a knife and snap the glue between the glue and the plug
- If it is a non encrusted SPS: cut in the glue
- If it is an encrusted SPS: cut as much as possible.
After that, for softies I use cyanocrylate (krazy glue), for SPS: cyanocrylate and 2-part epoxy.
With regards to colonies versus frags. I was looking at my tank today and was pondering on growth. Pretty easy to figure out since Sandy was a "reset" and I restocked mostly at or around the fall frag swap. Well... even for slow growing corals like "strawberry shortcake" I am now seeing really nice new branches. Acroporas especially will spend a couple of months not doing much but encrust. But once encrusted, the branching starts and it becomes a mini-colony.
Even if you buy a mini colony, it will have to go through that encrusting phase. Is it worth the wait? I believe so, and I never had any plugs in my tanks, except when I am fragging!
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
All my encrusted SPS get cut at the base anyway and I throw the encrusted part in the trash. To many pests hide at the base. I would rather wait the 3 weeks for it to encrust again then to chance it
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