Post your favorite method of mounting SPS frags

[esmithiii]

I got some frags from Minh, and noticed that they were mounted differently from any that I had received before. I noticed also that they encrusted much better than the method that I used, and now as they are growing, they seem to really be shaping up nicely. I fragged a couple of shaded branches on my M. digitata tonight and I used his method. I will let you all know how it turns out in a few weeks.

I would like to hear as many different techniques for mounting SPS frags as possible as I am somewhat new to fragging SPS.

Thanks in advance,

Ernie

 

[liquid]

Personally, I like using rose holders from the local florist. Check out Tropicorium's website to see what I mean:

http://www.tropicorium.com/thard_corals.html

Works great and best of all, no glueing!

Shane

 

[kipreefer]

Plumbers epoxy and it quickly grows coraline algae over it.

 

[esmithiii]

Randy- How do you orient the frag on the rock?

All: If you have photos- even better!

Ernie

 

[kipreefer]

I usually put them on to hand size pieces of rock. I just take the frag i want dry off the bottom with a towel and dry of the spot im putting the frag on the rock. It also helps for the rock to be a little holey so the epoxy has something to grab onto. I get teh stuff at Home Depot for like 3 dollars a 12 inch stick of it. I have sometimes seen it bleach out the very bottom of the frag but i have used it on probable 20 frags and havent had one bleach out all the way yet. I think it works good personally but im not totally sure it is reef safe yet it has been working good for me so far. So use at your own risk and dont go through 2 sticks at once becasue it hardens under water and the epoxy will dry in teh tank so im sure it puts some bad stuff in the water. Sorry no pics i just got a scanner but it isnt hooked up yet.

 

[Anemone]

I like using superglue gel (although I've used the epoxy putty as well). Usually, I just glue the cut portion of the frag onto the rock, but Anthony Calfo's suggestion to orient the growing tip down (to speed enrusting, as well as allow quick healing/overgrowth of the broken/cut frag area) has me thinking I may experiment more wiht the next group I frag...

Kevin

 

[Anemone]

I hate board glitches....duplicate post...

 

[danmhippo]

Ernie, how's Minh's plug different from the one's you have seen before?

 

[Anonymous]

If I am putting the frag on rubble I usually drill or chip a hole in the piece of rubble so the end of the frag will fit in it. Then a dab of superglue gel in the hole and in goes the frag.

If putting it onto a larger rock or rock already in the tank I use some underwater epoxy.

Sometimes I do both.

What did Minh do?

 

[esmithiii]

Minh places the frag flat on a small rock and then uses fishing line and a special knot to secure the frag to the rock. In this way, the side of the frag starts encrusting to the rock and the ends start growing upwards.

I will attempt to post some photos.

Ernie

 

[danmhippo]

So all he needs is a very small section of cutting, enough to encrust upon a rock? The frag doesn't even need to have branching tips etc?

If the assumption are right, then his method takes longer from the time of cutting to "sellable" size, but yields larger quantities of frags?

 

[Anonymous]

I like to use superglue and glue them horizontally to a rock.

I find that by placing them horizontally, they encrust more on the rock, and begin to look like a colony sooner, because they send out little "shoots" from all up and down the frag, as opposed to when they are mounted vertically, they just keep growing up and it takes longer for them to branch out.

 

[esmithiii]

Jimmy- the ones I got from him were nice sized(wider than they were tall), but they were really well encrusted and have very nice shapes.

Ernie

 

[esmithiii]

UP!

 

[rbaker]

Ernie,

Can you post some pictures? If I lay a frag down sideways, doesn't it bleach out along the bottom?

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[esmithiii]

Ryan- the bottom encrusts to the rock. I will post some photos today.

Ernie

 

[rbaker]

Soo.... If I take a small Staghorn frag, say around 3" long, lay it on a rock and tie it with some fishing line, it will encrust onto the rock? How long before it starts to send up new tips?

I have a bunch of really tall, skinny frags that I wish were a lot wider...

Ryan

 

[esmithiii]

Ryan,

Minh is probably the one to better answer your question, but I will shoot some photos today.

The shapes are incredible, BTW. and there is no worry about the frag breaking off before it encrusts (a problem I have had when gluing the frag upright like a tree).

Ernie

 

[Garry thomas]

Hello smiffy mate GT here with my £1's worth, in britain there seems to be a lot of coral farms popping up fragging ect good website reefsuk lots on proping, fraging and a good reef forum chat line. anyway FRAGGING i like to use milliput 2 sticks like plasticene mix together reef safe! i cut the branch of acro off with side cutters and then push the frag into a little ball of milly and stick it directly onto the rock where u wont it, always works. Within a couple of days tissue starts to cover base after a fortnight or so it looks as if it bolongs there, I get better growth under 250 m/h than 150 but thats why i want to change my lights? also supply good water flow
GT s wales

 

[Anonymous]

Good thread Smiffy!

I would have never even thought about glueing a frag sideways as suggested in this thread. I've always just glued them like a tree. I'll try this next time I frag something.

Pics please! :wink:

Louey