Corals on plugs

Gladmaker · 07/26/2017, 03:28 PM

I have several Zoas and a Meteor Shower Cyphastrea on plugs that I need to move from the sand to the rocks. I've successfully glued those that are on a small base to the rocks. How can I move those on plugs to my rocks?

Gladmaker · 07/27/2017, 07:21 AM

Anyone know how to do this? My rocks don't have holes big enough to put the plugs in. If I just lay them on the rocks, it doesn't look good and they will get knocked off.

AlSimmons · 07/27/2017, 09:16 AM

I would just cut the stem off with some wire cutters.

Reef Junkie · 07/27/2017, 11:27 AM

I second al's advice. I use wire cutters to clip the plugs off.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

DivingTheWorld · 07/27/2017, 11:38 AM

You have two options:

1. You can cut or break off the stems and glue the top of the plug to your rock. This works better for sps in my opinion because they will encrust over and you don't see the plug. With zoas, you still see some plug through.

2. Remove the zoas from the plug and glue them to your rock. I find the best way to do this is the same as I use for fragging. Use a scalpel to trim a thin layer off the top of the plug under the zoas, then glue that layer to your rock. Gluing zoas directly is difficult at best.

Gladmaker · 07/27/2017, 06:43 PM

Thank you for your ideas. I tried cutting the stem with wire cutters and it worked, but it left a good sized piece that will not look good on a rock. Diving's suggestion about using a scalpel to trim a thin layer off the top of the plug sounds like the result would be what I want except I don't understand how this can be done with a scalpel without ruining the scalpel before cutting through the layer.

DivingTheWorld · 07/27/2017, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gladmaker

Thank you for your ideas. I tried cutting the stem with wire cutters and it worked, but it left a good sized piece that will not look good on a rock. Diving's suggestion about using a scalpel to trim a thin layer off the top of the plug sounds like the result would be what I want except I don't understand how this can be done with a scalpel without ruining the scalpel before cutting through the layer.

A good quality stainless steel scalpel won't break. You won't be able to perform surgery anymore, but it will be just fine for fish tank work. I sharpen mine every once in a while, but it generally stays sharp enough. I have a normal sized one for scraping plugs and rocks and a little curved one for scraping out things like Bubble Algae. They came with a coral prop kit I bought off Amazon I think.

sde1500 · 07/31/2017, 08:18 AM

Could use an exacto knife to do it as well, thats what I use. But if you trim off as much of the plug as possible and glue it to the rock, that will work just fine. Not sure why there was the comparison for SPS though, sure they encrust, but zoa colonies expand as well and will cover the plug in time too.

Gladmaker · 08/01/2017, 10:29 AM

I bought an Exacto style Fiskars knife and tried to cut the plug. All I accomplished after about 5 minutes was just scratching the plug. I tried using my Rotozip with the same results. This coral was on a flat piece that had been glued to a plug. I tried to cut through the glue to remove it. Didn't work. Not happy with the results. I'll make sure none of the corals I buy from now on are on plugs. The stem does come off easily, but I don't like what is left.

sde1500 · 08/01/2017, 10:38 AM

Don't use a knife like that to cut the plug. Use wire cutters, same thing that cuts the stem. Or just leave the plug whole, that is what I usually do, they will grow over and cover the plug in time.

Gladmaker · 08/01/2017, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sde1500

Don't use a knife like that to cut the plug. Use wire cutters, same thing that cuts the stem. Or just leave the plug whole, that is what I usually do, they will grow over and cover the plug in time.

Yesterday you said you use an exacto knife. Wire cutters would have to be big to open wide enough to cut the plug. I would be concerned it would crumble the plug and damage the coral. It looks like I'll just have to be content cutting off the stem.

sde1500 · 08/01/2017, 11:31 AM

should have been more specific sorry, I use the exacto to cut corals completely off the plug.

Gladmaker · 08/01/2017, 11:41 AM

OK - so I'm just cutting the stem off and gluing that to the rocks. Hopefully they will eventually cover the plug.
Thanks for the input.

jkellyii02588 · 08/12/2017, 07:23 PM

Remove coral from plug and glue directly to rock, it will recover.

jkellyii02588 · 08/12/2017, 07:25 PM

Glued last night.

jkellyii02588 · 08/12/2017, 07:27 PM

Sorry here is photo

jkellyii02588 · 08/12/2017, 07:28 PM

Wow, here you go.

jkellyii02588 · 08/13/2017, 05:40 PM

This forum is dead.

abrooks12376 · 08/13/2017, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkellyii02588

This forum is dead.

This isn't your thread???

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Gladmaker · 08/13/2017, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkellyii02588

This forum is dead.

Why do you say it's dead?

Aresangel · 09/01/2017, 07:43 PM

An idea for you... rock is very brittle. Drill holes into your rock with a drill but the width of the plug. Little glue on the bottom if you want otherwise slide the plug in and the zoas will encrust over the gaps and spread to the rock to get your desired effect. Since you need to take the rock out anyways why not spend 30 seconds drilling it?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/26/2017, 03:28 PM	#1
Gladmaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 137	Corals on plugs I have several Zoas and a Meteor Shower Cyphastrea on plugs that I need to move from the sand to the rocks. I've successfully glued those that are on a small base to the rocks. How can I move those on plugs to my rocks?

07/27/2017, 11:27 AM	#4
Reef Junkie Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Somewhere, NY Posts: 6,595	I second al's advice. I use wire cutters to clip the plugs off. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ Bill "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." B.B. Current Tank Info: "Still" Living vicariously through cb747

07/27/2017, 11:38 AM	#5
DivingTheWorld Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: San Ramon, CA Posts: 1,963	You have two options: 1. You can cut or break off the stems and glue the top of the plug to your rock. This works better for sps in my opinion because they will encrust over and you don't see the plug. With zoas, you still see some plug through. 2. Remove the zoas from the plug and glue them to your rock. I find the best way to do this is the same as I use for fragging. Use a scalpel to trim a thin layer off the top of the plug under the zoas, then glue that layer to your rock. Gluing zoas directly is difficult at best. __________________ Current Tank Info: LeeMar Rimless (40x24x22), ATI 8x39 Dimmable w/Reefbrite XHO, 2x Vortech MP40w QD w/ Battery Backup, Apex Gold, Trigger Systems Ruby30S, Reef Octopus POV-DC1 w/Auto Waste Collector

07/31/2017, 08:18 AM	#8
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	Could use an exacto knife to do it as well, thats what I use. But if you trim off as much of the plug as possible and glue it to the rock, that will work just fine. Not sure why there was the comparison for SPS though, sure they encrust, but zoa colonies expand as well and will cover the plug in time too. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

08/01/2017, 10:38 AM	#10
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	Don't use a knife like that to cut the plug. Use wire cutters, same thing that cuts the stem. Or just leave the plug whole, that is what I usually do, they will grow over and cover the plug in time. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

07/27/2017, 07:21 AM	#2
Gladmaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 137	Anyone know how to do this? My rocks don't have holes big enough to put the plugs in. If I just lay them on the rocks, it doesn't look good and they will get knocked off.

07/27/2017, 09:16 AM	#3
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	I would just cut the stem off with some wire cutters.

07/27/2017, 06:43 PM	#6
Gladmaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 137	Thank you for your ideas. I tried cutting the stem with wire cutters and it worked, but it left a good sized piece that will not look good on a rock. Diving's suggestion about using a scalpel to trim a thin layer off the top of the plug sounds like the result would be what I want except I don't understand how this can be done with a scalpel without ruining the scalpel before cutting through the layer.

08/01/2017, 10:29 AM	#9
Gladmaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 137	I bought an Exacto style Fiskars knife and tried to cut the plug. All I accomplished after about 5 minutes was just scratching the plug. I tried using my Rotozip with the same results. This coral was on a flat piece that had been glued to a plug. I tried to cut through the glue to remove it. Didn't work. Not happy with the results. I'll make sure none of the corals I buy from now on are on plugs. The stem does come off easily, but I don't like what is left.

08/01/2017, 11:31 AM	#12
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	should have been more specific sorry, I use the exacto to cut corals completely off the plug. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

08/01/2017, 11:41 AM	#13
Gladmaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 137	OK - so I'm just cutting the stem off and gluing that to the rocks. Hopefully they will eventually cover the plug. Thanks for the input.

08/12/2017, 07:23 PM	#14
jkellyii02588 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Spring, TX Posts: 29	Remove coral from plug and glue directly to rock, it will recover.

08/12/2017, 07:25 PM	#15
jkellyii02588 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Spring, TX Posts: 29	Glued last night.

08/12/2017, 07:27 PM	#16
jkellyii02588 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Spring, TX Posts: 29	Sorry here is photo

08/13/2017, 05:40 PM	#18
jkellyii02588 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Spring, TX Posts: 29	This forum is dead.

09/01/2017, 07:43 PM	#21
Aresangel Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Leominster MA Posts: 62	An idea for you... rock is very brittle. Drill holes into your rock with a drill but the width of the plug. Little glue on the bottom if you want otherwise slide the plug in and the zoas will encrust over the gaps and spread to the rock to get your desired effect. Since you need to take the rock out anyways why not spend 30 seconds drilling it? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk