Help: Attaching Frags

[DaveTheReefGeek]

Hello everyone,
I am fairly new to the reef scene, just combated my first type2 infestation of flatWorms (yippie!). Well, not that exciting... but anyway...

I have searched various threads to find out a step by step process of "attaching frags" to rock. I am still unclear as to the step by step process. All I know thus far is; to some capacity "superGlue" is involved.

In the past I have tried a couple different things recomended by my local reef store. One of those recomendations were a long tube of grey(inside)-green(outside) putty, which you smush together with your hands and it hardens, even under water. I tried this stuff several times and not once did it stick! (used it to try and stick hammer coral shafts to live rock)

So... after several failed attempt leaving me with frustration, I decided to just wedge the frags (stems of hammers) into crevasses and holes of live rock.

This is the process I have used for most of my corals, with others this is not possible.

If anyone could steer me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanking you in advance,
David.

[DaveTheReefGeek]

BTW... I have noticed that some ppl's avatar images are larger than others, is there any way for me to increase the size of mine?? thx.

[ckusnierek]

Get yourself some GEL super glue. while keeping the flesh of the coral moist lightly dry the rock and base of the coral. using the Glue attach the frag. I dip it in water to set the glue faster...

HTH

[YLChik]

Dave,

take whatever your frag as attached to nd put a GENEROUS amount of superglue gel on it- place it in the spot you want and CRAM it in place - this is NOT a gentle process. You need to break teh skin on the super glue that formed once it hit the salt water. Hold for a few seconds and let go.

It also helps if you prefit to make sure that there will be several points of contact between your frag and it's new home.

with the 2 part epoxy you are going for more of a "cradle" then a stick- you want to make sure that it won't fall so you surround it with the epoxy - coraline grows over it fairly fast so you won't have to look at it too long.

hth

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by DaveTheReefGeek

BTW... I have noticed that some ppl's avatar images are larger than others, is there any way for me to increase the size of mine?? thx.

Use a resizing progrm for your photo to marginally resize the pic to a size you like (if you go too big, it will not fit). Many image resizing programs out there, one is found in Microsoft Office now as part of the Microsoft package (see Microsoft Office Picture Manager, for example). Many freebee shareware packages as well.


Welcome to TRT!

[snazlord]

Originally Posted by ckusnierek

Get yourself some GEL super glue. while keeping the flesh of the coral moist lightly dry the rock and base of the coral. using the Glue attach the frag. I dip it in water to set the glue faster...

HTH

this assumes you can remove the live rock to which you want to attach the frag from the tank - you can't always do this, especially if the piece of rock is supporting other rocks above it, or has other corals already on it.

i assume it will work the same way all underwater?

[Fly Guy]

Originally Posted by snazlord

i assume it will work the same way all underwater?

yes and no......its a learned skill

for super glue gel working underwater you need to put a good glob of it whee you wnat the frag and make sure to get it down into crevices even if this means you need to smear it there with something...then if after smearing you dont have enough glue left put soem more on top fo it.....then kind of wiggle the frag down in and hold it for 15 seconds or so until it holds.

for larger stuff underwater aquamend is needed and the same getting it into the cracks method is abxolutely necessary. then you put the frag in the aquamend and push the aquamend up around the frag tightly

for roack that can be removed fr0om the tank.......i prefer to peg them. drill 1/8" opr so holes in the rock at angles you could never balance anything. then you glue small stiff airline(or cut up fishing rod or teeth from combs you steal from your wife etc. whatever) to pieces of rubble or frag plugs...then yo simply stick them in the holes and can mount frags everywhere int he tank at anyangle you want. no gluing in the tank necessasry

[DaveTheReefGeek]

Thank you everyone for your replies!
David.

[crvz]

Originally Posted by Fly Guy

for roack that can be removed fr0om the tank.......i prefer to peg them. drill 1/8" opr so holes in the rock at angles you could never balance anything. then you glue small stiff airline(or cut up fishing rod or teeth from combs you steal from your wife etc. whatever) to pieces of rubble or frag plugs...then yo simply stick them in the holes and can mount frags everywhere int he tank at anyangle you want. no gluing in the tank necessasry

I employee this technique with relative success, though I find I've never enough holes in my rock structure to stick my corals.

[Fly Guy]

Originally Posted by crvz

I employee this technique with relative success, though I find I've never enough holes in my rock structure to stick my corals.

isnt that what the drill is for??

[crvz]

Originally Posted by Fly Guy

isnt that what the drill is for??

Most of the rocks in the tank aren't removeable... I drilled them all before I added water. Now I find that I could have drilled 2-3 times as many and been happier about it.

[Fly Guy]

Originally Posted by crvz

Most of the rocks in the tank aren't removeable... I drilled them all before I added water. Now I find that I could have drilled 2-3 times as many and been happier about it.

gotcha.

I was in the same boat just the other day....

I just pulled all of the rock out of my 225 and reaquascaped recently......I riddled the rocks with holes this time.....

[DaveTheReefGeek]

Thank you everyone for all of your wonderful input!
I would not for a second thought that gel super glue would be non toxic in the water column and able to be applyed under water. Chris, great idea re: pre-drilling live rock, I would have never thought of it. Is it possible to overdrill?

One last question to who ever may have the answer;
"frag plugs"... other than using LR rubble, I have notices some people using small white disks with what looks like air tube, or grey disks with a stubby post for mounting the frags. Are these items purchased or made? If they are made, could someone explain the process and materials used?

Thanks!

[crvz]

Originally Posted by DaveTheReefGeek

Chris, great idea re: pre-drilling live rock, I would have never thought of it. Is it possible to overdrill?

With the smaller holes (1/4"), probably not. I find larger holes a little too noticable, but holes that size just sort of blend in to the rocks.

[tdwyatt]

http://www.saltycritter.com/frag-glues-disks.htm