Hello. Im new to reefing and I am struggling to attach new corals to my aqua scape. Is there a trick or product that will help with this. Thank you.
I have mounted hundreds of frags in my displays and this method seems to work best for me.
I prefer this method, especially when mounting several at one time. Get some two-part reef-safe epoxy and some super glue. You can use almost any type of gel superglue, but I find Two Little Fishies works the best. It isn't as cheap as regular gel superglue but it is THICK which is good.
I use this epoxy
This is the Two Little Fishies glue I use. It isn't cheap but you could probably buy it cheaper from other places.
Clean the area of rock with a toothbrush, etc where you plan on mounting the frag. Glue/epoxy sticks best if you eliminate as much algae and bacteria film as you can off of the rock. Knead the epoxy until it turns white. Use half of the epoxy and shape it into a pyramid, with the bottom being flat and the widest part. Take the other half and set aside. Do this outside of the aquarium. Put some superglue on the bottom of the epoxy pyramid and place it onto the rock area you cleaned. Gently push the epoxy down onto the rock to get a good foundation. Do not flatten it, as you need an area for the frag plug to mount onto. The following is a crucial step that enables you to mount large pieces with ease. Give the epoxy a couple of minutes to set on the rock before mounting the frag. If you go too early, then you will run into the risk of the plug peeling off of the epoxy due to the weight of the coral.
Cut the stem plug off, then pat the bottom dry onto a paper towel. Apply a small drop of superglue gel on the bottom of the plug. Put the epoxy you set aside onto the glue. Then put another drop of glue onto the epoxy so that it will bond with the epoxy. Now you can mount the frag with ease. Just make sure you give the epoxy a couple of minutes on the rock first. If you are unsure, then touch the epoxy, and it should feel a little stiff but not soft. If stiff but pliable, then you are good to go. This method is my go-to, especially when I'm mounting 10 or more corals at the same time. I will make 3 epoxy pyramids and use them all at once. This way, when the time is ready, I can just place 3 frags in at the same time instead of waiting a couple of minutes for each one.
If done correctly, then you should never have an issue mounting frags again. I use this method to mount corals sideways and almost upside down.