Frag plug issues?

[ChuckNasty]

So as I'm sure most of you know, corals come on these frag plugs, mine in particular are circular discs, coral on top, with a cylinder-shaped plug on the bottom. This is a problem. There is no place where I can set my coral without it tipping over, I wanted to remove the coral from the plug, but I'm afraid I will wreck the coral. :hmm4: Any tips you veterans have learned to help me with?

Maybe this pic will show you what I mean.

 

[oldbones]

You can easily clip off the post and just set the disk on the rock.

 

[brettandlyndis]

if you're able to get the post part of the plug into a rock, great. if not then what oldbones said is perfect, clip off the post, and set the disk part on the rock. once you have found a good placement for the coral, and its doing well, you can then use aquarium grade epoxy to keep it in place.

 

[ChuckNasty]

See, I tried cutting it off with scissors, (kind of tough to do under water) but its like made out of stone, or something.. Very difficult to cut.

 

[heathlindner25]

I hate round frag plugs. The coral a lot of the time are just super glued on and easily removable with some bone cutters...I like to then reglue the frags to a small piece of rubble rock. this also eliminates any algae or hitchhiker issues.

 

[gone fishin]

I use my dremel to cut it off. Watch your fingers if you do this.

 

[NJAB]

+1^^^
Same here i use a dremel to cut off the posts but i buy the ceramic cutting bits less brutal on the fingers if you hit one. Also taking corals out of the water to cut the posts off is fine as well

 

[brettandlyndis]

tin snips also work well to cut the post off

 

[tennesseebob]

I like cable cutters,

I like cable cutters,

Ones like this

 

[JammyBirch]

Diagonal cutters here, grip it hard and give just a slight twist.

 

[JammyBirch]

Ones like this

Oh man banana cutters would be beast...I need to get some of those.

 

[tennesseebob]

Oh man banana cutters would be beast...I need to get some of those.

any ole hardware joint, got mine to replace the old ones that are now used for frag cutting at the Depot i think.

 

[Mark9]

Just use a knife to "pop" the coral off the plug.
If it's something like zoas or a kenya tree, just "scrape" it off the plug.
Then re-glue using super glue gel onto a rock.
Done this countless times, never lost a coral due to taking it off a plug.

 

[homer1475]

I just use a large pair of wire cutters. Simply snaps the "plug" end of the frag plug.

 

[JammyBirch]

I hate frag plugs as much as the next guy, i guess since i don't have a frag tank and on the recieving end not the selling/growing end. Anyway, i usually pop the coral off the plug.

My Zoas are still on the plug i couldn't get them off, tried everything, finally just placed it and waited a month or so until it grew over the plug. Can't tell now.

 

[TangingOut]

Lots of my frags have been popped off using a butter knife.

 

[oldbones]

Wouldn't the consumer end of the food chain be a lot happier with a "better" frag plug?

It would be easy enough. Glue a post to the appropriate sized piece of rock rubble, then glue the frag directly to the rock. It'll work in the propogator's frag rack, display well at the LFS, and stand up in the sandbed for acclimation in your tank at home. When ready to mount it, just snap off the post and attach to your rock with a dab-o-glue.

 

[JammyBirch]

they make better looking frag plugs now that look like rock but your idea is practivced by many hobbyists and it is way better.

 

[Mcgeezer]

Most corals will pop right off the plug. You can also just cut off the actual plug portion on the bottom and glue/epoxy the base to the rocks. This will help your frag encrust easily and form a solid foundation.

Don't worry about cutting the coral off the plug. It will recover quick.

 

[andrewq]

Box cutters work great, and Im new to the hobby. Just got to work it around the base. The glues a little harder to get off. Once you get it moving a little bit, it should come right off.