How best to cut DFS square fired ceramic plug?

[Yedgy]

I just took delivery of a captive grown purple Asterospicularia frag from LiveAquaria. It came mounted on a large square plug that is apparently made of a porous fired ceramic. Here's a (nighttime) photo of it sitting on the sand bed:

As you can see, the plug is way bigger than it needs to be for this frag and I am hoping I can cut the plug down to a reasonable size prior to epoxying it to the rockwork. Does anyone have any tips on how to cut this huge plug? I have a hacksaw and a pair of nippers, but I'm not too keen on submerging either of these in my reef tank. :hmm2: Should I just take the frag out of the tank and have at it with a hammer and chisel?

Hopefully this little itty bitty frag grows up to be a beautiful coral soon! I haven't seen any discussion of this genus on these boards so I'll be happy to post a pic or two once it opens up.

 

[Psirex]

I would just leave it - eventually it will match the color of the rest of your rock work where it is attached... won't take long

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

i would take it out and use a dremel with a diamond saw blade to cut the plug to shreds...leave just enough to glue it to the rocks, it will encrust and cover quicker that way...

IMHO, the large square plugs and ceramic tiles etc used to mount frags look terrible, even once encrusted they are still square, and i am sorry but nothing in nature is perfectly square or round...i personally snap/pry/cut the frags off the plugs and mount directly to rubble that is easily attached to my rocks.

 

[Yedgy]

I have the same thoughts regarding the shape of the plug; it may be a year or two before the stalk is thick enough to hide the ugly square.

I do have a Dremel now that I think about it. Hopefully the porous ceramic won't shatter into a million pieces when the blade hits it.

 

[philosophile]

I got one from the divers den a few months ago, same plug and everything. I waited about a month before I pulled it out and dremeled the heck out of the block. I got it pretty thin too. Then I glued the sliver to a piece of rock.

 

[philosophile]

Here's mine before anyone asks for a pic. You can see how thin I got it before I got too nervous.

 

[OodleyBoodely]

another option would be to glue natural rubble bits to the tile to hide it. then glue it into place.