stupidly attached frag to rock and not plug

[codydemmel4]

so I stupidly attached a frag to a frag and glued it in place. well now I am moving my tank soon and I will probably redo the aquascape and these frags branched out at leats 2-3 inches on the base. is the only option to cut it and lose the base or what else have you guys done? I know from now on I will at least use a 2 inch flat plug so I at least don't lose all the base and hopefully don't stunt the growth a lot.

I also am wondering how much I will stunt the growth by losing the base and just keeping everything else. these are all acroporas and milleporas I am talking about. Most of them rainbow too so I want to lose as less as possible.

I am also thinking that it may make sense to cut them now and let them heal for 1-2 months before doing it right before the move. What do you guys think and what would you do?

 

[Pife]

Hammer and chisel works sometimes.

 

[undertai]

Or hammer and flat head screwdriver, if not chisel

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk

 

[codydemmel4]

Or hammer and flat head screwdriver, if not chisel

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk

Hammer and chisel works sometimes.

Do you guys try to get under the base and pretty much frag the rock and the coral or are you just saying screw the base and just chiseling by center and getting just the upwards growth?

 

[Sk8r]

Depends on coral, but plastic dinnerware knife might pop it loose.

 

[Pife]

I've done both but typically try and destroy more rock than coral.

 

[joshbrookkate]

I use a bottle opener to dislodge a frag from rock. The pointy end and angle works well for getting underneath the frag.

 

[codydemmel4]

These are two of the ones I will need to get off, I have another 3-4 like this.

 

[vinhle00]

Take the rock the corals are on out. set it on a well prepared clean table. use a dremel and or a band saw. cut around the encrusting area try getting all the corals while cutting little or thin as possible amount of rock Then if needed pop the remaining part off with a flat head or chisel.

 

[Flagg37]

Take the rock the corals are on out. set it on a well prepared clean table. use a dremel and or a band saw. cut around the encrusting area try getting all the corals while cutting little or thin as possible amount of rock Then if needed pop the remaining part off with a flat head or chisel.

+1 cut the rock.

 

[MichaelW]

I just broke as much off as I could when I tranfwred tanks, had some corals with over 4 inches diameter of entrusting. Got what I could but didn't worry too much about whats left behind, they all will entrust again.

 

[ColoReefer970]

I'd be breaking rocks with that much crusty

 

[codydemmel4]

so when I am breaking the rock as that's what im going to do since I am not going to be using this rock in my next tank so I am going to try to save as much as the base I can. How long would you guys say the coral can be out of the water in around 70 degree temperature basement with no wind, etc.

Around 20 minutes at a time?

 

[Pife]

I've had coral out for over an hour before, not that that is ideal. Keep a bucket of water handy and dunk it if it starts drying or use a spray bottle.

 

[codydemmel4]

I've had coral out for over an hour before, not that that is ideal. Keep a bucket of water handy and dunk it if it starts drying or use a spray bottle.

well I just did everything and fragged them to 2 inch plugs to give them time to recover till the move and they look good so far. none were out of the water longer then 10 minutes and its only been 3 hours and most almost have complete pe back. I also fragged a lot of them so they lost some color but I am hoping that should come back pretty fast

 

[Pife]

well I just did everything and fragged them to 2 inch plugs to give them time to recover till the move and they look good so far. none were out of the water longer then 10 minutes and its only been 3 hours and most almost have complete pe back. I also fragged a lot of them so they lost some color but I am hoping that should come back pretty fast

In glad you were able to save them. Great job. Pictures or it never happened.

 

[codydemmel4]

In glad you were able to save them. Great job. Pictures or it never happened.

I will post pictures when the lights turn on today. Certainly didn't save all the base but for how encrusted they were and where they were on the rocks I think I did a good job. I just a hammer and screwdriver and a hammer in chisel.