Do you remove your acropora frags from the plug?

[teethdoctor23]

Hey everybody, do y’all remove your acropora frags from the frag plug and glue them directly on the rock to encrust? Or let them encrust the plug? I’ve heard mixed responses regarding this topic.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Not a real fan of the frag plug look on my rock work. I almost always snap off the plug post but if the frag tissue has already begun to encrust onto the plug, I let that be, mount it knowing it will be covered hopefully soon.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I used to cut the stem off the plug and glue it on the rock. Now I saw it or pry it off the plug.

 

[teethdoctor23]

I used to cut the stem off the plug and glue it on the rock. Now I saw it or pry it off the plug.

So you glue the plug directly onto the rock? Or you remove the acro frag from the plug

 

[homer1475]

Depends really.

I always remove frags from plugs when I receive them, then leave on my rack for a while. When I go to mount them on my rock, depending on size, and if it's fully encrusted the plug or not, is usually the deciding factor on whether I remove the plug or not.

With that said. I always snap the leg off the plug, and mount the disk to the rock.

 

[exnisstech]

I have done both but recently started snipping the frag off the plug and gluing it to the rock. This was after I discovered how nicely a $16 pair of bone cutters will snip it of right at the plug nice and flush. Whish I had bought a pair a few years ago. The plugs I did mount I always removed the stem first.

 

[teethdoctor23]

Have y’all noticed a difference in growth regarding removing the frag plug?

 

[homer1475]

If I remove the plug, it takes a while to see any vertical growth as the coral needs to "base out" first. Other then that, no.

 

[ReefMasta]

Most of the time

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

You should always remove them from the plug bc the they are a great hiding place for pests. I remount them on a new upside down frag plug.

 

[homer1475]

And thanks to @Charlie’s Frags I have been mounting mine upside down too.

 

[ScottB]

I echo @Charlie’s Frags suggestion to remove. While the pests can be killed with a good dip, the EGGS will not be disturbed. The eggs are not on live flesh but on the plug, glue or putty crevices. Very hard to spot. With my eyes anyway, you need a 10X lit mag lens to see them.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

You 2 finally figured out how to signal me

 

[ScottB]

You 2 finally figured out how to signal me

I cannot type it in for some reason. It just won't show up in the pull down list. Like ur trying to ghost me or something.

So I just copy/pasted the effective link in the prior post. Lo & behold!

 

[homer1475]

You 2 finally figured out how to signal me

I copy/paste your nick. typing it out, always calls out someone name charlie. lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good idea. I typically leave mine on plugs

 

[teethdoctor23]

I’m getting some frags today, not super expensive ones, and I’ll be testing removing some from the plugs and leaving others on. Will update

 

[Dorado]

I always remove the frag plug completely unless the frag has encrusted. If that happens, I chop off the stem and cut off exposed pieces of the disk right up to where the encrusting starts with bone cutters. Then I cover any remaining exposed area of the plug with glue right up to the encrusting line. I also do this with LPS, “paint” super glue on the skeleton right up to the flesh.

 

[Jared Bryant]

Both. If encrusted the plug disappears quickly and I just leave it.

 

[biecacka]

@Charlie’s Frags & @homer1475 - why are you mounting them on the plug upside down? I have a few frags I bought from another person and they were mounted that way.
curious…..


corey