What is your preferred method for attaching frags to your rockscape?

[RichWise73]

Do you prefer gel super glue, epoxy, a combination of the two, holes drilled in your rock work, or some other technique to secure your frags to your rockscape?

If you have a favorite, can you explain why you prefer it over others?

 

[tzabor10]

BRS has a few videos on this. Use bone cutters to get the stem off. Create a pea sized epoxy and mix it using wet hands. Put super glue on the frag, then the epoxy pea, then super glue. Attach this to the rock

 

[twentyleagues]

I use a combination of the three honestly. I pre drilled a few holes. Also if there is a convenient hole to use I'll do that too. My favorite is holes though, its easier to remove the coral if its not something that is hard and encrusts over the frag plug and rock surrounding it for fragging. I love doing this with zoas just cut the mat around the plug and pull it out, drop a clean plug back in place and wait to do it again. Works well for euphilia too, just pull out the colony and frag a few heads put it back.

 

[RichWise73]

I use a combination of the three honestly. I pre drilled a few holes. Also if there is a convenient hole to use I'll do that too. My favorite is holes though, its easier to remove the coral if its not something that is hard and encrusts over the frag plug and rock surrounding it for fragging. I love doing this with zoas just cut the mat around the plug and pull it out, drop a clean plug back in place and wait to do it again. Works well for euphilia too, just pull out the colony and frag a few heads put it back.

That is a good idea with the Zoas. Never thought of that.

 

[Gman83]

A few of my rocks have pre-existing holes that I have utilized for ease of movement. Otherwise I just use super glue gel.

I stopped using epoxy when I tried to fix a rock structure that came loose maybe two years ago. It took more epoxy than mounting a frag would, but it really clouded up my water. I think it stressed my fish, and caused a brook outbreak. I can't blame it solely on the epoxy because back then I didn't QT fish either...but now I don't use epoxy and I QT, and I have avoided disease.

 

[RichWise73]

A few of my rocks have pre-existing holes that I have utilized for ease of movement. Otherwise I just use super glue gel.

I stopped using epoxy when I tried to fix a rock structure that came loose maybe two years ago. It took more epoxy than mounting a frag would, but it really clouded up my water. I think it stressed my fish, and caused a brook outbreak. I can't blame it solely on the epoxy because back then I didn't QT fish either...but now I don't use epoxy and I QT, and I have avoided disease.

I watched a video from Abe (Coral Euphoria on YouTube) and he drills holes into his rocks and makes his own frag plugs with long stems that fit into the holes. He can freely move the frags from one area to another if he needs to. I have thought of this idea for my next build but wonder about the hassle. Of course, the initial hassle may be well worth it in the long run.

 

[Manpeckz]

Reef Cement or die trying for me. I have trauma from putting frags in with epoxy lol

 

[Gman83]

I watched a video from Abe (Coral Euphoria on YouTube) and he drills holes into his rocks and makes his own frag plugs with long stems that fit into the holes. He can freely move the frags from one area to another if he needs to. I have thought of this idea for my next build but wonder about the hassle. Of course, the initial hassle may be well worth it in the long run.

I agree, I don't ever have the forethought to know where I would want something in 2-3 years. One of guys in the SBB thread made some frag clips (I think it was stoney, but I don't remember and I'm not going to search the 100's of pages), that were 3d printed. You drill a small hole, then insert the frag holder. I thought that was a great idea.

I've also seen people put concrete over egg crate to make racks. I've said I would incorporate something like that if/when I get a large tank

 

[Gtinnel]

BRS has a few videos on this. Use bone cutters to get the stem off. Create a pea sized epoxy and mix it using wet hands. Put super glue on the frag, then the epoxy pea, then super glue. Attach this to the rock

This is exactly how I do it too.

 

[topjimmy]

Brad nailer.

 

[twentyleagues]

I agree, I don't ever have the forethought to know where I would want something in 2-3 years. One of guys in the SBB thread made some frag clips (I think it was stoney, but I don't remember and I'm not going to search the 100's of pages), that were 3d printed. You drill a small hole, then insert the frag holder. I thought that was a great idea.

I've also seen people put concrete over egg crate to make racks. I've said I would incorporate something like that if/when I get a large tank

I did that in a 75g years ago. Made agracrete back panels with shelves, shelves had holes for frag plugs. Covered the back wall in zoas. Made fragging them really easy. Looked pretty cool, man made not real natural. If I did something like that again I would try to make it look more natural, less flat maybe add some rocks and maybe barnacles.

 

[merkmerk73]

Small ball of epoxy superglued to plug (or bottom of coral skeleton)

Then superglue that to rock

Only way I've ever been able to consistently get corals to stay. Epoxy alone won't do it, nor will superglue by itself (for me).

 

[MrGisonni]

Super glue gel. Frags with the stem removed glued to a small rock or shell, then to the scape.

 

[JayM]

Superglue gel. Holds well enough that frags can't get knocked over, but not so well that I can't twist them off if they need to be removed.

 

[JUSKIDN]

I use this 2 part epoxy from BRS. It’s very easy to work with and only takes a small amount. The other epoxy’s I’ve used seem to come apart while trying to mount frags. This kind also does not make my skimmer go crazy.

 

[Mabry]

I plan on trying something new on my next tank (soon). I've predrilled holes in numerous locations. I purchased 3 different styles of 3D printed portable frag supports both with stems that fit firmly into the holes and some that twist into the sand bed. A light meter will used to determine PAR at each of the multiple locations. Frags will be placed according to flow and PAR recommendations. I plan to purchase aquacultured frags from a nearby well known farm that utilizes the same lighting fixtures as I will be using. While portable, hopefully good planning will limit any movement. Once each coral is in its happy place, a more permanent mounting solution will be utilized.