What is the best way to attach frags to rock and with what ?

well i attach sps and lps's with super glue gel and softies usually with rubberbands or pins.

zip ties work for me :) on soft stuff, otherwise super glue gel for SPS

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=426&stc=1&d=1152476484

does any one use epoxy, what kind?

i use super glue gel. it works really well for me except for in my experience i have had to let the peace heal where i cut it so i could glue it. everything i tried it soon after i fragged something the glue wouldnt stick because of a mucus that was coming out of the cut. but super glue gel works really well for me. the brand i use is duro quick gel.

does any one use epoxy, what kind?

frags are usually mounted on a piece rubble or peg with the super glue gel.......the product is later mounted on a greater piece of rock in the aquarium, sometime being held in place with putty that is the result of the 2 part epoxy. the most common 2-part epoxy found in lfs is SEATEST"s HOLD-FAST.

Epoxy can be used, but its best not used directly on coral tissue, as it has been known to cause TRN and or bleaching, where super glue is fine

how long should i let the glue cure before putting the frag back in my tank?

if you use super glue gel. within maybe 20 seconds. or less. i usually wait that long at the most. it dries pretty quick..

Just be careful to not touch the glue while holding the frag mount. I got my finger caught!

water will activate the glue's outer surface. the superglue gel with begin harden once it touches water. coral farmers will drizzle water onto the glue once they are satisfied the the frag is in the proper spot.

water will activate the glue's outer surface. the superglue gel with begin harden once it touches water. coral farmers will drizzle water onto the glue once they are satisfied the the frag is in the proper spot.
that is exactly what i do,
set the frag, hold it there for about 10 seconds, use a dropper and get it wet, then place it in my holding container for transport back to the frag tank...

i need to get a video on this soon.. ;)

i got some zoos, (just 3) on a little piece of rock the size of my finger nail, and i just set it on top of another rock, with no glue. ive yet to see if it will stick or not.
as for my mushrooms, you guys will probably think im crazy.i bought 3, (1 big one and 2 little ones). and they came on this big ugly plug, that i didnt want in my tank. So i scraped them off with my knife, and set them in among the rocks at the bottom. the next day, the big one had moved down about an inch or two, and kind of wedged itself into a little crack. the little one disapeared when i droped it, and i havnt seen it since. i dont know what happened to the other little one. But the big one seems to have attached itself and is doing great, and theres even another little guy sprouting up next to him. however, i dont know effective this is with other stuff, maybe i just fluked out. they were my first frags, and i didnt really know what to do with them, so i just tryed it and it worked.
I have heard of using super glue, but i was concerned it wouldnt stick to a wet rock. Or what can you do if you cant remove the rock from the tank?

that is exactly what i do,
set the frag, hold it there for about 10 seconds, use a dropper and get it wet, then place it in my holding container for transport back to the frag tank...

i need to get a video on this soon.. ;)

this is exactly what i do also !! on something like a mushrooms and zoanthids you can try to get a small piece of the rock and glue the rock to the rubble of frag plug.

Rob, i have the videos on my camera ...BUT for some reason my camera wont transfer to my computer. i have someone coming over to help me figure it out, and will get a couple of the videos to you as soon as we get this camera issue resolved.

Well my best experience is with softies. There are 6 methods that I use:

1. My favorite for placement on a display is the sewing method. Take a sewing needle and fishing string and poke the needle through the coral allowing plenty of room for attachment and tie it to a piece of rock, but be careful if you tie it too tight you’ll cut through it. When the coral has attached just cut the fishing string and pull it out through the hole it came in.
2. Hang on container method use one of the hang on container that you use to transport fish in. Drill A LOT of #2 (about the size of air line) holes in it on all 4 sides leaving the bottom intact. Now put a couple of pieces of rubble in it and drop you frags in they will find a place to attach in about 3-4 days once they have settled where they will most likely attach place the container in an area where it will get some good flow and wait in about 2-3 weeks they will be ready. Good for xenia, colt and mushrooms. Remember the xenia will attach anywhere it feels like and could attach to the side of the container so watch it the first couple of hours. This is good if you only have a few frags.
3. The rubber band method take 2 pieces of rubble and wrap 1 or 2 rubber bands around them then place the softie between the rubble in the “pinch point” and drop it in the tank. They will attach between the rubble pieces. This method is good if you are growing up the coral because the coral has to be well attached to support both pieces of rubble. This is really good for xenia, tree coral, and devils hand. Though I prefer the first two.
4. I also have a rubble bottom frag tank it’s just a 10 gal. Fed from my main system with a PC on top. In my opinion this is the best method very low stress. Just drop the frag in and wait. In about a week or three it’s attached to a piece of rubble read to be put in a display or sold. This method work best for mushrooms and colt coral, be sure to use a sponge on the intake of any power head and to the bulkhead, while the frag is floating around before it settles down it WILL find a way to get eaten by any impellers you have.
5. the toothpick method (thanks rob) same concept as the sewing method except use a plastic toothpick and lance the coral then using a rubber band wrap the rubber band around the rock and attaching at the front and back of the toothpick to hold it in place.
6. Heading them off at the pass. This is the easiest method for encrusting coral (star polyps, and zoanthids) just place some pieces of rubble around it and the coral will eventually cover them, when it has remove the rubble and place new ones in it’s place. I use this for controlling my GSP by removing the rubble every so often I keep it from getting everywhere.

Now for the actual fragging.

Xenia: if you allow it they have a tendency to split themselves especially if you have a piece of rock closer to your light they will climb onto the higher rock leaving a small piece behind. I personally cut a branch off and place it in a rubble tank leaving the base intact. You can get the most out of it this way but they take longer to grow up.

Mushrooms: I will cut the head off at the base leaving the footing attached to the rock then I will take the head or plate and cut it like a pie (into several triangle pieces or in ½ depending on it’s size) making sure to keep a piece of the center with each new section. Then put it into a rubble tank or using the sewing method.

Leathers, Trees, Colt coral, and Devil’s hand: all are branching coral I prune these like you would a tree. Cut a piece off about a quarter of the way up from the base.

BE CAREFUL on how much you frag and of what at one time a lot of coral can emit chemical in defense if you cut a lot off of one or a lot of little ones at one time you can really mess things up. I do a little every couple of days working my way around the tank.

Like all coral softies are a colony of organisms not a single being the smallest piece could potentially form a new colony. If you leave the base intact they will grow back do don’t be afraid to try. Kind of like the Doritos’s commercial says “frag all you want we’ll make more.

BE CAREFUL on how much you frag and of what at one time a lot of coral can emit chemical in defense if you cut a lot off of one or a lot of little ones at one time you can really mess things up. I do a little every couple of days working my way around the tank.

Like all coral softies are a colony of organisms not a single being the smallest piece could potentially form a new colony. If you leave the base intact they will grow back do don’t be afraid to try. Kind of like the Doritos’s commercial says “frag all you want we’ll make more.

FAMA magazine has an article in it his month that discusses these and other methods in it. It’s a good article if you are interested you should pick up a copy

And as always keep asking here the knowledge base of this group is very extensive. Someone will always be able to help or point you in the right direction.

I have successfully attached coral to an aragonite plug using super glue and other techniques. I have these plugs (Coral Conservation & Reef Aquarium Care: Coral Propagation Plugs (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15523&Ntt=plug&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1))

I have several questions:

1. What is the little hole on the plug for? To help glue better set?
2. How do you actually attach a plug onto a piece of larger live rock? Apart from wedging which isn't so secure, how would you do it?

I been recently trying to use the peg technique (by drilling holes and using hard airline tubing). I have some small SPS frags attached to plugs that I would like to peg. I was thinking about using a Dremel to shave up off the bottom of the peg so it's more flat, and then gluing some airline tubing to the bottom of the plug piece. Any better ideas?

Thanks
Conrad

Conrad,

I attach my frags to LR rubble so much of what I am going to say is speculation. My guess on the hole is for people who "plant" frags by sticking them cut side down into the hole. (I prefer to mount mine horizontally, I think you have quicker healing and better growth.)

I have most often seen the plugs used in rack type deals. I suppose that you could stick then on to LR with epoxy. I don't see why you couldn't shave the bottom off.

a lot of good suggestions! the only thing i wanted to bring up is that using the glue on coral heats up when it starts curing so i usually dip it in the water while holding it on the rock. i usually hold it for about 30-40 seconds. soft corals work well with the wedding Vail netting also....good luck

well i've been trying to attach a mushroom onto a rock for some time now, it just doesn't want to hang on to anything. I'm currently trying the rubberband technique, and i'll see what happens. i dont want to cover it's mouth, but the band slids over it after time. is there anything else i can do?

try using the netting technique. you can use wedding Vail from craft or fabric stores, or i have used the plastic bath scrubby for bathing. you can get them cheap from any store. just take the string off and cut a piece to fit. you put the netting over the shroom and rubber-band it loosely to the rock securing the mushroom with the net against the rock and in 3-4 days time it should be attached very well. give it a try it does work.:)

The other thing that I have done is put them in a cup with rubble rock. I only ever had a "problem" with this once when the 'shroom decided to attach to the cup instead. :)

haha, both very good ideas, i'll try them and see what works