Coral and live rock securement

[reefedandconfused]

I am hesitant to locking down my rock and corals permanently. I was wondering what this community recommends -

- Benefits from locking down my rock (it’s stable without glue

- Benefits of securing corals to rocks rather than moving them around. I am indecisive on where to place them

- should I remove the coral off the plugs or keep them on plugs and let to coral grow over and around the plugs

- Best product to securing corals to rock

- Best product to secure rock to rock

 

[Tonycass12]

Maxispec makes a fantastic 2 part coral putty. Used super glue on frag, add putty and a dab of super glue on the bottom of putty, hold to rock for 15seconds to let the super glue set up in the tank. You can also adhear your corals to plates. This gives them room to grow and still makes them easy to move. Putty breaks easily so it's not difficult to pop a coral off and move it before it's encrusted onto the rock.


If your rock is stable and you don't have any diggers that could shift things I wouldn't worry about gluing the rock.

Here is a shot of some of the 3x3 frag plates I like to use.

 

[Rjukan]

Only reason I would affix rocks to each other is if you're doing a zero gravity look, and I used pvc pipe as posts through the rock. If you search you will find what most use, I want to say JB Weld but that could be wrong.

Corals that aren't glued down or in frag racks on plugs will be moved around by tank inhabitants. You might be out for the day and come back to find your prized torch upside-down on the sand.

Depends, if it's a piece of rock that's glued to the plug then I'll pop that off with the coral still attached to the rock. But usually I'll just use bone cutters to chop off the plug part and glue the disc to the rocks. The coral will eventual grow over the edges and you'll never see it. Plus.. the glue isn't permanent, it takes a little force but you can pop them off.

I like Gorilla Glue gel. Great consistency and works well for me.

 

[reefedandconfused]

Maxispec makes a fantastic 2 part coral putty. Used super glue on frag, add putty and a dab of super glue on the bottom of putty, hold to rock for 15seconds to let the super glue set up in the tank. You can also adhear your corals to plates. This gives them room to grow and still makes them easy to move. Putty breaks easily so it's not difficult to pop a coral off and move it before it's encrusted onto the rock.


If your rock is stable and you don't have any diggers that could shift things I wouldn't worry about gluing the rock.

Here is a shot of some of the 3x3 frag plates I like to use.

Thanks for the info. Where do you get these plates and do they come in smaller sizes?

 

[reefedandconfused]

Only reason I would affix rocks to each other is if you're doing a zero gravity look, and I used pvc pipe as posts through the rock. If you search you will find what most use, I want to say JB Weld but that could be wrong.

Corals that aren't glued down or in frag racks on plugs will be moved around by tank inhabitants. You might be out for the day and come back to find your prized torch upside-down on the sand.

Depends, if it's a piece of rock that's glued to the plug then I'll pop that off with the coral still attached to the rock. But usually I'll just use bone cutters to chop off the plug part and glue the disc to the rocks. The coral will eventual grow over the edges and you'll never see it. Plus.. the glue isn't permanent, it takes a little force but you can pop them off.

I like Gorilla Glue gel. Great consistency and works well for me.

I’ve tried some cheap super glue with cyanoacrylate but had mixed results. I will give super glue a try. Probably leave the rocks unsecured since they don’t tend to move unless I do it purposefully.

 

[Rjukan]

I’ve tried some cheap super glue with cyanoacrylate but had mixed results. I will give super glue a try. Probably leave the rocks unsecured since they don’t tend to move unless I do it purposefully.

Yeah cheap doesn't work. You need gel, otherwise it's too watery to be effective. I like to put a good size glob on, then dip in the water, wait 10 sec or so, then put in the tank. When you are mounting it, you need to twist and slide it around a bit as the glue sets. Once you feel a little resistance, then you can get it in the final position you like and leave it be.

 

[Tonycass12]

Thanks for the info. Where do you get these plates and do they come in smaller sizes?

They are ocean wonders frag plates. Ive gotten them from BRS they come in 1,2 and 3"