Fragging chalice

[Blackhawk Fan]

Ok, so of the 12 chalice frags I cut, four of them lost their flesh over the next couple days. I'm going to keep the skeletons as I've had this happen in the past on frags I bought and they came back.

My question is this, are there things you should do with the frags after you cut them? What is the best way to handle them? I dip them in Restor after I cut them for 5 minutes.

I'm using the DFS-100 bandsaw and it says to use RODI water to make the cuts. Should I use saltwater?

 

[JR's Reef]

I use saltwater from tank and add a bit of revive to it then I do a Iodine dip after I cut them.

 

[roshi719]

I try not to touch the coral flesh if possible. I handle it by the disk or plug. Also I try to pat some of the mucus on the underside off before I glue it down. Once it is back in some water I use a turkey baster to blow away the mucous before I put it back in the frag tank. I also try and keep them in lower flow for the first week or so.

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

Thanks Joey!

Funny you mention the mucus Morgan. One of the chalice that I cut for a friend was a mucus monster. Two of the four pieces I cut didn't make it on that one.

what do you use for the cutting? Saltwater or RODI?

 

[JNye]

good question, anyone who has tips could you also include your expected mortality rate after fragging. I am new to cutting these very small frags and i would put my rate ~ 25% like Mike's, I'd like to get that down ~ 5%.

 

[roshi719]

I used to use saltwaater, and for some things I still do, but mostly now I just let the water and mucous from the piece I am cutting do it.

I would say my mortality rate is about 5-10 %. There are some pieces I can cut a booger of without any issues and others that get mad at me for about 3 months if I even talk about the saw around them.

 

[droblack]

Saltwater, for sure. Where's those pics? :bigsmile:

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

Today Rob, I forgot... :nerd:

 

[gumby]

which chlice you cut mike?:wink:

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

which chlice you cut mike?:wink:

All kinds, but they are all sold. We will hook up this summer bro.

 

[gumby]

alright this summer for sure!

 

[Acrokeeper3729]

I would use saltwater for sure. Freshwater contact directly as its being cut just makes no sense. I would say my mortality rate is about 2% for chalices.

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

I was using RODI because the directions said so. I figured they were written by someone with knowledge of the hobby since this saw is made for it.

 

[Acrokeeper3729]

I hear you. I didn't mean to say your doing anything dumb, although it did kinda sound like I did. I am sure the directions say so in order to be less harsh on the actual bandsaw. Saltwater can be harsh on equipment but some of the chalices we cut are worth more then the saw so I would do whats less harsh on them and not so much the saw.

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

I didn't take it that way at all.
I appreciate your help. I will try it like Morgan does it and with saltwater to see which works best for me.

 

[Acrokeeper3729]

Cool, I use saltwater with my bandsaw all the time and have had only 1 loss so far and thats because it was just tiny. I think you will be surprised how much less loss you have. Good luck, sucks to lose any frags but chalice loss hurts that much more........

 

[skimmerman100]

how big is it? u can use a band saw or a dremel

 

[Acrokeeper3729]

I have used the dremel and can say for sure that once you use a bandsaw, you will never use a dremel for chalices again. You lose more of the piece with the dremel. With the bandsaw you can be so much more precise. If you have a large coral the dremel is fine but with smaller chalices and favias the bandsaw rocks.

 

[skimmerman100]

i saw a video on youtube of a guy using a razor blade and a hammer. i think he was from here and he also makes frag plugs with glue and live sand or crushed coral.

 

[amore169]

i saw a video on youtube of a guy using a razor blade and a hammer. i think he was from here and he also makes frag plugs with glue and live sand or crushed coral.

That was the Rev if I'm not mistaken.