Trim, prune and or shape MontiCap help

[Dj City]

Hello,

I have a pretty large red/orange MontiCap. It has grown in a crazy way but I think it's mostly from getting broken several times.

I had to Reboot my system. New sand, removed a LOT of existing rock. I removed my monticaps and other corals to a tub so I can work on the tank and of course pieces of it broke again but it's still pretty large.
A good thing is some of the underside that was getting no light is now exposed so I'm expecting that to color back up in time.

My question is about trimming it and reshaping it (if possible).

It's no where near round and has a crazy growth pattern. As it is now, mounting it onto a new rock is not really going to work the way I would like.
Can I take a dremmel and reshape it? My thought is to maybe break some pieces off to get a usable size and general shape then use the dremmel on the large colony. Not to cut it but to slowly grind it down to a shape I'm happy with. kinda like sanding a piece of thin wood to a specific shape.

Would this work?

Here is a pic of the MontiCap in the tub along with a giant Hollywood Stunner.

Now that I think about it, I wonder if I could trim the Hollywood Stunner in pretty much the same way?

When it's all said and done, I plan on gluing some red monticap to some green monticap and seeing how they grow but first, I want to get my corals in some kind of usable shape.

Thank's in advance.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

A lot of folks trim their Monti caps they tend to grow really quickly and can impact other corals, so a good trimming the same way you mow your lawn is needed every once in a while.

I'd be careful with the Dremel, they are very susceptible to saltwater corrosion and you might tear it up. I would try some bone cutters first though it may not be as precise.

 

[Dj City]

A lot of folks trim their Monti caps they tend to grow really quickly and can impact other corals, so a good trimming the same way you mow your lawn is needed every once in a while.

I'd be careful with the Dremel, they are very susceptible to saltwater corrosion and you might tear it up. I would try some bone cutters first though it may not be as precise.

I thought of bone cutters but wont they break pieces of the Monti Cap off rather than shape / mold the coral to a shape I want?

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I thought of bone cutters but wont they break pieces of the Monti Cap off rather than shape / mold the coral to a shape I want?

Yeah they will make chunks instead of cuts, but with my monti caps I've been able to get pretty good shape with smaller, more diligent cuts.

 

[Dj City]

Yeah they will make chunks instead of cuts, but with my monti caps I've been able to get pretty good shape with smaller, more diligent cuts.

Could I do the same with the Hollywood Stunner? I would love to trim it back to be not quite as large as it is right now.

 

[KrisReef]

I've "drop-trimmed" both monti caps and stunners more often than I can count. As far a shaping them, I would recommend you just select a moderate sized frag for the location and let the coral grow into it's new location. Trying to trim and shape these fast growing-fan like- corals has never worked the way I would like. These things grow according to the currents and light and their own idea of where they want to fit in.

Use frags in your tank and trade the rest with reef-buds or the LFS! (Swapping coral fragments, that's the foundation of the 'Reefer's Code.')

 

[speedstar]

Diamond band saw.

 

[Dj City]

I've "drop-trimmed" both monti caps and stunners more often than I can count. As far a shaping them, I would recommend you just select a moderate sized frag for the location and let the coral grow into it's new location. Trying to trim and shape these fast growing-fan like- corals has never worked the way I would like. These things grow according to the currents and light and their own idea of where they want to fit in.

Use frags in your tank and trade the rest with reef-buds or the LFS! (Swapping coral fragments, that's the foundation of the 'Reefer's Code.')

Good to know I can play with the Stunner as well.

I'm going to try to shape the corals the way I would like them to be but I will have VERY decent sized frags when I'm done. Truth be told, I have VERY decent frags right now!
Guess I will be going to the LFS when I'm done to trade and sell.

 

[Dj City]

Diamond band saw.

I don't have a diamond "band saw" but I DO have a diamond cutter for my dremmel. Will that work better than trying to cut larger parts off then grinding to desired shape?

 

[speedstar]

I don't have a diamond "band saw" but I DO have a diamond cutter for my dremmel. Will that work better than trying to cut larger parts off then grinding to desired shape?

I'm betting being handheld you will get more of a bounce shock effect and make frags anyhow. I have never tried it free hand dremel. Always used just bone cutters, or diamond band saw for chalices etc

 

[HB AL]

I just break pieces off with my hand to keep them under control and trade the pieces into my lfs, trying to shape them with a dremmel and such the shape is gonna not last much as they will just regrow in no time to whatever shape the lights and flow dictates.