• Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.

i think i just stink at mounting frags..

So i have this problem with mounting frags.. i am just not good at it.. finding the proper placement of the coral, removing it from the plug to mounting it to the rock work.. i have just had bad luck with it all around and have lost corals on ocassion because they werent properly mounted or would come lose and fall to the sand bed.. ive tried the 2 part puddy epoxy, the various gel super glues, the epoxy glue combos.. im just struggling with it i look at my tank and go hmmm i want to make this tank look nicer i want to mount these corals nicely but then i try and i get fusterated and ham handle a coral and feel im gonna damage it or stress it out and give up.. i need a mentor in this process any one care to teach me the art of rock work and coral mounting
 

Trio91

Administrator
Staff member
Moderator
I use IC Gel and have never looked back. IC-Gel Insta Cure Cyanoacrylate Gel - Bob Smith Industries

Wet or dry, this stuff works great. I normally only use epoxy to hold rocks together. Just apply a generous amount around the corals base or frag plug, insert to your desired location and hold for a few seconds.

To remove an old plug, use either a coral cutter Oceans Wonders Coral Stony Bone Cutter or kitchen shears and either nip off the plugs stick or nip ofF the plug entirely
 
I superglue a lot... Make a pea size bubble using the most glue with the least amount of surface area because the surface dries quick. Be quick when submerging and pop that bubble of glue and smear it on the rock(you want to see glue sticking to the frag and area to be mounted) then hold for 30 seconds. If what your gluing is not balanced then be ready to prop until the glue dries.
 

DEL

Vice President
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
Moderator
IC gel for me as well. holds up even heavy corals

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

njtiger24 aquariums

Officer Emeritus
Article Contributor
I have not had luck with gluing so I use the Instant Ocean Hold Fast epoxy and it works well for me. Now I do not remove my frags from the plug. I cover the plug with the epoxy and then hold to the spot I want it for count of 7 to 10 and it normally good. Once in awhile I might have to do that a couple of times for a frag or two
 
Depending on weight and placement(flat or on angle ) I use Bob Smith and or Epoxy. The epoxy forms to surface area of rock and frag plug or frag and gives CA a bigger surface area to bite onto.
Just make sure you don't want to move a coral done this way because it takes the surface of the rock with it. You have to break it free.
 

Mark_C

Staff member
Officer Emeritus
NJRC Member
Moderator
Good timing. I just mounted about 15 frags with gorilla gel, a ton of it.
4 or 5 are in the sand already.
Ordered some Bob Smith today.
 
I use D-D epoxy / Seachems reef glue these days. Mostly chose that epoxy for the coralline color but it seems to work fine and stick ok underwater.
I think i improved a lot after realizing I could slow down and take more time
 
Top