Anyone use softies to cover coral plugs/base of LPS?

[kgoldy]

I'm curious if anyone out there goes through the effort of adding frags of zoas or other fast growing coral to make the frag plugs at the base of branching LPS look nice...

 

I've just picked up a few branching torch and hammers, and figured a zoa covered plug and skeletal base would look pretty nice.

 

Picture some of these-

(Mr Coral's pic)

 

Covering the plug for this-

(Lone-star Aq.'s Pic)

 

 

So has anyone done this? What combos have you tried? Got pics? At the moment I don't have anything large enough to frag and put on my plugs... But it's something I'd like to do in the future when I do begin to frag and sell my stuff.

[kgoldy]

bumpity

[xerophyte_nyc]

bumpity

 

I hate bases and plugs. When possible, I like to separate the coral frag from the plug as soon as I get it. Usually all it takes is a firm knife to wedge it off. I only keep the frag attached if I feel the coral needs some time to grow out larger before separating it.

 

The plugs add unnecessary bulk to the rock-scape.

 

As for adding zoas, it would look nice initially but as the coral grows out it may smother the undergrowth.

[Daleo]

I would think that that torch/frogspawn/hammer would sting the zoas

[_Mitch_]

I would think that that torch/frogspawn/hammer would sting the zoas

 

Agreed. Also if you're patient the frag plug will either be covered in coralline or the coral itself, if you wait long enough. I personally don't love buying frags though for this reason... unless it's a really fast growing coral like GSP or Xenia.

[Flying Bones]

Agreed. Also if you're patient the frag plug will either be covered in coralline or the coral itself, if you wait long enough. I personally don't love buying frags though for this reason... unless it's a really fast growing coral like GSP or Xenia.

 

If you don't buy frags??? how do you get frags?

[_Mitch_]

If you don't buy frags??? how do you get frags?

 

I'd rather get a mini-colony then a frag. I'm just too impatient to watch a frag grow, unless it's fast growing, I can't afford it, or I'm experimenting.