How to frag/remove chalice

[Clown79]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to safely remove a chalice from a rock?

 

My zoas are smothering my chalice and hammers. I  want to remove the rock completely from the tank but want to keep the chalice.

 

Any suggestions on safe removal?

[SliceGolfer]

Dremel tool and cut into the rock beneath the chalice. Or if your LFS has a coral saw, ask if they would cut the Chalice off as a favor or small fee?

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, SliceGolfer said:

Dremel tool and cut into the rock beneath the chalice. Or if your LFS has a coral saw, ask if they would cut the Chalice off as a favor or small fee?

During covid, we can't go into stores so it's pretty difficult right now. 

[SliceGolfer]

13 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

During covid, we can't go into stores so it's pretty difficult right now. 

Yes, I agree. But you asked for suggestions. And you didn’t say “I want to remove this Chalice today.”

 

I apologize for offending you and I’ll move along now. Good luck with your tank.

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, SliceGolfer said:

Yes, I agree. But you asked for suggestions. And you didn’t say “I want to remove this Chalice today.”

 

I apologize for offending you and I’ll move along now. Good luck with your tank.

I wasn't offended. Why did you think I was? 

 

Your suggestion was good and under normal circumstances it would be my course of action.

 

I was wondering if I could cut the chalice flesh attached to the rock. I tried searching but got limited info. 

 

 

 

[SliceGolfer]

OK, understood. In my city, two LFSs are still open, by appointment only. I know one LFS that has offered and they are even going so far as to have pickup or drop off services. It’s too bad things are more restricted in your area.

 

My apologies.

[jservedio]

3 hours ago, SliceGolfer said:

Dremel tool and cut into the rock beneath the chalice.

That's what I normally do if I can get the rock out of the tank - angle cuts sort-of underneath it all the way around and then use the bone cutters or angle cutters to pry it out then use them to nip bits out of the rock so the scar looks natural.

 

If it's on a plug or piece of epoxy and not too far encrusted off the plug/epoxy it's simple, you can can just use the bone cutters to pop it off. If it's stubborn, use the dremel to cut under the plug a bit and then pop it off. You will leave at least a little bit behind, but no biggie - it'll grow back.

 

If you can't get the rock out of the tank, you just do the best you can with the bone cutters and accept the fact you are going to be doing lots of damage.

[WV Reefer]

 

4 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Anyone have any suggestions on how to safely remove a chalice from a rock?

 

My zoas are smothering my chalice and hammers. I  want to remove the rock completely from the tank but want to keep the chalice.

 

Any suggestions on safe removal?

 

how encrusted to the rock is it? Is it on a plug under there?

[Clown79]

There is a plug that was glued to the rock. 

It's hard to tell how encrusted it is because of the polyps, but I think they have prevented major growth.

[WV Reefer]

6 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

There is a plug that was glued to the rock. 

It's hard to tell how encrusted it is because of the polyps, but I think they have prevented major growth.

If you are lucky then you may be able to pop it off the rocks with minimal damage. I have two and one is completely encrusted and could not be removed if I wanted to and the other had grown outward from the plug like a playing monti and could easily be popped off the rock if necessary.  

[Clown79]

Thanks so much for the help everyone.

 

 

[Clown79]

I wanted to update the situation in case anyone is ever in the same situation.

 

I was able to pop the frag plug from the rock and I cut the flesh that had spread to the rock with a straight razor. 

 

So happy it worked! I haven't really been able to see the chalice due to the paly's, there are so many more colours than when I first got it.

 

 

 

[WV Reefer]

21 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I wanted to update the situation in case anyone is ever in the same situation.

 

I was able to pop the frag plug from the rock and I cut the flesh that had spread to the rock with a straight razor. 

 

So happy it worked! I haven't really been able to see the chalice due to the paly's, there are so many more colours than when I first got it.

 

 

 

Yay! 
 

it’s very pretty. 

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, WV Reefer said:

Yay! 
 

it’s very pretty. 

Yay! 

 

It really is. When I got it, it was only orange and a bit of yellow. 

 

I had hoped it would sting the paly's but this chalice has really short stingers like acans. 

[WV Reefer]

1 minute ago, Clown79 said:

Yay! 

 

It really is. When I got it, it was only orange and a bit of yellow. 

 

I had hoped it would sting the paly's but this chalice has really short stingers like acans. 

I can’t wait to see it spread out. Of my two, only one is super aggressive. 

[ECLS Reefer]

2 hours ago, Clown79 said:

I wanted to update the situation in case anyone is ever in the same situation.

 

I was able to pop the frag plug from the rock and I cut the flesh that had spread to the rock with a straight razor. 

 

So happy it worked! I haven't really been able to see the chalice due to the paly's, there are so many more colours than when I first got it.

 

 

 

That's super colorful!! I ordered a really cool looking one yesterday from SaltCritters- it's like navy blue with green/yellow. I thought it would maybe grow out to look really neat.

[Clown79]

5 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

I can’t wait to see it spread out. Of my two, only one is super aggressive. 

I only ever had 1 other chalice, Hollywood and it fried 3 corals. I figured I was in for the same experience with this one.

 

I can't wait to see it grow. Keeping my fingers crossed!

6 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

That's super colorful!! I ordered a really cool looking one yesterday from SaltCritters- it's like navy blue with green/yellow. I thought it would maybe grow out to look really neat.

You gotta share a pic when it arrives.

 

I love how some corals seem to change as they grow. Fascinating.