The Propagator Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 I am going to try these small ceramic tiles I got from Lowes today for frag mounting and zoanthid growing. They are ceramic clay, fired but not glazed. ( just like Gooch's idea and what he makes only not labor intensive, no kiln needed, and no need totry and track down the clay.) The best part aside form cost and time, is there is no curing time either. Just boil and rinse, rubb off the contact cement and your ready to rock. They are roughly 7/8" x 7/8" x 1/4". They come in 144 piece sheets set on fiber mesh. I peel them off one by one then just take my thumb and roll off the adheasive. ( Its just a silicone or rubber cement based adheasive. Real rubbery and comes off easly once peald off the fiber mesh. it dose break down in water a bit sojust make sure you rub it all off with your finger real well) I realy see no down side to using these. I dont have to make them. I dont have to cure them. They are perfectly sized for the job. The cos tper pice is amazingly cheap when compared to the total cost of making your own plugs, using live rock ruble, or out right buying them from some one esle. 144 of them cost's $12.50 at Lowes. There would be only benefits in using them as well. They are so small they will colinize with benficial bacteria in less than 24 hrs. Its also been proven that frags ectract nutrients from what ever they are growing on as well. ( even zoanthids) SO seeing as these are ceramic clay it woul dbe lik emounting them on a small calcium reactor LOL! Here they are: ( tell me what you think and any experience you may have had if you have tried this before) Link to comment
tinyreef Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 should be ok, but they are likely to be majority-made of silicate-type materials not calcium-type materials. but to serve as uniform frag bases, i would think they're fine to use. i've used clay flowerpots before and they worked fine. this medium might even be better as i didn't like the slickness of the pots. that little block looks rougher (better imo). i'd still QT test them out first though. are you going to drill some of them? they look easy to drill (for mounting ease). edit: changed some wording, it sounded wrong when i re-read what i typed (conveyed the wrong meaning). Link to comment
The Propagator Posted July 30, 2006 Author Share Posted July 30, 2006 I may bore a divet in the center of a few for sps but not all the way through unless its a gorg frag. Zoanthids and the like will just encrust any ways. Which is my main reason for doing this. A couple shops here localy want me to start growing zoanthid frags for them. If I do then obviously LR rubble will be out the window for cost reasons and storage. HOme made plugs wil take to long to make and cure if I need more in a hurry too. They do have silica in them, but a but load of calcium as well. They are much rougher than clay pots as well. I find this more apealing too. It will give them a better foot hold when the start to spread. I have on in my 100g prop tank as we speak. Iam going to leave it in all this week ( bare piece with nothing on it mind you) If nothing funky hapends around it or on it then operation tile frag is a go! LOL! Link to comment
Daemonfly Posted July 31, 2006 Share Posted July 31, 2006 Look around for damaged boxes to get them even cheaper (make sure not too many are actually broken though). Link to comment
The Propagator Posted July 31, 2006 Author Share Posted July 31, 2006 I think i will go in a day ahead of time and "WHOOPS! It fell off the shelf!" Pu ti tback then go back the next day! HAHAHAHAHAaaaaa!! No seriously I wouldnt do that. I did think about it though! LOL! Is that still bad? Link to comment
Daemonfly Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 In Borneman's prop vid he talks about how he's found that corals encrust calcium based frag plugs better than other media. He even chops up some piece of white marble (other colors contain unwanted stuff). I've seen marble tile, but do they make it in the smaller versions? Hrm... Link to comment
The Propagator Posted August 1, 2006 Author Share Posted August 1, 2006 They make it in these same mat forms I bought for the same purspose. Link to comment
evoracer Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 In Borneman's prop vid he talks about how he's found that corals encrust calcium based frag plugs better than other media. He even chops up some piece of white marble (other colors contain unwanted stuff). I've seen marble tile, but do they make it in the smaller versions? Hrm... I was going to mention that but you beat me to it. That is an interesting video, very informative. He says that because pure marble is calcium-based, the corals seem to do better on peices of that then on anything else he has tried. Crazy how he just takes the tile saw to those corals without hesitation!! Link to comment
The Propagator Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 YOu know what? I am an idiot! LOL! THey are marble not ceramic LOL!!! SO BONUS! I accidentaly stumbled on what the pros use. LOL! Link to comment
Reznor252 Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 YOu know what? I am an idiot! LOL!THey are marble not ceramic LOL!!! SO BONUS! I accidentaly stumbled on what the pros use. LOL! Do you have a name or picture(packaging) of the product? Link to comment
ebin Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 good find. Plugs can become a bit costly. but a goos plug can make a world of difference. Link to comment
Daemonfly Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 good find. Plugs can become a bit costly. but a goos plug can make a world of difference. Deffinately! I love goos plugs! Link to comment
soundman Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Deffinately! I love goos plugs! Link to comment
Cesar Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I want to see a picture of a frag mounted on that right there. Link to comment
The Propagator Posted August 5, 2006 Author Share Posted August 5, 2006 I want to see a picture of a frag mounted on that right there. How about 25+ frags instead just one? LOL!!! I have to recharge my batteries so the pics suck a bit sorry! Link to comment
Cesar Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Niiiiiice. Very nice zoo's dude. I like that alot. Link to comment
evoracer Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 +1 hat zoa collection is awesome. I am aspiring toward that. Those "plugs" will look great once they encrust also. Link to comment
NanoClown Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 umm yes i would like to place a order in lol jp i really like these tho Link to comment
The Propagator Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 The Pm system here still worked last time I checked LOL! Link to comment
NanoClown Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 the PM system is soo OVERRATED... lol Link to comment
proraptor2 Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 I think Ill start using these for frags plugs....How are they holding up? Any param swings? Link to comment
The Propagator Posted August 8, 2006 Author Share Posted August 8, 2006 Not a one. they are holding up just fine. no algae growth on them either of any kind yet. Link to comment
andre Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 What are they called and what section did you find them in? Link to comment
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