ugly plugs

Discussion in 'Frags' started by johnmaloney, Jun 7, 2009.

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  1. johnmaloney

    johnmaloney 3reef Sponsor

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    ok people, enough with the ugly plugs. :) So I decided to start keeping a reef tank again after a while with only macro tanks. I am not as coral addicted as the majority of you are, so maybe I am the only one here who notices the plugs at all but what is with all these square plugs? (Don't get me started on ceramic bathroom tiles). Met a guy with all these Tyree this that and the other corals he spent obscene amounts on and the frags just looked awful. The corals themselves were nice, but the plug kills it. I know you can just cut them off and put it on some rubble to jam into a hole in the rock, (planning a reef before setting it up would have made thing easier, would have glued it straight to the rock but now rockslides would happen etc...) but why don't people do it off the bat? I just don't get an expensive frag on a cheap plug. Like buying a Rolls Royce and getting the cheapest tires money can buy... :)

    Well that is my rant for the week. What do you use for plugs?
     
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  3. jakeh24

    jakeh24 Pajama Cardinal

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    i put my frags on lr rubble

    i def agree with you
     
  4. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

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    I hear ya John..... I hate those plugs to. Not only are they un-sightly, they suck for solid placement to.
     
  5. johnmaloney

    johnmaloney 3reef Sponsor

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    that is another thing...no square holes in rocks! I never thought of it, because I didn't want these plugs in my tank at all, (they look like little red bricks...weird plugs to boot...), but even if I wanted they wouldn't stick! :)

    What worse, I think these coral farmers can get more for the better looking frags. Personally I wouldn't hesitate to spend a few dollars more to have something that isn't ugly, or will cost me a trip for glue and the hassle of cutting it and mounting it, and stressing the coral etc...
     
  6. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    those people at reef cleaners should supply rocks with square holes LMAO

    your right though in what you say, check out the pug ugly plug on my nice looking coral (avator)

    Steve
     
  7. Triplemom

    Triplemom Pajama Cardinal

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    I despise frag plugs. I've been known to send a coral (or two) flying across the room while messing with the plug. I always chop off the stems, but even that won't work on some of the hard plastic nightmare plugs (I hate those the most). This is my weird "deplugging" method I use on some corals - snap off the post - most snap off pretty easily. If the frag is glued to the disk, I've found I can pry the frag off with a flat head screwdriver. In the case of zoas, dendro, acan, and a few other things, this leaves a hard "super glue" base that I can glue again to the live rock. Some of the more slippery things that are harder to maneuver (mushrooms), I'll glue to a piece of rock rubble out of the tank, which I then glue to the LR. Unfortunately, some corals have to be left on the plug - when the coral had already spread onto the plug itself. In that case, I try to glue it behind a piece of LR so it doesn't look quite so bad. In that case, I usually leave the post on to have more of an area I can glue.

    Did I mention that I usually make a huge mess when I do all of the above? I do a lot of my "deplugging" on a cutting board by the kitchen sink. My husband shudders when he sees me at the sink with the cutting board, hammer, and screwdriver. On a final note, frag plugs WILL stop up garbage disposals....
     
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  9. ibefishy

    ibefishy Montipora Capricornis

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    I completely agree with the hatred of plugs. I trade a lot of my frags for credit at my lfs and never use plugs. I think that is why he(owner) is more than happy to take them. It helps keep me from having to buy suppliments, I even got enough credit there to buy a new skimmer. i generally wont purchase frags on plugs unless I just cant live without it, so far there has not been many of those.
     
  10. greysoul

    greysoul Stylophora

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    I have some glass plugs in my tank that are getting covered in coralline to the point that they blend into the rock a bit... a few more months and you won't see anything.

    But I agree on the craptacular plastic plugs and the square tile plugs.... if a single polyp of some fancy zoa is $200 can't they take the time to properly adhere it to a nicer base? I have a zoa frag on a shell that looks ok.
     
  11. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    What really gets me is that they are sooo huge compared to the tiny little frag on it. What a waste of space. Takes all the longer for the coral to finish covering it.


    I have taken triplemom's advise - I've started popping them off the plug and using the "glue base" instead.


    The big discs I hate most. I have a blasto on a plug that's got a small disc area. I liked it in this one case because I could easily mount it sideways, thanks to the plug and a hole in the rock...

    All in all, I'd rather have rubble as a frag plate. Easier to place.
     
  12. homegrowncorals

    homegrowncorals Ribbon Eel

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    i guess im just odd id sooner have an ugly plug then to get it on no plug at all.