Which brand of frag plugs/disks are you using?
 

I see on Marine Depot's site some ceramic ones and ones made by Boston Aqua Farms.

I've read that the Boston ones can cause a mini-cycle. What about the ceramic ones?

I'm about to order a 30-count frag pack from Reefermadness and don't want to cause another cycle after I mount the frags.

Thanks

I've never heard of the frag plugs from Boston Aquatic Farms causing a mini-cycle. If anything they could cause a fluctuation in ph if they are not fully cured. As for the other kind I've never used them.

Why don't you just use broken up pieces of lr or small pieces of dry base rock? I personally hate the look of those plugs and always put my frags on rock.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11498986#post11498986 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lvpd186 [/i]
[B]I've never heard of the frag plugs from Boston Aquatic Farms causing a mini-cycle. If anything they could cause a fluctuation in ph if they are not fully cured. As for the other kind I've never used them. [/B][/QUOTE]

I found it on Boston's website. Here's a link:

[url]http://www.bostonaquafarms.com/default.aspx?page=faq[/url]

Which plugs do you use?

Hmm, I wonder what they mean by a "second shorter cure cycle?" Uncured cement based products can lower ph from what I understand, but I don't remember reading anything about them causing what we would commonly call a "cycle." As for plugs I manufacture my own plastic frag plugs & use them.

lvpd186, YGPM

Reply sent :thumbsup: !

I use branching rock and slice it with a wet saw.

ivpd186 pm sent

i thought these things were already cured?? if i would have known that i would have just made them myself and cured them

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11500014#post11500014 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nietzsche [/i]
[B]i thought these things were already cured?? if i would have known that i would have just made them myself and cured them [/B][/QUOTE]

Are you referring to the Boston ones?

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11498996#post11498996 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lance M. [/i]
[B]Why don't you just use broken up pieces of lr or small pieces of dry base rock? I personally hate the look of those plugs and always put my frags on rock. [/B][/QUOTE]

The rubble would look better, but it may be harder to place the frag exactly where i want it if the rubble doesn't fit well. My concern with dry base rock is the same concern I have with plugs that are not fully cured - I don't want to create a 2nd mini-cycle.

The frag pack I'm buying is going into my display tank.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11500068#post11500068 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbone28 [/i]
[B]Are you referring to the Boston ones? [/B][/QUOTE]

yes, and it wont create a mini-cycle, what's going to change (maybe) is the pH of your tank. i cant remember if it raises it or lowers it, but i think it lowers. i know when i made DIY rock for my 14 gallon it increased the pH in the tub it was in. it was super high and i had to leave it in the tub while changing out the water every week for close to a month before it was safe to use

cementous products are alkaline and raise the pH.

you say it lowers the pH but it raised the pH for you. ???????????

Carl

woops, my bad i meant to say highers, sorry. pH was high after making it and was ready when it went back down

My bad too, I think I said in my second post that it would lower it.

Go to Home Depot or Lowes, and buy a 12" X 12" sheet of 1" square slate tiles for about $11. Makes 144 square "discs" for 8 or 9 cents apiece. The slate is very soft, and you can drill custom size depressions in it to a better job of holding whatever you're fragging, and you don't have to worry about water chemistry issues at all. The slate is soft enough that once the frag has grown onto to slate, the corners can be snipped off very easily with side cutters if so desired

You aren't worried about the composition of the Slate? I like the DIY frag plug concept b/c you know exactly what you are getting in your plug. Even though you have to cure them it really isn't that bad.

I could certainly be wrong. I'm no geologist, but the slate tiles haven't caused any problems in my prop system. I've used ac ouple hundred over the last couple of years, and corals have taken to them just fine. No water quality issues either. I'm certainly not the first use them either. I'm just passing along the idea. I've also seen ceramic tiles used, but the softer slate allows more options, super low-cost, and since I practically live in HD, really convenient to pick up.

Here's a good thread on DIY frag plugs if you're interested:

[url]http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=861079&highlight=diy+frag+plugs[/url]

frag cradle
 

If your throwing rubble into an existing tank or on sand its ok but if you want organization and space managment use eggcrate with coral cradles. you can put alot in a little space, even in a twenty gallon.

I use Ocean Wonders, the slate tiles from Lowe's and just this week made my own batch. They turned out great. I used anchor cement and premature baby bottle nipples. I scored the top when they were almost set and some of them I poked a hole in the top with a bamboo scewer to insert sps, gorgonians, etc. the silicone nipples peeled right off them after about 20 minutes. They are now in the back of my commode for curing. Now to figure out what I am going to use for a mold for discs.

I also use Oceans Wonders for my frag plugs & disks and LOVE them. Almost to cheap but work GREAT! The last order I made was almost 1/2 the price of what I was ordering from DFS for TWICE as much.
[url]http://www.oceanswondersonline.com/page/page/4221106.htm[/url]

I like the idea of DIY frag supplies but I'm chicken to try it :lol:

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11525116#post11525116 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefdiver77 [/i]
[B]I use Ocean Wonders, the slate tiles from Lowe's and just this week made my own batch. They turned out great. I used anchor cement and premature baby bottle nipples. I scored the top when they were almost set and some of them I poked a hole in the top with a bamboo scewer to insert sps, gorgonians, etc. the silicone nipples peeled right off them after about 20 minutes. They are now in the back of my commode for curing. Now to figure out what I am going to use for a mold for discs. [/B][/QUOTE]

OW!!!

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11500083#post11500083 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbone28 [/i]
[B]The rubble would look better, but it may be harder to place the frag exactly where i want it if the rubble doesn't fit well. My concern with dry base rock is the same concern I have with plugs that are not fully cured - I don't want to create a 2nd mini-cycle.

The frag pack I'm buying is going into my display tank. [/B][/QUOTE]

Dry base rock won't cause a cycle since there's nothing on it to decay and produce NH3.