info on fraging LPS corals

[RandyO]

Here are a few pics of cutting up an Echinophyllia colony to make frags. The tools this time are a hammer, a 4" cold chisel, and a razor blade.






Once I got that large frag off I broke it into 3 pieces.

Here they are in the tank.

The 3 pink ones.

I've also used just razor blades to cut Echinophyllia.

First time I didn't cut far enough into the skeleton, and the frag broke.


Second times a charm

[shane 1111]

anyone else wanna comment on fraging techniques?

[shane 1111]

thank you randy
wear is MarLooney can some one tell him of this thread.

[shane 1111]

Originally posted by RandyO
[B]Nice thread shane.

Just to clarify, in the second post of this thread you have a long winded response from me, I was telling someone what to expect from a frag I had sent them. My experince with the growth rate of other lords have varied. Some took off while others grew much slower.

]

thanks.
sorry i didn't make that clear.
i was just trying to give an idea of growth

[bugsy714]

Randy- you are spoiled with flat echinos! I tried the chisel techique and it shattered the dome, DOH! hehe

I had to resort to dremeling which is not fun with all the slime and calcium paste

[Anthony Calfo]

a wet (tile) saw is a bit easier on such "LPS" corals as the cooled blade causes less collateral tissue damage.

You can by a small unit from Home Depot or Lowes (got mine there) for less than $60...

a 4" coral cutting, er... masonry blade is included

[shane 1111]

what is the name brand of your tile saw Anthony. what dose it look like? I don't use tools much.
I want one but I want to get the right one. what corals do you frage with it?

[Anthony Calfo]

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...page=none&bc=c

very fine

You might consider a better quality diamond cutting blade too if you will be fragging a lot or doing very thick corallums.

[shane 1111]

thanks

[shane 1111]

i cant find it

[TippyToeX]

All you have to do is put in your zip code in Shane. It comes right up.

[shane 1111]

i dont live in warwick and i don't know the zip code. I tried mine but it said can not be found.

[TippyToeX]

It's called the Q.E.P 4" Portable Wet Tile Saw. I see it comes in 7" as well. Try Q.E.P on a keyword search on Lowe's site.

[shane 1111]

thanks

[RandyO]

Originally posted by bugsy714
Randy- you are spoiled with flat echinos! I tried the chisel techique and it shattered the dome, DOH! hehe

I had to resort to dremeling which is not fun with all the slime and calcium paste

Hey,
Not all of my Echinophyllia are flat, but it is nice when they are. I keep them mainly on the bottom so they keep that flat shape. I've fragged domed shaped Echinos and have shattered the skeleton but the flesh was still holding the coral together. I used a razor blade to take the chunks I wanted off the coral and then left it alone for a few weeks. The skeleton will start to fuse together again.

Right now I have a few frags really close together and they are attaching to each other. Many of them are different color morphs too.


I'll have to pick up one of those saws Anthony. Thanks.

[shane 1111]

........

[Platinum Reefs]

Great thread.

[AWExotics]

/\

[RandyO]

I never got a chance to thank Anthony for the Tile Saw tip. I picked one up at Harbor Freight for 39.99. It looks a lot like the one from Lowes that Anthony linked.

Here was a frag session with an OC Acan.

Starting frag


Reenactment of cutting with the tile saw.


Resulting cut. I didn't run the blade through the flesh, just the skeleton.


Cracking the cut open with a screwdriver



Slicing the attached flesh with a razor blade.


Finished product

[John Kelly]

Goniopora Fragging Tutorial:
http://www.goniopora.org/fragmentation.htm

[shane 1111]

that site was very cool thank you.

[jcm1229]

I have a small acan colony with one polyp that is basically hanging off the rock. Can I slice this one off and glue to a new piece of rock?

How well will an acan polyp tolerate glue directly to the flesh? I've had no problems with riocordia or zooanthid polyps using this method.

[shane 1111]

if there is no skeleton it will most likely die