How do I mount a Montipora?

[Runner]

I just received a box with some zoanthid frags from a friend. He tossed in a montipora frag as well. It is not attached to a rock. How do I do that? Super glue gel? Also, where do I locate this puppy under my 175W MH lights? I think it came from a tank that was under 250W MH.

P.S. Some of these zoanthids are pretty cool. I am sure you guys will want a polyp or two if I can get them to live. It would be nice to actually have some corals in my reef tank.
:D

[Wesley B]

just use super glue gel. Find where you want it and then put the glue on out of the water then hold it firmly for about 30 seconds or more. I have my montipora under 175w mh about 3/4 the way up from the bottom. good luck

[Runner]

Does anybody have a picture of their monitpora? I'd like to get an idea before I jump in and do something that isn't easily reveresed.

[Runner]

Also, what do they like as far as flow goes?

[Wesley B]

sorry i don't have any pics im at work. but too bad cause i work at a lfs and are main reef tank has a lot of montipora.

[Wesley B]

If you don't like where u put it just grab it from the base and snap it off the rock. very simple

[cee]

Just make sure you mount the correct side up (the rough side usually) if it's a plating type. It will quickly encrust onto whatever it's mounted on, and it's easy (as Wesley said) to snap off and relocate. They're very hardy, so you really can't go wrong.

Dave

[stevensmd]

I never actually mounted mine...just placed in a crevice between the rocks....approaching 12 inches round now with about 5 layers!
dave

[seased]

if it is a cap - be gentle, they break easily. I did have a little piece that I just laid on the rockwork and it attached. It is growing more than the ones I mounted with superglue.

[gflat65]

I usually glue mine to a small spacer rock and move it around until I find a place I like. Then I glue/epoxy the spacer where I like it.

If it's a cap, be liberal with the glue. I have a hard time getting caps to stick. If it is a digi, prop it up on something until the glue starts to hold (preferably in a small bowl with tank water). HTH

[Runner]

It looks like I have two:

1. Orange "True" M. Capricornis"
2. Elkhorn Montipora

The elkhorn was easy to mount. The other was hard. I managed to stick it to a rock using super glue gel on the second try. If that doesn't hold I'll just find a crevice and wedge it in. Sheesh, I hope I did this right. I've never felt like such a noob. I'll post pictures later.

[easttn]

Give it room. I glued this piece into a 1" piece of PVC and stuck it in a rock 3 years ago. The PVC forced it to whorl from the beginning. Its been fraged 3 times.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/easttn/Cap.jpg

[Runner]

Here is a slightly fuzzy pic, but you get the idea:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/14962TrueMontipora.jpg

Is there a better way for me to mount this? Or will it eventuall attach to the smallish rock I have it mounted to and encircle it like easttn's did to his PVC pipe?

[cee]

It will encrust onto the rock and then grow out and up from there. It should eventually whorl for you as well.

Dave

[Runner]

Cool. I've always wanted one of these -- I just didn't expect one so suddenly. Is there any special care I need to know for it? Will my 175W MH lights give it all the food it needs? Or will I need to supplement with something? I already put live phytoplankton in every 3 days or so.

[easttn]

Don't feed it anything but light and water changes for a year. No joke.

[cee]

Just make sure nothing settles on it (detritus), or the tissue underneath will die. They do grow fast!

Dave