Superglue or toothpicks??

[vito525]

OK, first I am proud to say my nitrates are finally <5ppm after 3 months of trial and error. If seems a refugium with macro algae is doing the trick. I'm picking up a Xenia and possibly a Kenya tree tomorrow that are unattached. What is the best method for attaching them?? Any threads you can point me too?? Do you prefer superglue or toothpicks??

 

[dburr]

Toothpicks. The SG wont hold slimey corals.

 

[nm reef]

Possibly even a rubber band to hold them in place until they are secure.

 

[pyro]

When I frag my rasta leather I think I'm going to use really thick fishing line and tie it fairly loosly with several wraps.

 

[stachy]

I make a gravel bowl. I use a Correl-ware bowl with a layer of Idaho aragonite chips. Use a hammer to make them. The flat ones that are 1/4 - inch wide work best. Put this bowl in a quiet corner of your aquarium where current will not blow the cuttings away. Unfortunately, wave makers interfere here. Simply place the cuttings in the bowl on the gravel chips to attach. Place bridal vale material over the bowl if currents are too strong.
It takes mushroom anemones about one day to 2 weeks to attach. I then use a turkey baster to grab the attached ones with their rock chips and remove them to sit on the sand and form an even stronger attachment for another week or so. This just frees up more room to put more fresh cut mushrooms into the gravel bowl to start attaching.
Once they are firmly attached take them out of the aquarium and onto a Correl-ware plate where you can blot off the underside of the rock chips and then super glue several of them to an aragonite rock exactly where you want them. Just be careful not to get too much glue on the rock chips. If if oozes up around the rock chip and onto the mushroom, the mushroom will often detach within just days because of irritation.
Pieces of mushroom anemones can be cut from larger ones or larger disks can be cut off and then quartered and put in the gravel to attach and regrow a whole disk with new mouth. Elephant ear mushrooms (rhodactis) and even ricordea seem to work best when just the edges are cut off then cut into squares before put in the gravel bowl to attach. When glued carefully and cleanly this method works very well for making beautiful mushroom rocks.

 

[stachy]

For Zenia's I will place the zenia on a piece of live rock, then cover the rock with the Bridal-vale and rubberband the vale to the rock. Once the Zenia is attached remove the Vale material. You can pick up the vale material at any fabric stroe are even at WM. Then glue the rock where I want it in the tank or trade it.

 

[slowest is fastest]

FWIW
The xenia do just fine using super glue gel. In fact I think it is the fastest easiest way to do it. I have done hundreds (yes 100's) of xenia frags, all with gel, all with great success. Place a small puddle of gel on what you are attaching to , then mash the end of the xenia into the glue. I know it sounds brutal but unless you have a severely stressed or new wild collected piece there is nothing to worry about IME.
The capnella, depending on the size of the frag, can also be secured using gel but like most leathers it is difficult at best to keep it there. Suggestions above (netting, toothpick, rubberband) are all viable. Personally I like using a combination. A little gel will seal the cut and provide a mated surface for the base of the coral. If the frag has multiple branches I try to set the base of the coral in a hole and then loosely rubberband or tie down with a thin strip of bridal netting. I do not use toothpicks...not to say they do not work, just that I have better luck using other methods.
JMO
SiF

 

[hopkins6]

if i were you i'd use rubber bands and tooth picks

 

[mudplayerx]

I tried superglue 1st, which resulted in stingy lines of superglue floating in the tank and no bond. I then tried the toothpick and rubberband method and that worked great.

 

[eaglefan]

I had a xenia break free when I first bought them and I super glued it to a rock didn't know what else to do and its fine it has moved and reproduce to a whole new colonie on another rock. As far as a kenya tree coral there is a post I think it's called fraggin the best on how someone fragged a colt coral it is the most extensive frag post I've seen you might want to look it up. Good luck

 

[slowest is fastest]

When using super glue gel it is always best to do out of water to prevent the strings of glue. It can be done underwater but is not as easy.
SiF
PS I posted this last month so copy and paste here FWIW
Getting the glue to work under water is a bit tricky but here is what I do.
Gently pat the bottom of the frag dry. Put a thick/tall puddle of glue on the underside where it looks like it will eventually sit on the rock. Test fitting the frag where you want it in the aquarium is helpful and lets you see what part of the frag will touch the rock(and where to initially place the glue).
Take a piece of 1/8-1/4" wooden dowel and build up some of the gel on the end...sort of like a soft serve ice-cream cone. Use the dowel to apply the glue under water. As soon as the gel hits the water it will skin over and should not fall off. Place the glob-o-glue on the rock scraping it off the dowel. Try and be careful not to spread it around any more than you have to.
Now you have glue on the frag and underwater on the rock. Place the frag on the rock, into the glue, and gently twist. When you twist the frag you will break the skin on the glue and the two liquid centers will mix.
Here is the trick. Once you get them together and in a solid/semi-solid resting place. LEAVE IT ALONE It may seem like it is not very secure but it will take several minutes for the glue to set underwater. When it does it will be hard and the frag should be secure. To many times I played with my frags underwater and turned the glue into a mass of skin strings thinking the frag had to be rock solid before the glue had a chance to dry/cure.
After a few minutes(5-10) you can GENTLY push on the frag. If all goes well it will be very solid.
JME
SiF
PS sticking them in a crevice and allowing them to encrust is also a very viable option...when you do, try putting a little gel on the end going into the rock it will help secure it and provide a more mated fit with the rock.