Possible Frag Plug Problems?

[ejocam]

I have been battling some issues with one of my tanks. I have had some mysterious stn that I thought was attributed to Alkalinity fluctuation. Also since the tank was transferred from a new location 2 months ago, I also thought that this was part of the reason. After talking to a coral farmer who has been making his own plugs since 1997, he shared some information that had me immediately thinking about the plugs I introduced to my tank about a month ago. Since I added around 50 of them over a period of a week. I just now noticed that this is when all the coloration, rtn and stn issues started happening with this tank.

The other thing that also had me really scratching my head is that the tank I use to import corals is looking great. I do the same things to this tank as my personal tank, except for the reef plugs. There are none in the importing tank. Everything is doing great there. So this is where I suspect the frag plugs could be the culprit of my issues. Keep in mind, that I have been curing the plugs for almost 3 months in RO water that gets changed out aevery other day. Just wondering if anyone has any experiences as me or if I am just hoping I finally found out why things are not looking to hot here:confused:

[michaeldaly]

What are the frag plugs made of?

[Pyrrhus]

You might consider these www.cuttingreef.com they are made from PVC, negatively buoyant, and have no cure time.

[ejocam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9565516#post9565516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by michaeldaly
What are the frag plugs made of?

I believe they were made with some mixture of cement and aragonite. I really do not know their exact recipe but they are being sold throught the country like wild fire.

[ejocam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9565583#post9565583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pyrrhus
You might consider these www.cuttingreef.com they are made from PVC, negatively buoyant, and have no cure time.

I think I am goin to go that route from now on.

[gotfish8]

I have had some expierence with those plastic plugs they are called uberfrag disks, pretty much the same. IMO they pretty much suck, they will not stay in place whats so ever. I really like the ceramic ones thefilterguys's sell

By the way Eric I have had some of the same issues you are having with the concrete plugs. Take some of the ones you have had in your tank for awhile and put them in a container of saltwater over night and then check the nitrates.They seem to absorb nitrates
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/frag_supplies.htm

[TIMMYE]

The plastic ones work great in a prop system where they are being snaped into egg crate. They are not the best sitting in sand or going into live rock. But they do work, and I use them in both my frag and display systems. They ir also a great cost savings going with plastic.

[johnnyblaze]

I found this www.fragstuff.com , what do you think

[just dave]

.....or these (http://www.coralcradle.com/) .

[GTR]

Eric, I think with the volume of water 50 or so plugs won't make much difference at all. I'm using anchor cement and the plugs are lucky a lot of time to see 2 days curing before I use them. No problem with encrusting and in 300 gallons of water the alk would show little change if any.

I heard it just takes time for a system to mature. ;)

SteveU

[yznhmr]

are the plugs you were talking about the ones from ocean wonders? i have had some strange things going on in my prop since i started using them.. i didnt think it was related till now..
i also get some rust colored stuff under the superglue ( if i break off a frag on accident)on top of the frag plug.. i used the reef rocks thay sell , and my caps all started dieing.. i thought it was something else.. now im wondering..

[ejocam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9574513#post9574513 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gtrestoration
Eric, I think with the volume of water 50 or so plugs won't make much difference at all. I'm using anchor cement and the plugs are lucky a lot of time to see 2 days curing before I use them. No problem with encrusting and in 300 gallons of water the alk would show little change if any.

I heard it just takes time for a system to mature. ;)

SteveU

What ever it is is not the best right now. I guess I better mature with my tank a bit:eek2: Maybe I should try thr Riff Raff recipe. Ron, did give me the material:confused:

[GTR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9578018#post9578018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yznhmr

i also get some rust colored stuff under the superglue

I had the same thing show up when I used mortar mix. Didn't see any problems from it though. I switched over to anchor cement with no other additives and I don't see that now. The only aggregate I use is for forming the shape of the plugs and I sprinkle a little on what becomes the underside so they don't slide around if I don't use pegs.

SteveU

[3mm3]

Strange I'm using the same plugs and am having the same problems. Not one problem until I started using these frag plugs. Makes me wonder.


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9578018#post9578018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yznhmr
are the plugs you were talking about the ones from ocean wonders? i have had some strange things going on in my prop since i started using them.. i didnt think it was related till now..
i also get some rust colored stuff under the superglue ( if i break off a frag on accident)on top of the frag plug.. i used the reef rocks thay sell , and my caps all started dieing.. i thought it was something else.. now im wondering..

[jamiehag]

Hi guys the plugs are made from caribsea reef sand and a special type of Portland cement. The cement is white because it has had Iron and other selected minerals removed so that it is safer for your aquariums. Iron is one of the minerals that gives cement the darker gray color. Because iron has been removed from the mix it can't be rust you are seeing under the glue it may be some reaction from the glue on the plugs. We have not had any reported issues to us about this. Systems vary greatly from one to the next and it could be one of many factors. We have used 100’s of our products as have other frag farmers without issues.

[yznhmr]

i can take pictures if you like. i have never seen this on any other plug i have used..

[jamiehag]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9662616#post9662616 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yznhmr
i can take pictures if you like. i have never seen this on any other plug i have used..

That would be great if you could e-mail them to sales@OceansWondersOnline.com we can investigate it further. I can see if we can experiment with various types of glue to see if we get simular results or can pinpoint what the cause is. We don't want to have unhappy customers:)

[3mm3]

I can also send you a picture of the same problem if you would like.
Thank you
Mark

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9664533#post9664533 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jamiehag
That would be great if you could e-mail them to sales@OceansWondersOnline.com we can investigate it further. I can see if we can experiment with various types of glue to see if we get simular results or can pinpoint what the cause is. We don't want to have unhappy customers:)

[GTR]

The rust look I had was on home made mortar mix plugs. I've been using anchor cement straight-up with no problems.

I'm not cheap but when plugs start running 4/$1.00 I had to find options.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1090275

SteveU

[badbones]

I make my own plugs using portland cement and carib sea sand. I did this for a couple reasons. 1) I was using the Boston (which are nice) but as the frag get bigger it slops around in the egg crate. 2 ) when making my own I put an indent in the center to place the frag so it encrusts quicker to the plug.

I also cure about a 100 at a time in the toilet tank. Yes, the toilet tank. When it flushes it exchanges the water. I leave them in there for a month or so. I have 2-300 in my system with no real problems that I can blame them for. I have also never seen the rust mentioned.

[fours2many]

I also cure about a 100 at a time in the toilet tank. Yes, the toilet tank. When it flushes it exchanges the water. I leave them in there for a month or so. I have 2-300 in my system with no real problems that I can blame them for. I have also never seen the rust mentioned.

LOL! I feel like I have heard it all now! Us reefers are strange people. Who would have thought of using the toilet tank. Crack me up!!

[PITSTOP]

Adding 50 plugs within a week WILL make a difference.

Go to Boston Aqua Farms website - they have specific info on this and what to do - basically soak plugs all the time and add slowly to a system.

[GTR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9666748#post9666748 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by badbones

I also cure about a 100 at a time in the toilet tank. Yes, the toilet tank.

I got tired of sucking the sand out of the toilet tank so I use a bucket of water and a mesh bag from the grocery store. :lol:

SteveU

[badbones]

I actually keep them in a mesh bag as well. Very little sand gets through. When I swap the bags out, I just stir the tank and flush it a couple times. I have had no problems to date and been doing it for some time now.

[highquality]

Maybe some of these frag tanks are not fully mature. It makes a big difference , although adding 50 at a time probably is not the best idea.