Need your help,Kevin.

[zhenya]

Kevin,

I would love to hear your expert opinion on where you would start if you had to frag a large colony of A.millepora. My problem is that it's getting dengerously close to the front glass and I just simply would like to cut it back to manageable size but not loose too much of a shape of the colony. In other words, I don't really want to make an ugly looking stump left in the tank.
I'll attach couple of images so you can see what I mean. The montipora colony under it will be just simply removed. Do you think I can attempt fragging this thing in the tank or it's better to remove the whole thing and than do it ouside the tank? I'm not sure I can remove the colony without doing some serious damge but I can give it shot if that is the best course of action.

[dougc]

Bigger tank. It's the only way out.

It looks like the branches are pretty solidly fused almost out to the margins. I don't know how you would frag that without resorting to butchery.

[zhenya]

Bigger tank. It's the only way out.

It looks like the branches are pretty solidly fused almost out to the margins. I don't know how you would frag that without resorting to butchery.

Yeah, that would solve lots of my problems with the curent tank,Doug.

I totally agree with you that fraging that closely fused colony would be tricky at best, hence why I asked kevin,the resident fragging Guru.
I looked closely from the top and bottom of the colony and I see some light in some areas, maybe wedging something hard, like a chisel and prying could break good chunck of it...however, I am scared to even think what can happen if I'm clumsy or something.

[dougc]

Now you have me worried about my millis. My pink one is growing like a weed. I thought I left a lot of space around it, but I still may have underestimated.

You could wait for a hurricane. That's how a lot of big, top-heavy acros meet their demise. Some of the tabular corals just grow until they get too big. They either topple over from their own weight (like Jason's) or a storm upends them. On the other hand, that might be a messy way to frag it.

Boy, Kevin better get here soon or I might have to tell you about my other idea. It involves a chain saw. ;)

[Poseidon]

I think you have your hands FULL!!!

Good luck with that BEAST!

[zhenya]

Yeah, I can wait for the hurricane untill cows come home

I measured that things today and it looks like I will have to chop it up some to be able to take it out The width doesn't look to be a problem but the hight of it from top to bottom is where my concerns are. I won't be able to manuver it without busting up a whole lot of other things in there.
Chain saw may be the answer here. I've been lazy for too long and let it get out of hand, no wonder Kevin don't want to get involved...

[kevinpo]

It doesn't scare me.......












Too much




Looking from the top down make an imaginary line in a radius that follows the outer edge of the coral. Then (I use pruning shears) cut along that line letting the frags fall where they may. I have done this on several millepora corals. At the speed they grow it only looks bad for about 2 weeks before you can't tell where it was cut. It will grow even more fused after cutting however
Be sure to cut it back far enough. I collect as many frags as I can and mount them to reef rubble with super glue.

HTH,
Kevin
PS: I thought I had a picture of my hi-tech cutters (not!) but I can take one if you would like.

[zhenya]

Thank you, Kevin.

I guess I better leave that monti under this milli alone, it should act as a collection plate for the frags...
Now, to find people that would want this frags...maybe it would be better to offer the whole colony. I'll post progress as I start on it this weekend.

PS. I have some bone shears that I think I can use for this but I would love to take a look at your high tech cutters..

[kevinpo]

Here is the colony I need to trim regularly. I also have a large orange capricornis under it to catch the frags

Regards,
Kevin

[Samper]

Hey Gene, I'm becoming a huge fan of the A. milleporas

If you wanna send a few frags my way I'll pay shipping and will disperse a few pieces locally keeping one for myself of course.
LMK.

[zhenya]

That's a beauty,Kevin. Do you take it out of the tank or...wait, you said you have a monti to catch frags... How do you reach it in your tall tank?

Luckily for me mine is at the very top and I'll post some pics over the weekend of the "ugly" leftover stub of a colony( after I'm done with it).

[kevinpo]

How do you reach it in your tall tank?

It's just over half way down (16-17") so it's not too bad. I have to remove one of the halide reflectors, then lay across the top of the tank.

Regards,
Kevin

[zhenya]

I have to remove one of the halide reflectors, then lay across the top of the tank.

I can almost picture this,Kevin.

[kevinpo]

I can almost picture this,Kevin.

Gene,
Since you can only "almost picture it", here is a picture that pretty much sums it up

Regards,
Kevin

[Samper]

[Poseidon]

Nice TOES!

[zhenya]

That picture says it all.