Mounting sps frags

[Samper]

I am so tired of seeing sps frags mounted straight up from the plug. This method of mounting IMO does not encourage a good strong base for the colony. Instead I think it's best to mount the frag on the plug laying down. This way you get a good base encrusting before the colony begins to branch out. I've been browsing vendors today and that thought crossed my mind so I thought I'd rant.

[zhenya]

I am so tired of seeing sps frags mounted straight up from the plug. This method of mounting IMO does not encourage a good strong base for the colony. Instead I think it's best to mount the frag on the plug laying down. This way you get a good base encrusting before the colony begins to branch out. I've been browsing vendors today and that thought crossed my mind so I thought I'd rant.

It is a fair rant, Chuck. I'm of the same opinion on this, however, not all of the species do well mounted horizontally. Stags usually do much better mounted this way for sure. I actually hate plugs period!
I mount frags directly to the live rock whenever possibly, vertical or otherwise.
I especially dislike those plugs that only work well in a frag tank sitting on the eggcrate, they are tiny and useless and I usually take the frags off them and remount it onto the rocks. So now it;s two rants...

[jle9123]

Same here, I like mounting everything to live rock that I broke up. Look nicer and less problem with crabs or snail knocking them over. Those tiny egg crate ones just gets on my nerves so much that I gave a bag away. I don't use eggcrate anymore bc it make the tank look ugly. Stags, digi,slimers, monti's all grow better mounted that way, but mounting tenis, humilus, well all the millis and branching tight colony acros grow better upright. I will post alot of pics of my sps in the gallery later so ya can check it out.

-Joseph

[Reefland]

What about the floral pics with frags mounted to them, gotta love those! In the defence of the "farmers", these frag plus/sticks/pics are cheap and easy to come by. Cheap mostly, better for the bottom line. I would personally rather get unmounted frags and glue them where I want them on our reef structure. Which by the way, got some nice frags from Frag Farmer the other day.

[220G]

Frag Farmer ship SPS frags unmounted? Or do you have to ask them to ship them unmounted?

What about the floral pics with frags mounted to them, gotta love those! In the defence of the "farmers", these frag plus/sticks/pics are cheap and easy to come by. Cheap mostly, better for the bottom line. I would personally rather get unmounted frags and glue them where I want them on our reef structure. Which by the way, got some nice frags from Frag Farmer the other day.

[Reefland]

My guess is they are shipped unmounted automatically, however if you order from him just put in the order comments that you would like unmounted frags, I am sure either way he will accomodate you.

[Samper]

I ordered a mixed 30 pack of frags from reefermadness a month ago and nothing that came in was mounted except for the zoanthids.

[scubadude]

sometimes its not always feasable but if you mount a frag on its side you are generally doing away with one whole side of the frag....too much energy spent into the frag encrusting....So I think if you have enought meat on the frag to take a dremel to it and cut it lengthwise in half....then you have two frags both with raw skeleton that will adapt to a flat/semiflat surface much quicker and encrust better IMO this is a much more effecient approach on most sps. And if you want one big coral instead of two frags then just mount them side by side....Good topic Chuck!