How to Mount Coral the Right Way (the 60-Second Method)
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Mounting coral sounds fiddly the first time and then becomes second nature. The trick almost every experienced reefer uses is dead simple: super glue gel.
Why gel, specifically
Use cyanoacrylate super glue in gel form, not the thin liquid. The gel is thick enough to set up underwater, which is the whole game when you are working in a reef tank. Thin super glue runs and fights you; gel grabs.
The 60-second method
- Pat the base of the frag or plug as dry as you reasonably can.
- Put a solid dab of super glue gel on the base.
- Press it firmly onto your spot, a plug, a frag rack, or directly onto rockwork.
- Hold it for about 60 seconds. That is usually all it takes for a frag to hold.
For bigger pieces
For heavier colonies or awkward angles, pair the glue with two-part epoxy putty. Glue gives you the instant grab, epoxy gives you the long-term hold and lets you build up a base on uneven rock. Glue first to tack it in place, then mold the epoxy around the base.
Where to mount
Plugs are great for small frags you will move later. Frag racks keep a whole batch organized while they heal. Once a coral has proven it is happy, you can glue it onto its forever spot in the rockwork.