High Tide Aquatics

Frag Tools Advice

ok, guys and girls

here I have a few questions I need answered ( and i mean not just loked at, specially since I bet they will be arround 500 views and only two post )

1st. what tools do you really need if you were to start making frags of everything... (sps, lps, zoas, mushrooms)


2nd. where do you recomend buying the tools?


3rd. have you "your self" used the mentioned tools? how good are they? did they rust easy?



thanks!!!
 
The simplest tools - cheapy but sharp scissors. Rinse and dry well in fresh water.

Sps and some Lps can be fragged with garden shears/pruners (same as above). I use a rotary tool like a Dremel with a diamond cutting wheel to frag up stonies.

I have used razor blades for shrooms and the like.
 
1: To frag everything, you absolutely need a chisel (or flathead screw driver in a pinch) w/ hammer, and some cutting shears (bone shears, nail clippers, wire cutters something).

Now ideally however you'd rather cut somewhat delicately which the chisel method lacks. So with that I would say some sort of rotary power tool, boner shears, and a razor blade for good measure (softies).

2: I'd say buy them anywhere you can find them EXCEPT at a place which specializes in saltwater stuff! They'll charge you an arm & a leg.

3: Yes I've used everything mentioned, how to they hold up? Fairly good as long as you take care of them. Do the rust? Just about all metal in tools will rust, even if they're stainless steel. So I would suggest washing all your tools after using them to remove salt residue. And for those you can't, if you've bought them from a non-fishy place they'll most likely be inexpensive to replace.
 
This is what I use:

Nail cutter from Long's
80840nail_cutter.jpg


Smith&Wesson knife from Big5 - was an xmas gift. I use this all the time.
80840sw_knife.jpg


Cheapie Black&Decker rotary tool from WalMart. Actually very durable according to Al G Blenny.
RTX25_1.jpg


Use a diamond wheel on the B&D. Don't bother with any other type. Don't need all the accessory cutters either.

Home Depot diamond bladed tile saw for colonies on big rocks. I used this to frag a bunch of lords and micros recently.
163849_4.jpg


Also good to have miscellaneous hammers, chisels, screwdrivers, safety razors, and something sturdy to work on. Containers for water. I like to do a light povidone dip on freshly cut lps.
 
Dremel with diamond cutting wheels, set of chisels (Harbor Freight has a $5 pack with 4 different sizes), and some scalpels and bone shears from here.

http://www.drinstruments.com/xq/ASP.store/cat.17/qx/Dissecting+kits%2C+Scissors%2C+Forceps%2C+Scalpels.htm

The scalpels works really well and the blades are replaceable so even if they rust, you can just swap out for a new blade.
 
OK, I'll add a few misc things that have helped me out:
1. I stole my wife's cuticle pusher and it works great for prying shrooms and polyps off rocks. Looks something like this:
38304065.jpg


2. PLASTIC TOOTHPICKS! You can never have too many of these.

3. Wedding veil material. Great for holding things in place and covering containers of softies while waiting for them to attach.

4. Nylons (Panty Hose). Don't laugh, they make a great tie down for Xenias, shrroms, polyp colonies. They spread out the force so you don't cut through soft skins.

5. Loctite Superclue Gel. Cheap and easy to work with.

6. Mounting Epoxy

I've learned a lot about fragging at:
http://www.coralscaping.com/
 
nice, thanks... keep'em commig

it seems that almost everyone uses something different, some very creative "Dyngoe", and some very professional "Mr. Ugly"


so I do wan to invest on good quality tools, but at the same time save some $$, since I can use it to buy FRAGS :p

anyway, if anyone has links to other websites that offer tools, please post them, as I sure im not the onlyone that has had this question.


BTW, I already own a DREMEL, and I do have the Diamond cutting wheel, I have a set of scissors that are Stainless Steel coated with TITANUM, but I didn't know you had to rinse with fresh water, I only dry them and they rusted a little.. :(, oh well... I just need to buy another set.

I also seen on RC Forum, that some people recomend long prongs, and I can't seem to find any, other than 6" long, thats small, is it?

I just purchased about 4 different types of GEL glue, some from Ebay advertised for Frags (to test) also cheap Superglue GEL from DOLLARTREE store (3pack $1) and a small bottle from Aquatic Concepts. will see wich is better for me :)
 
Almost any "super" glue will be the same - Cyano Acrylate. Works great on paper cuts too. ;D

Another good bit to get for your dremel is a grout bit. Work great on marine rock.

If you want high-quality tools, go to a medical supply store or a beauty store. You'll find lots of all-metal stainless steel tools that are meant to last and be washed many times. You will pay a decent price for this stuff. But, you may be able to find the LONG tongs you want. Personally I just bought an all plastic grabber at my LFS for my old planted tank and it works great for those times I might want long tongs.
 
Jeremy, through ZoaID worked with Dr. Instruments last year to develop this.
http://www.drinstruments.com/xq/ASP/pid.409/cat.29/qx/product.htm

It's not dirt cheap, but these are the basic tools we use all the time. The only thing not included in that kit are the long curved forceps. I use those all the time.
 
to add to the list, you could use metal cutters to cut SPS, works, but it's ugly =/ I'd always suggest a dremel with a diamond wheel.


I one one question though... say your colony is on a huge base rock that you can't remove, how do you cut frags underwater?
 
Assuming you know exactly where to frag along the branch (I'm talking sps here) you can take needle nose pliers to snap the branch off. You maybe able to getaway with a cheap pair of pruners (garden shears) that can do something similar. Pruners and pliers should be aquarium use only
 
Yes - I have used a Hammer and Flat Head screwdriver. The other stuff is cool too. Don't forget safty glasses and Gloves! And a lighter to kill anything I don't want......like pest and/or algae : )
 
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