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Author Topic: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts  (Read 5277 times)

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Offline lazylivin

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Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« on: April 27, 2014, 01:13:08 »
Just sharing how to make simple coral mounts for your propagation tank. These are larger and heavier then plugs taking up 4 squares on your frag rack. They are also ceramic which don't require any curing; tank ready when complete.

What you will need:
 - Earthenware/Ceramic Clay
 - A Kiln, if you don't have one don't worry your local pottery store can fire it for a small charge
 - Wire Clay Cutter
 - Fabric from thin tshirt or speaker cloth
 - Something to use as a mold

Ceramic sculpting clay comes in boxes. This is 50# box which has 2 25# blocks of clay. There are many types of ceramic clay's with different characteristics but for what we are doing it doesn't matter which type to get. The cheapest white clay will do. This 50# was on sale for 15$.



In addition to the clay a wire clay cutter is nice to have. Not required, just makes it easier to cut the clay off the slab. You will also need a mold. The one shown below I made out of clay previously. However you probrably have something lying around the house that can be used as a mold. Last item you will need is piece of thin cloth which will be used to pull your clay out of the mold.



Can't find a mold; pick up a plastic egg holder at the store.



Your first step is to cut some peices of clay off of your slab.



Next roll them into a ball so they will go into your mold easily.



Then lay the fabric over your mold and press the ball of clay into it.



Swirling your thumb on the bottom with light pressure will make the coral mount nice and flat.



When your ready simply pull the mount out of the mold by lifting up on the cloth.



Make sure to let them dry fully before putting them in the Kiln to fire. They should be white like the circled ones in the picture. Takes about 3 days. If you use a fan they will dry in a day.



Final step is to fire them in a Kiln. They only need to be bisque fired. Your local pottery shop will usually do it for a small fee. After firiing they are ready to be used your tank.


Offline Bucknutz

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2014, 02:00:36 »
What are the advantages over regular frag plugs?

Offline lazylivin

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2014, 02:28:47 »
Comparing them to frag plugs.... that is crazy talk my friend. These particular coral mounts the advantage is they are exactly what I want them to be; size, weight, texture, usability, look and cost.

Offline Twizted1

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2014, 08:02:53 »
I am wanting to make a sea horse feeding station out of this clay. Just can't find a local pottery store to kiln the piece when done. Also, does the clay come in smaller pieces? The feeding station would be my only project and 50# seems like a lot. Thanks for sharing this. I love DIY.

Offline Bucknutz

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2014, 08:27:12 »
Comparing them to frag plugs.... that is crazy talk my friend. These particular coral mounts the advantage is they are exactly what I want them to be; size, weight, texture, usability, look and cost.

They look like doughnuts. I'm hungry now.

Offline Steve

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2014, 09:02:08 »
Fiber Doughnuts! Brian was nice enough to share a few of these with me and they work really well. I like the fact that they stay in place with out the plug and when the corals get larger they accommodate the extra size better than a regular plug. 

Offline Twizted1

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2014, 09:16:56 »

Offline Wall_Tank

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2014, 10:15:13 »
Great write up

Offline lazylivin

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2014, 12:45:19 »
Found these stuff.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0026C1T8C/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?qid=1398602448&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

It can be oven baked.

Barb told me she did the oven bake clay and it broke-down and dissolve into the saltwater. If you draw up what you want and it is not larger then 6" x 6" I could make it for you. That is the size of the Kiln I am using.

Offline Twizted1

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2014, 13:02:03 »
That makes since. I'll try and draw it up. Thanks.

Offline joncat24

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2014, 23:12:33 »
I would like to try some......make me up a batch??
John

Offline lazylivin

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2014, 12:38:27 »
Putting the plugs to use

Offline Twizted1

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2014, 20:30:20 »
Looks like a coral buffet.

Offline Travis8896

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #13 on: May 16, 2014, 01:48:17 »
Are you selling any? I'm down to 3 fragplugs and some rubble rock lol
"Not using a quarantine tank is like playing Russian roulette. Nobody wins the game, some people just get to play longer than others." - Anthony Calfo

Offline mdog3000

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Re: Ceramic DIY Frag Mounts
« Reply #14 on: May 31, 2014, 11:06:49 »
Nice idea! And great looking frag tank.

 

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