Diy Plugs

[scubasteve]

so after looking around for the cheapest place to buy plugs i asked someone i know where he got all his from and he laughed at me and told me that he uses air drying clay that doesnt need to be fired in a kiln to cure... aparently as long as its all natural modeling clay after a month of hardening and a couple weeks to cure they are inert and reef safe.

so now im thinking.... theres clay all natural air drying for $1.25 at dollarama so i got some and formed it into disks 1.5" diameter poked 2 holes in each incase i need to tie some softies and set them to dry.... after 3-4 weeks when im confident they are completely dry i am going to put them in a bucket of water and test once a week and see how long till no spikes are registerable and i feel they are ready for the next step..... i made approximately 40-1.5" disks about 3/8" thick and only cost me $1.25 so with that i can assume 200 would cost me $5.25 considering best deal i have found is 200 for $22 this could definately be worth my while.

Am looking forward to sharing my findings with you so stay tuned for soon to come pics

 

[reefgeek]

Interesting, I would have assumed that the salinity would break down an air dried clay in a matter of weeks. Look forward to hearing your results.

 

[scubasteve]

is what i always thaught buut hey for 1.25$ is worth seeing if dollarama clay works

 

[sunnykita]

Very interesting, and you can make whatever size you want or need, another bonus !

 

[scubasteve]

well good thing my mom has a small kiln his even tho says all natural air drying look on their website its actually a polymer clay.... funny what is considered all natural nowadays

 

[J_T]

One thing is missing in your equation for the cost! Your time!!! If it takes 5 hours, have you saved anything?

There is something to be said for diy, but i find sometimes, its best to let the mass producers make stuff


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[scubasteve]

is a hobby so my time is my joy always fun to try new and different things..... the best part of diy in my opinionis the joy knowing you did it yourself

 

[manmadecorals]

I'm also curious to know how it turns out as I've been looking at making my own with air dry clay.

 

[scubasteve]

I'm also curious to know how it turns out as I've been looking at making my own with air dry clay.

after firing to bisque ware they are fine air dry wont hold up unless is a polymer kund of clay

 

[scubasteve]

made a bunch of plugs out of aragonite and portland cement as well..... i used 2 cups of aragonite and one cup of portland for the smooth ones and 3 cups of aragonite with one cup of portland for the rough ones.... i also made a bunch of little peices to cure and throw in my sump...... should give more crevices than liverock for pod production

 

[scubasteve]

i have a few hundred portland flats already cured in frag tank if anyone wants any to try out also have grow out racks i made can send pics if interested already cured for 2 months

 

[TORX]

i have a few hundred portland flats already cured in frag tank if anyone wants any to try out also have grow out racks i made can send pics if interested already cured for 2 months

Way to do it. I hope to see tons more. Time to package and sell.

 

[Marz]

That's awesome! How big are the Portland flats - diameter?

 

[heath]

wow, you are soo talented, building tanks, making frag plugs, what up next, lol.

 

[scubasteve]

That's awesome! How big are the Portland flats - diameter?

they are about 1 1/4" and 1/2" thick

wow, you are soo talented, building tanks, making frag plugs, what up next, lol.

Lmao thats what happens when i get bored and read something cant help but try it out whats next i dont know am running out of ideas quick have some things i want to try but wallet wont co-operate

 

[scubasteve]

lots of fully cured flats for sale $15 for 100 zoas grow fast on them too

 

[sunnykita]

Steve, I'll be interested in some when I get the tank running, will contact you

 

[scubasteve]

for sure im gonna spend a couple hours soon and make around 1000 willput them in a vat then in my sump till people want them have already soldover 800 to tft members and a couple stores.... seems alot of people like these over ceramic ive noticed the zoa and palys i attach do really good and start multiplying sooner and others told me their sps encrusted over in no time whick is what i will see next

 

[scubasteve]

well 3 heads of nuke greens on one flat after 2 weeks has grown over entire top connecting the 3 and 2 babies forming ppe went from 5 heads and now 3-4 babies forming.... will be stocking my fragtank soon got lots of palys and zoas to trim and some grow out racks that need covering