[Coral-List] Planting of propagated coral fragments

[Kevin Kocot]

Andrew,

If you have the capacity to drill holes, I think the drilling-and-sticking 
method using a super glue gel (ethyl acrylate) is a good option.  One can 
simply drill a shallow hole, squeeze in a couple mL of super glue gel, and 
insert the base of the Acropora propagule into it.  Ethyl acrylate super 
glue gel sets well underwater and is commonly used for the aquaculture of 
Acropora and other small polyped Scleractinian corals.

You may also want to experiment with laying cuttings on large rocks and 
glueing them "sideways."  In some species of Acropora, this seems to 
stimulate a great deal of encrustation before new branches are erected.  If 
you are trying to establish colonies in rough waters, this may be a good way 
to get them started.

Hope this is helpful,
Kevin Kocot
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "andrew ross" <andyroo_of72 at yahoo.com>
To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 10:23 AM
Subject: [Coral-List] Planting of propagated coral fragments


> List,
>
>  I'm hoping to begin replanting of propagated A. cervicornis material in 
> June/July in Montego Bay: racing the storm season.
>
>  Any suggestions on methods?
>
>  I am planning to break up the propagated material into 5-10cm segments 
> and wire them to masonry nails hammered into urchin grazed, clean reef.
>
>  Wire will be a vinyl coated copper (i'm having good success, it's cheap, 
> colour coded and easy to work with) but i'm interested in suggestions on 
> types of nail: galvanized is probably bad (?) I'm expecting partial 
> attachment to the reef within 2-3 weeks and overgrowth of the nail within 
> 5-7 weeks. Will nail rusting inhibit overgrowth?
>
>  Are there other suggestions in reef attachment?
>  I've looked at simple spreading, string anchoring, epoxy, concrete, 
> drilling-and-sticking and some more. Nails seem most secure in the 
> short-term.
>
>  Andrew Ross
>
>
>
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