Make your own frag plug? How did she do this?

[PirateLove]

Hi RC. I was online looking at a local forum for new coral and came across some zoas. But instead of the coral catching my eye it was the frag plug. It looks like fruity pebbles and I really like it. I contacted the person asking if they would sell me some or how she did it and I never got a response. Has anyone seen these? I would like to get some because I am tired of the original ugly boring frag plugs. Thanks!

[homer1475]

I have a couple like that also, but not quite as colorful. I believe their made the same way people make fake rocks. Hydraulic cement and some aragonite.

[PirateLove]

Hydraulic cement and aragonite, cool. I will look into that thanks homer.

[PirateLove]

What about the paint? is latex paint used?

[toothybugs]

Latex will swell and degrade quickly in aqueous environments. Look what leaves when you let it dry; it will take it right back.

[CStrickland]

I don't think it's paint. Rather shavings of colored plastic in the mix. This is one of the more popular recipes for diy rock or "aragocrete" http://www.garf.org/class.html
When you make concrete (or aragocrete) you use sand as the basic structure, chunks of something, and a little regular cement to hold it together. Aragocrete uses plastic shavings as the chunks instead of gravel like you would making a sidewalk because it's lighter and doesn't have unknown compounds like metal.

It's common when you make diy rocks to use your leftover crete to make a few frag plugs. I bet she used colored plastic shavings in her batch and that's what you are seeing. It's cute.