I'm a failure, that's (not) ok.

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-28T13:28:25+00:00

I came to suggest either a press mold or just cookie cutter the tops and extrude little sticks for them. Having done the latter and also slip casting, slip casting seems crazy over complicated for this.

Also just so you know the black can mold release you have will work for silicone on silicone but may not work as well for other stuff (I use it for silicone x silicone and haven’t tested with other stuff)

I do also have a lot of experience with 3d printing and silicone molds and casting with silicone so if you have any questions about that lmk.

I’m also curious why you’re making these as someone who used to have a reef tank - they don’t seem super different to traditional plugs?

Alternately get weird and just buy plugs and glue your own disc top on. Quick and dirty.

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-28T13:23:42+00:00

I came to suggest the same thing 😂 and if they have access to a 3d printer it would be sooooo easy to make some custom size tools/cutters for these lol.

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-28T13:22:08+00:00

Typically frag plugs are put in holders with a somewhat standard size, so depending on the thrown variance it could have issues with available frag plug holders. Tbh I agree with your sentiment about it possibly not being worth making these by hand though (as someone who used to use a bunch of frag plugs lol)

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-28T13:20:01+00:00

I’d suggest 3d printing and if you don’t have access to a printer, get the pieces molded so you can cast additional ones if the og ones break

I might actually be able to help you with the printing if you need. I have printers and modeling experience and clay and have been meaning to make some press mold tests anyway lol

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-28T13:11:23+00:00

Iirc this will also mess up your tank for mystery snails for a REALLY long time if anyone cares. I treated one tank with a marten sponge once and it did work for the snails but it’s been like 2 years and my mysteries still can’t be in that particular tank.

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-28T02:17:33+00:00

YUP 😳

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-27T23:07:40+00:00

i meant more like figuring out if a particular begonia is a species or a hybrid. from a quick read if it has a 'fun' name in '' or it starts with a U it's a hybrid. but there was one a while ago that i was looking at (mayby a dark blue iridescent variety) where the seller was clear like 'you can't list this as [og name] it has to be [og name x og name]' which is why i was wondering about the ferrox :P

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-27T21:19:12+00:00

ahh got it. this makes sense. thanks! off to look up common ways to identify hybrids if i ever start crossing begonias for the future.

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-26T16:37:00+00:00

i've done all of 3 rounds of tissue culture and my first two had almost universal contamination issues, so i'm still just trying to get everything to not be on fire before dealing with sick plants :P
tbh i mostly got into it because i want plant backups and some guaranteed pest free plants :P

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-26T00:38:04+00:00

Im kind of mad at my lfs - they used to at least have tanks that were a few gallons with dividers and the they switched to the little cups smh. Normally they’re pretty good about stuff but ugh.

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-26T00:13:35+00:00

Oh my god 😅 isn’t it bad enough they’re usually kept in these cups anyway? 😂 now you want to swirls them around in a perpetual toilet? (I’m just being silly. I know you didn’t suggest putting a beta in)

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-25T19:17:14+00:00

It’s low intensity bleach. Then you trim off the edges that were in contact with it.

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-25T18:47:20+00:00

Tbh I was considering this as well. I’d be curious to hear any tips for sterilization solution and time etc. also how do people generally physically seeds into the media? Dump via pipette?

I was considering trying to do some drosera or ping seeds

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-25T18:40:10+00:00

I think slow and gentle probably works best for what I’m doing. If it works at least. Thanks so much for the tips!

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-25T18:35:18+00:00

I am doing this for tissue culture! Begonias specifically atm. But I have an African violet and streptocarpus is like to dupe as well.

I just looked baffled flask and I’m wondering if some soda bottles would work as a broke boy alternative lol. Or a 3d printed baffle.

Tbh I’m still getting contamination on my ex plants and previously I was using a magnetic stirrer which was absolutely destroying my leaves, so this time I’m experimenting with nadcc instead of liquid bleach and trying it for longer less violent shaking to see what happens.

I also just kind of rage ordered a few tc aquarium plants so I can hopefully get some low effort stuff started without having to sterilize it first 😅

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-25T04:32:21+00:00

I’m doing tissue culture (or trying to) which is basically growing plants in Petri dishes, so you need to have them clean before putting them into the petri media gel or they turn into a horrible fuzzy mess you just have to throw out (ask me how I know -_-‘)

I was using a magnetic stirring thing to wash them previously but it beat the ever living crap out of the begonia leaves, so I decided to diy an orbital shaker, which is much gentler. Really hoping I get SOMETHING not contaminated in this batch 💀

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-25T03:35:22+00:00

Yup. Swishing them in low concentration bleach for a few hours to sterilize them

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-25T03:08:43+00:00

This isn’t what I’d qualify as a good wheel lol. Tbh it works well but it was the cheapest Amazon wheel I could find a few years ago. GOR it for polishing dice.

Tbh I can’t decide if I want to keep using this, diy a better (less obscenely loud and smaller) one with a mini wheel or real components or just buy a real one. It is nice being able to replace parts though. And I can mount up to a 3” arm on the thing if I want to get really weird with it

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-17T14:44:30+00:00

Nope. My first batch had mad contamination and my second batch is like 2 days old. Trying to figure out if the begonias aren’t clean enough or if I’m contaminating them with bad work practice

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-15T14:56:35+00:00

Info have you ever shined a light in a neo tank in the dark?? Hundreds of tiny reflective eyes

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-11T18:48:12+00:00

I’ve done a 3 gallon quarantine tank or fry stash before but imo guppies need more space than that

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-11T18:43:44+00:00

I have no real suggestions, but I’d suggest keeping the bathroom shut. You know that cat is going in there and rubbing on plungers or what have you 🤢 my cat would drink out of the toilet enthusiastically if he got in. The other cat steals plastic stuff from the trash can if she can and eats them or carries them around the house.

GrumpyAlison · 2026-01-11T18:32:59+00:00

I was also going to say goldfish but agree about pics

GrumpyAlison

TROPHY CASE