Trimming SPS Frag Plugs

So i am getting ready to place my SPS Frags on my reef and will need to trim the frag plugs back. I was wondering if it would be less stressful on the coral to trim the frag plugs in the tank they are in and under water. Arent frag plugs made of aragonite? I was just thinking that the small chunks that might flake of while trimming the plug would just fall to the bottom and become sand?

 

not all plugs are made equal. just trim it out of the water, the few minutes each coral is out of the water wont hurt it.

 

Out of water get's my vote. Much easier. Sometimes in nature reefs stay expose out of water for hours.

 

What might one use to trim the plug off a frag?

 

tile clipper/cutters or dremel

 

oh so the same way you would frag a grown coral. I hadn't thought of the dremel.

 

i actually just trimmed some plugs back today, they were on giant square ones from live aquaria...

i used 2 sets of pliers to break it apart, worked great....crumbled for the most part

couple hours later the corals are all opened back up again

i did it all out of water