Glue??

Question
O.K... i dont know if you can answer this by reading your 'bio'(i dont know)... but i read you can glue coral frags to live rock so they stay attached to it... i just dont know what kind would be the best?.?... i know everyone said gel is the best but i just dont want to poison my tank... so do you have any idea which one would be good???


i hope you can answer this    :)


thanks alot!!!

Answer
BONNIE BONNIE BONNIE,

I can answer everything!!!!!.  (just that most wont be right!)  Ok, I'm beinig modest.  Most will be right, or I will gladly tell you that it is beyond me...

And if im wrong, I will be more then glad to admit it and know I just learned something new.


As for your question.  There is a specific glue to use that is not harmful for our corals and reefs.  It is cyanoacrylate.  Read the label of whatever you find and make sure that is the stuff.

IT smells bad, will possibly make you smile more then normal if the ventilation is poor, but it will work.

I get mine from the $.99 store.  They have a package with 3 tubes in it for a buck.  I stock up and get ten to twenty dollars worth once or every two months.

You can also use a two part epoxy.  The material we use is labeled AQUAMEND.  But i believe there are many other names.  (there is one made speicifically for metal, I wouldnt use that, just not sure about it.



the method to making this work is still tricky, as the glue really doesnt 'stick' underwater.  what it does is harden while it is pushed it the little cracks and crevices, grabbing itself to the rock or substrate.

Pull teh frag out, i place them on a paper plate that has a couple sheets of papertowels to soak up water or slime, i dry the frag plug, if thatis what i am using, and put a drop onto the frag plug or rock rubble, then take the coral and place it in the glue and twist and pull it up and down while it sets, and hold it when the glue gets stringy.

then dip the frag plug and coral into the salt water.  It will harden up almost instantly.

To get the frag plug or the coral to stick directly to the rocks that are submerged, i would put the glue, to the bottom of the frag plug or the base/end of the coral, and apply the glue, like a 'dallop'/whipped cream style, then place the coral up against the rock, and hold it for a few seconds, you might have to spin or twist it to 'schmear' it.

It works best on flat horizontal surfaces better/easier, but you can get them to stick on angles and stuff with practice.

Some folks have actually use both, the two part putty, and after it sets up, then gluing that to the rock.  I havent tried it, but this should show you that there is no wrong way, and you are free to play around with it.


Have fun, and let us know how it worked out for you.


Mr. Bill