# Type of glue used UNDERWATER?



## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

Hey guys, I'm starting to look for frags to put on my rocks.
I was wondering, is there a type of glue that's reef-safe that you can apply directly on the rocks IN your tank without the need to take them out?

I would like to let the rockscape as it is, since each time i take a rock out, i end up with a completely different scape lol

Thanks, 

iBetta


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

iBetta said:


> I was wondering, is there a type of glue that's reef-safe that you can apply directly on the rocks IN your tank without the need to take them out?


I don't know of any yet on the market, but there should be some soon. . .


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

ah, so i guess I would just have to use a gel-based super glue and take the rocks out?


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

Well, super glue/crazy glue is safe for people and fish when it is dry. It's also used in surgery these days, though it might be a problem for fish if it's introduced to the tank before completely dry.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Super Glue is crap. even thick super glue gel.

I like 'blue line" in metal tubes. SUM has them

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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

I've never actually glued any frags yet. O: So do I basically, take the rock out, dry the surface and glue the frag plug/disk onto the rock, then let it dry before placing it back in? How long would it take to dry, since the corals will be out of the water


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Super glue only lasts so long in a reef environment. I've found that it tends to degrade after a few months and hopefully by then whatever you've fraged on grabs hold. I've put in a few frags wet but they never really stick.

Alex let me use some putty that he had that is pretty amazing. It's reef safe and works very well for mounting frags onto Display Rock.

Here's a link and you can just google the name to find out where it's sold
http://www.epoputty.co.uk/index.php/epo-putty/in-aquarium-displays/how-to-use.html


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

wow, thanks for link !  looking into it....instead of studying..lol


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

sig said:


> Super Glue is crap. even thick super glue gel.
> 
> I like 'blue line" in metal tubes. SUM has them


Hey Sig, also wondering, is blue line glue used to glue corals (mine are soft) directly onto LR? or can you glue the frag disk with it onto the LR? i'm too scared as a noob to take out the coral from the disk because i dont want to kill it


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

iBetta said:


> Hey Sig, also wondering, is blue line glue used to glue corals (mine are soft) directly onto LR? or can you glue the frag disk with it onto the LR? i'm too scared as a noob to take out the coral from the disk because i dont want to kill it


You can only glue hard corals. Soft corals will just produce a slime coat that will release them from the glue.

In order to keep soft corals attached to frag plugs, or rocks, you need to hold them there until they attach themselves.

I typically will cut the (leather for this example) Stick a toothpick through the stem. Use an elastic to wrap around a rock and loop over the ends of the toothpicks. It needs to be loose. The coral needs to have room to expand to the size it would be before it was cut. If it is too tight, when it opens up, and expands, the toothpick will rip right through the coral.

I will shoot a picture of the one I have in my tank tomorrow if i remember (If I don't, PM me a reminder!)


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

Thank you J_T! 

well most of the soft corals are already glued to frag disks. I actually used fish net line to tie some polyps on a frag disk myself XD. but now i want to glue the frag disk onto the live rock. would i need epoxy putty then? glue wouldn't work right?


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Yeah, you would use epoxy to hold the frag disc/plug to the rock. If it needs it. If you can fit the frag snuggly into its spot, then that is fine too!

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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

I found solution (at least works well for me). Take the plug >>> build from the patty small cave on this plug with the hole looking up (make a ring from the patty and attach it to the plug) >>> Let it dry and now you can fill it with the glue or small piece of patty and put hard coral inside >>> done

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## TypeZERO (Jul 20, 2007)

I had great success with super glue gel epoxy superglue gel sandwich for underwater attaching stuff


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## notclear (Nov 5, 2011)

altcharacter said:


> Super glue only lasts so long in a reef environment. I've found that it tends to degrade after a few months and hopefully by then whatever you've fraged on grabs hold. I've put in a few frags wet but they never really stick.
> 
> Alex let me use some putty that he had that is pretty amazing. It's reef safe and works very well for mounting frags onto Display Rock.
> 
> ...


I am actually using this. But I still find that it doesn't stick as what I want/expect. It also takes a long time to cure. You must first place the frag on a stable surface/location and then apply the putty. If you place a frag up side down, for example, and apply the putty, you may need to hold it for an hour so it won't fall (mind you I don't have the patience yet to try this)!


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## Bwhiskered (Oct 2, 2008)

I've seen Crazy Glue used for gluing coral to a piece of dry coral rock.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

I will drop by SUM this weekend to pick up some putty first, then I'll go also get some super glue gel form and try it out . will let everyone how it goes! Any good brand of super glue that's recommended ? 

Thanks for all the advice everyone!


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

The cheap kind! Like the dollar store stuff works very well.


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## WiseGuyPhil (Jun 15, 2011)

I agree with altcharacter that the cheap stuff works fine however you might want to consider a gel at first if you have little experience with fragging. I personally use Loctite Super Glue with Gel Control or Crazy Glue with Gel control. Loctite is the best (most expensive) as the it does sit in its place well.

In addition there is a great dipping method for soft corals (crazy glue with dry fast when dipped in salt water). I can take some screensshots to explain how this is done if you decide to use superglue for soft corals. (Over the weekend I will be fraggings some of my leathers).



altcharacter said:


> The cheap kind! Like the dollar store stuff works very well.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Thats called the sandwich method. You put some glue on your softie first and then on the rock...once they dry then you glue them together


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

after i get everything, i'm going to compare just putting a frag plug/disk on a putty then on a LR and using glue on frag plug/disk, then putting it on a putty on LR and all those combinations to see whats best !


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## WiseGuyPhil (Jun 15, 2011)

Thanks. Wasn't sure what the method was called but it works great. Especially with the more difficult soft corals such as rics.



altcharacter said:


> Thats called the sandwich method. You put some glue on your softie first and then on the rock...once they dry then you glue them together


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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

i take some of that aquamend putty, roll/mix a little ball, and use the loctite super glue gel on each end. holds everything down nicely. 

the downside is that i've gone through about 15 bottles of the stuff, and it's expensive for how little you get.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

i got some super glue gel from the dollar store yesterday and it worked great! only $1/bottle *.*. however, it takes a while to cure so i had to hold the frags down in the tank for a while (and i didnt take the rocks out). and the bottle was so small it quickly ran out because i had to use a big blob for each. next time, ill try some putty .


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