SuperGlue in a marine aquarium?

JT101

JT101

Member
I've been reading over and over again how people use SuperGlue to affix different pieces of coral together or even glue individual polyps to dead coral (live rock). My first question is, how does the glue actually set underwater? I mean, it's not like you can take a polyp out of a tank, dry it until the glueable surface is bone dry and then proceed with the little operation? Second, isn't cyanoacrylate a toxic substance?
 
panmanmatt

panmanmatt

Well-Known Member
First, you can take the polyps out of the water to glue them. You dry the base of the piece you want to glue and dry the surface you are gluing it to. Add a drop of super glue gel and hold for a few seconds til the glue starts to set and then place back into the tank.

You can also glue under water with it if you have to. Remove the polyp, add a small amount of super glue gel, then place into tank where you want it. The glue will form a skin coating on it once it contacts the water. Just press firmly and the coating will pop and allow you to adhere the coral.

Cyanoacrylate isn't toxic as far as I know.
 
framerguy

framerguy

Well-Known Member
Panman's absolutely right :thumbup:
use the superglue gel though, it works a lot better than the thin stuff.
 
InLimbo87

InLimbo87

Well-Known Member
Definitely use the superglue gel.. The liquid stuff is a major PITA to work with (especially underwater)
 
MR PALM BEACH

MR PALM BEACH

Member
Beleave It or not you can keep corals out of the water for a short period of time. I went to a reef seminare where they had a fragging demostration. At this time I watched corals being removed from the tanks and out In the open for a 10 to 15 minute time period, then fragged and then placed back Into the tank. The next day I went back to store and all peices that got fragged that night were all out in the tank and showed no stress at all. So next time you start freaking out when you have a coral thats been out of the water a couple of seconds theres no need to get worried.
 
flricordia

flricordia

Active Member
The best I have found, and I have used lots of different brands, is the Duro Quick gel in the WalMart paint section. It only takes a small amount and sticks right away. I only pat-dry the base of what I am gluing, not what I am gluing it to as most of the time it is a large piece of LR in the tank and it still fixes fast and well. Just move it around on the piece you are fastening it too so the glue spreads a bit, then hold it in place a few seconds. For large corals you may have to hold it in place for 30-45 seconds, longer if you use a different brand.
I have been using superglue gel for over a year on ricordias, zoanthids, sps and a number of LPS and never had any problems. I have even fastened single zoanthid polyps with it and they always open right away.
Hope this answers your ?s.
 
kathywithbirds

kathywithbirds

Well-Known Member
I used superglue for the zoo frags. The regular stuff. I took the zoos and rubble out of the water, but didn't bother to dry anything off. Worked good, got some on me though.
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
Just make sure it's the "GEL" kind as it's thicker and allows for a little longer working time. Trust me when I say it's not really as critical or complicated as it seems. Once you get used to it you'll look back and say, " I was worrying over the little stuff for nothing. This is EASY!"

Allen
 
cracker

cracker

Well-Known Member
Tinken, I just purchased Some "SuperGlue" brand gel at Home Depot. Orange & yellow packageing. 2 little tubes for around 2 bucks. This gel seems to work for spot glueing wet pvc fittings as well.
 
JT101

JT101

Member
Wow, it really DOES sound a lot easier than I thought!

OK, next question (please :smirk: ):

Now that I know it's safe to use SuperGlue in a reef tank, I'm wondering all about this whole "fragging" thing. I have a large polyp zoanthid that I bought attached to a slightly ugly flat rock. I'd love to somehow remove the whole "colony" from this rock and actually glue it right to a portion of my LR. Question is, how do you actually do that? I spoke to someone at Suffolk County Fish & Reef (a huge saltwater fish distributer out here on Long Island) yesterday who said you can actually take a scalpel and cut the coral right off the rock and glue it to something else :bouncebox . I must admit I did a double-take when he told me that but he was 100% serious. OK, so I go home and take this coral out of my tank and notice that it's going to require some major surgery to remove it. How hardy ARE these things? Isn't it going to "bleed" to death or something if I start slicing into the base of the colony?

Thanks
John
 
Rcpilot

Rcpilot

Has been struck by the ban stick
Tip of the week:

Super Glue is indeed cyanoacrylate glue.

Some of you know that I fly RC airplanes too. We use "CA" (cee ayy) glue all the time for building and repair. It comes in thin, medium or thick.

Go to a hobby store that specializes in RC airplanes or cars and buy THICK CA. Much cheaper than buying it at Wall-mart in a 0.25oz tube. Store it in the refridgerator. Keeps it from setting up and will last over a year. Put the cap on--or you'll end up with a cured hunk of the hardest substance in the world.

It should cost ya $5 or $6 for a 1 ounce bottle. Thats enough CA to frag a LOT of corals.

CA is "activated" in moisture. Thats why it works so well for attaching corals. Doesn't matter if the rock is wet or the frag is slimy. The moisture actually activates the glue to set almost instantly.

Try using it on balsa wood in Colorado. Balsa is naturally dry anyway, and the humidity in Colorado rarely goes over 40%. No moisture to help kick it off and make it cure. We routinely mist our wood with a water bottle before starting a build project.

:whstlr:
 
XBwlr

XBwlr

Well-Known Member
Zoas aren't that hard... I did 8 frags last night.
I used an off brand super glue gel, the rock were moist, and the zoas were wet... and it worked.
I got most off the rock without cutting into them... I was able to pick at the bottom and get the "foot" to come loose.

When doing zoas, use gloves and glasses.

Read the DANGERS section.
Zoanthid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
Rcpilot said:
....We routinely mist our wood with a water bottle before starting a build project.
Click to expand...

Or we use "Kicker" to really get it FAST!

He's DEAD on about the hobby shop and SIZE of the bottles. You'd be surprised how BIG of a bottle of this stuff you can get.

Allen
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
This inspired me to do some last night two. I took a large sea shell and glued three different small clusters of Zoas onto it. It was TOO easy :) I used Walmart GEL like always and it worked like a charm. I dabbed the top of the shell dry and made a big glob of SG-Gel in the spot I wanted. Then I took the next Zoa and pushed it into the Gel Glob and seated it snugly. Another DAB of glue and another Zoa. Did this three times and placed it back into the tank. As of about midnight 2 of the 3 Zoa clusters were already opening back up. They may take a few days to get over the "pouting" but they'll be fine. Super Glue Gel in the reef tank is safe and EASY!!

Allen :)
 
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