** StevieT's How to Glue Coral Thread **

[StevieT]

you guys do know you can find the same product that mighty putty is in your local hardware store?

[JimDantin]

Have you tried D-D's AquaScape Epoxy? It is much more sticky than the usual stuff. It comes packed as two individual sticks and has a much slower cure time. It is somewhat water soluble so it can be molded into small crevices. While it appears to be expensive, you get 4 oz. of product compared to the usual 2 oz. sticks.

 

The instructions warn against water clouding -- the stuff seems like modeling clay until it starts to cure. Anyway, give it a try,

[StevieT]

Aquarium shop carries this, say on the magical interweb?

[JimDantin]

You can find AquaScape at most of the mailorder sources -- just Google it.

 

I decided to relocate a birdnest coral frag that I had glued down with AqyaScape -- had a devil of a time prying it loose from the live rock.

[StevieT]

[WindCloudWRX]

LOVE IT. Will buy the exact thing. Did you guys trim off the plugs?

 

Thanks.

[rean_jem]

if you have a skimmer, and you use that kind of epoxy, it will/might overflow. ie speaking from experience but i caught it before it overflowed. i had to turn off the skimmer for a day.

[StevieT]

LOVE IT. Will buy the exact thing. Did you guys trim off the plugs?

 

Thanks.

 

 

If you can pop off the coral from the plug, try that first. If it is overgrown on it, then you can trim it.

[WindCloudWRX]

1 last question, I can get them all @ Home Depot right?

 

Thanks again. I will try this and turn off pumps, will 30 mins be good enough for it to cure?

 

Thanks.

[StevieT]

Yep, you can find both at HD. There were reports that aquamend would not be carried any more, but all of the HD stores that I have seen still sell it. There are a lot of alternatives if not, this is a commong product.

 

30 mins is plenty, It usually cures in a few minutes, so 20-30 to be safe, depending on the coral, the pumps don't even need to be turned off, such as with sps.

[WindCloudWRX]

Hi StevieT + All,

 

I will go HD today and see if I can get them.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[StevieT]

you're welcome.

 

Please report back if you found it, I personally and many other would be interested in seeing the regional supply of this product.

[cuboy]

sticky this already

[WindCloudWRX]

My buddy had some aquamend so I got it.

 

Went to HD was scratching my head looking for the loctite. Apparently a few of them have the cyanoacrylate, but for goodness I could not confirm. But the pictures refreshed my memory. The 'gel' on the putty, so I took a chance and went w/ the gel.

 

Now here I am online, reconfirming the pics and I made the right choice. See how pics can help. =)

 

Thanks again.

[NanoCube-boy]

hahaha, yea, first time I tried buying glue at Home Depot too, I was freaking confused myself too.

[SmittyCoco]

I am in nor/cen Cal and there at least 4 HD's around me within 20 miles and all 4 have the aqua mend still . I am a bit of a freak looking for aquarium things just looked and they all seem to have it within last 2 months.

[WindCloudWRX]

Btw, I found a slight crack in my glass uGGH. the leak hasn't continued, it's been stopped due to salt and clcium. was thinkikng about using some aquamend + glue gel.

 

haha

[WindCloudWRX]

Just re-read.

 

So for freshly cut frags, you'd just glue the base of the frag w/ super gel loctite and dip underwater and mount?

 

Would the glue burn the sps, causing RTN or something?

 

Or should I put the fresh cut frag on some putty first?

 

Thanks

[StevieT]

For something fresh cut, just apply glue right away and stick to a frag plug or other.

 

The putty may burn SPS if done out of water. If the putty is in the water, the heat can disipate enough and not cause any problems. All of these products, the glue and the putty will cure underwater, so glue and dunk back in.

[WindCloudWRX]

For something fresh cut, just apply glue right away and stick to a frag plug or other.

 

The putty may burn SPS if done out of water. If the putty is in the water, the heat can disipate enough and not cause any problems. All of these products, the glue and the putty will cure underwater, so glue and dunk back in.

 

Thank you for your patience.

 

So your suggesting I use super glue gel and just glue the bottom and dunk it onto the side of my rock?

 

Yeah, they are SPS fresh cut, w/ no plugs, from a friend's tank.

Edited December 26, 2008 by WindCloudWRX

[StevieT]

Yes.

 

And if you need a little more fill use the aquamend putty with the super glue gel

[WindCloudWRX]

Loctite is holy grail. LOL At first I wasn't sure how it would react, but you had to hold it in place for a few seconds I suppose then it would glue SHUT ! lol

 

I mis dabbled and the sps slimmed, but the polyps have all extended so I suppose they will be alright.

 

Thanks for this again.

[junk]

Thanks for the excellent writeup Steve. FYI, I was able to find the Aqua Mend putty in my local HD here in NJ. Already had the gel Cya.

[mynicereef]

Thanks steve for this great thread i went glue crazy with a bunch of my corals after reading now my hands are are covered in glue and aqua mend but im real happy the way eveything looks now !!

[StevieT]

Thanks guys. Try and keep both on had at all times. You never know when something will fall over, come loose, frag itself, you need to move etc.