How and when to use superglue?

[swordfish]

I am needing some detailed info on how to use superglue. Can it be used on a small colt cutting? That's what I currently need it for.

 

Anyhow, I know to use the gel version, but do you apply it to the rock, the coral, or both? And do you do this in the tank underwater or do you have to take one or the other out first? Do the surfaces have to be dry?

 

Thanks,

 

Jeff

[coralreefengr]

I haven't fragged colts. It depends on how slimy it gets as to whether or not you can glue it. I do all my glueing outside the tank with a bowl of tank water to put the frag in to help set the glue. You don't need to be in a big hurry. Try this for softies:

 

Take the coral out of the tank that you want to frag. Cut a piece off with kitchen shears or something similar. Replace the mother colony into the tank. Blot the frag on a towel to remove excess moisture. If it seems extra slimy, you'll have to go to plan B, otherwise squeeze a dab of gel glue about the size of your frag onto your rock (also blotted dry). Hold for a few seconds and then submerge into your bowl of water to help it set faster. After a few more seconds the mounted frag can be placed into the tank.

 

Plan B:

Place the slimy frag onto the rock. Cover loosely with bridal veil netting. Secure the netting to the rock with a rubberband in a manner that the frag cannot escape. Use netting with small enough holes that the size frag you cut cannot escape through a hole.

 

Good luck. It's easy once you get the hang of it.

 

CRE

[tinyreef]

colt snot :x colts are the royallest pita, especially the tiny ones. the bigger ones (1/2" trunk and 3"+ spread) are much easier.

 

your best bet is to let the tiny frag attach to some crushed coral chips first and then gel glue those onto a target base. towel dry the surfaces.

 

if that's too long to wait then try towel drying the base of the colt and target. apply the gel to the colt and then attach. let it dry for a minute or so then apply even more gel around the base of the frag as a sort of base support. once you re-introduce the rock the glue should solidfy and whiten into a sorta base structure.

 

do not put it in a hi-flow area. a very low or gentle flow (1"~2" per sec.) is preferred to allow the colt to grow and attach.

 

iodine and/or lugol's iodine is what i dose to promote re-growth. voodoo reefing maaan!

[swordfish]

I took your advice and removed the rock and colt to be glued to the rock, the latter of which fell off the coral during the night, probably bumped by a crab or something. It looked no worse for the wear. I super-glue gelled bottom of the dabbed-dry frag of colt and then applied it gently to the dabbed-dry LR. After it seemed to take hold I then put it al back in the tank. Everything seems to be holding well. The colt is in a normal-flow area but does not by any means have a power head aimed at it.

 

BTW, it is a bit ironic that super glues are water-soluable and will not hold long-term under water, but rather dissolve slowly an dloose their bond after exposure to moisture for a while. Obviously this happens long after a coral has a chance to take it's own hold on to whatever it's been glued to.

 

Jeff

[mane3215]

Can you use this method on anthelia polyps as well?

[Aquarist20]

check out http://www.garf.org They just updated their site on how to propagate Colt coral.