best coral glue?

[mindme]

If under water, I find I need to mash the glue around a bit on LR, pull the frag out and add more glue, then mash it into the rock again, followed by pressing the glue into place around the frag base, then holding until it won't tip over.

I also mash mine around. But instead of adding more glue, I just put a big blob on the bottom, mash it around to get things activated and then hold it in place for about 20 seconds to set. On flat/top surfaces, don't need to hold.

 

[McPuff]

As much as I hate to admit it, I like the EcoTech CA gel. It's very thick which is nice. But the real reason I like it is the applicator. They were smart and put a little metal stick in the cap so the nozzle doesn't get sealed shut after every use. I used all of the glue (because it's a tiny bottle) and then refilled the container with the thick Gluemasters. It's not as thick as I'd like but it seems to work just fine. I'll see about the BSI next.

 

[woejillis]

I bought this Loctite gel superglue but have been afraid to use it. It seems it's reef safe but I would hate to crash my tank.

 

[WallyB]

I treid every brand of cyanoacrylate glue.

They are all work to some degree....but IC GEL is the best since it's thick.
It comes with an extra Tip, when the first tip clogs.


https://bsi-inc.com/hobby/ic_gel.html

One note: Don't buy too much, since cyanoacrylate glue has a limited shelf life. (Better to buy a few small than 1 large)
Store it tightly closed, and in Fridge to extend the shelf life.

 

[mindme]

I bought this Loctite gel superglue but have been afraid to use it. It seems it's reef safe but I would hate to crash my tank.

It's fine. They are all cyanoacrylate and are aquarium safe. I've used those many times. The only bad thing about those are they aren't a good deal when you have many things to glue. So I buy the big bottles from BRS now. There are other big bottles you can find of other brands as well on Amazon. It's more $ up front, but better in the long run.

 

[Greg P]

ok so this is the right method then,keep reapplying glue until it sticks. i had to apply glue 3 to 4 times until it finally stuck.... i thought i just had crappy EXPENSIVE glue

Never did I state you need to keep applying it until it works.
I've been using EcoTech Coral Glue for years and it works just fine. I've even used it underwater a couple times. You squeeze it out of the bottle directly to a rock/frag etc. Can be done if you remove the bottle before you finish squeezing to eliminate water being drawn back into the bottle. Not a good method if your fish follow you for food.

I've only ever needed to apply it 2 times with my stated method.
If your surfaces are covered with bacterial stuff or whatever, sure, it may never stick.
Same goes with whatever glue you tried. Slippery surfaces and glue don't mix.

So to answer the initial OP question, my answer is Ecotech Coral Glue for my favourite of the few brands I've tried;
Boston Aqua Farms, Gorilla, Loctite

Sure it's costly as a one-time purchase, but if you price the mls/$, I found it to be cheaper than dollar store stuff.

 

[Augus7us]

If gluing to a rough surface I sometimes use glue in combination with

I would use the putty to make a ball and put a divot in it, then put some super glue gel and the frag in the divot and smash the putty on live rock. This worked well for plugs and stony corals.

 

[Jeffcb]

Any Cyanoacrylate thick, cheapest you can get. 2 Little Fishies Aqua Stik 2 part Epoxy. I like red. Mix epoxy and put super glue (cyanoacrylate) on both sides. Hold frag or coral in place with pressure on the side of disk for a minute or so.....

 

[lucky7]

Another vote for bsi ic gel here. I’ve used a lot of glues this one is the best for me

 

[disdareef]

I use the super glue gel from the dollar tree

 

[OnPointCorals Verified Sponsor]

I've tried them all. Always go back to BSI.

 

[Greg P]

I'll point out the cost per ml
Ecotech near me is $30.00/75mls $75.00/295mls

So it's about $0.40ml and $0.25ml
Cheaper than buying dollar store stuff