Coral glue

Trae · Sep 17, 2013

Here's a good question...
Lets say your frag dies for one reason or the other?? Then what? Just try and pry it off?

Emoney · Sep 17, 2013

fishnreef said:
Different adhesives are used for different purposes.

Superglue works well on frags because it fills in the voids and rough areas in a rock over a small area and adheres to both the frag plug and the rock. It can do that for rock scapes, but the amount of glue is prohibitive. That is why epoxy is used. It allows a lot more adhesive for a much cheaper price. However, epoxy doesn't really "stick". It also fills in and molds to two pieces of rock so creating a form fit that holds rocks together much better than super glue. This provides some adhesion as the epoxy grabs the nooks and crannies in a rock.

I you want a frag/mini colony to really hold, you need both epoxy and superglue.
Use quick set 2 part epoxy sticks for larger frags/mini-colonies directly on rock. First roll it into a ball, then squish it onto the rock in the shape of a mini-mountain. Next make a divot in the center. Put superglue on the frag and stick this into the divot in the epoxy. This will hold your coral very firmly.
Slow epoxy gives you time to work, especially with multiple attachements. Fast epoxy is good for quick and small batch coral attachment.

We have several types.

Tip:
Keep your superglue nozzle away from water as that causes it to harden.

+100000 the "sandwich method works great!! and you can easly remove them from the display if needed at a later date without issues .

Emoney · Sep 17, 2013

Trae said:
Here's a good question...
Lets say your frag dies for one reason or the other?? Then what? Just try and pry it off?

The" sandwich" method once applied and coral is set to the rock, you can easily remove it. the frag disk will detach from the glue or epoxy. done this 10000 times over the years and never had a coral get stuck unless its encrusted onto rock work

jservedio · Sep 17, 2013

The sandwich method makes it VERY difficult to remove the coral from the rock if you are using a good epoxy. It permanently bonds it to the rock... I use JB Waterweld Epoxy (it is still sticky under water unlike most epoxy sticks) and it makes it **** near impossible to remove if I combine it with super glue.

I have recently been using plain superglue because it seems easier to remove. Get the big bottle from BRS for like $5 - it lasts a long time - at least 25 frags. When I use Loc-Tite extra control gel I get like 3 frags and the tube is empty. Make sure you get the thickest possible gel since it works best underwater. The BRS "Extra Thick" works great and in a pinch super-glue brand or loc-tite extra thick is just as good, just way more expensive.

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE LABEL! For Super Glue it has to be Cyanoacrylate and for Epoxy make sure it says "For Use with Potable Water" - there are some types of epoxy that aren't water safe.

Eienna · Sep 17, 2013

And be leery of epoxy when keeping animals such as octopus. I don't remember the name of the compound it can contain, but that compound can make octopi (and, I imagine, animals such as squid and cuttlefish) quite sick.