Corals not glueing to live rock

[TCoach]

I’m having trouble glueing corals to my live rock and am looking for help. I glued a couple of sps frags and then today when I was in the tank the fell off the reef with barely a bump.

I’m using Dollar Tree superglue. I clip the stem of the frag plugs and try to coat with super glue and place.

How do you glue your frags and get them to stay?

thanks!

 

[MONTANTK]

I use seachem brand coral glue. Not sure how safe dollar tree glue would be. It may contain toxins and probably isn’t designed to adhere well in water

 

[grantfoster02]

Gorilla glue super glue GEL. Only use gel superglue.

 

[ScottyD36]

I use seachem coral glue. It works for me no problem. I would suggest trying that

 

[Utubereefer]

Watch reef builders video on YouTube

 

[Gtinnel]

A sandwich of superglue gel- 2 part epoxy (I use JB waterweld)- superglue gel. I will never go back to just superglue.

 

[dsayo]

This usually works for me.. First put some superglue on a skewer or ur finger and rub it on the spot where you plan to put your frag. Then try gluing the frag on that spot. It helps the glue stick together better in my experience.

 

[Gtinnel]

I use seachem brand coral glue. Not sure how safe dollar tree glue would be. It may contain toxins and probably isn’t designed to adhere well in water

I use dollar store superglue gel and know plenty of others who have used it without issue. If it were bad for the tank plenty of reefers would've reported issues with it by now.

 

[dsayo]

I use dollar store superglue gel and know plenty of others who have used it without issue. If it were bad for the tank plenty of reefers would've reported issues with it by now.

Agree with this. Generic superglue GEL works fine.

 

[Karen00]

A sandwich of superglue gel- 2 part epoxy (I use JB waterweld)- superglue gel. I will never go back to just superglue.

Can you expand on this? Do you put the sandwich on the rock and then stick the coral in or do you put the sandwich on the coral and then stick it to the rock? I'm getting ready to buy my first corals so would like advice just like the OP.

 

[Gtinnel]

Can you expand on this? Do you put the sandwich on the rock and then stick the coral in or do you put the sandwich on the coral and then stick it to the rock? I'm getting ready to buy my first corals so would like advice just like the OP.

I cut the stem off the plug, squirt a glob of superglue on the bottom of the plug, place a ball of epoxy in the superglue, and then put more superglue on top of the epoxy. Then I press the frag onto the rock in the tank. I think the theory is that the glue is the adhesive part and the epoxy just molds to the shape of the rock to give more surface area for the glue to stick to.
It works really well for me and you can get all of the supplies cheaply and at the dollar store (glue) and Walmart (epoxy).

 

[MaxTremors]

I use seachem brand coral glue. Not sure how safe dollar tree glue would be. It may contain toxins and probably isn’t designed to adhere well in water

It’s completely fine. Any glue that is cyanoacrylate is fine (gel is preferable), you’re paying extra for the ‘seachem’ name on the tube, most coral glues sold by aquaria brands are just rebranded superglue/loctite.

 

[Spieg]

I cut the stem off the plug, squirt a glob of superglue on the bottom of the plug, place a ball of epoxy in the superglue, and then put more superglue on top of the epoxy. Then I press the frag onto the rock in the tank. I think the theory is that the glue is the adhesive part and the epoxy just molds to the shape of the rock to give more surface area for the glue to stick to.
It works really well for me and you can get all of the supplies cheaply and at the dollar store (glue) and Walmart (epoxy).

Most cases I just use super glue gel. But in difficult spots I do the glue/epoxy/glue sandwich like Gtinnel said. I also like to remove frag plug first if possible.

 

[Gtinnel]

Most cases I just use super glue gel. But in difficult spots I do the glue/epoxy/glue sandwich like Gtinnel said. I also like to remove frag plug first if possible.

Maybe I just do it wrong but I've never had any luck with just glue. It seems like I'd look at them wrong and they'd fall off. The final straw for me was when one of my first acro frags fell into a place in my rocks where I had to start removing rocks to get it back.

 

[Idech]

Any glue that is cyanoacrylate is fine

That.

I use super glue from the dollar store as well. I make sure to apply pressure for 45 seconds and it works fine.

 

[Spieg]

Maybe I just do it wrong but I've never had any luck with just glue. It seems like I'd look at them wrong and they'd fall off. The final straw for me was when one of my first acro frags fell into a place in my rocks where I had to start removing rocks to get it back.

Depends on the frag... small SPS are easy to stick in a hole in the rock (sans plug). Encrusting corals that can't be removed from the plug can be more challenging to stick down.

 

[Karen00]

I cut the stem off the plug, squirt a glob of superglue on the bottom of the plug, place a ball of epoxy in the superglue, and then put more superglue on top of the epoxy. Then I press the frag onto the rock in the tank. I think the theory is that the glue is the adhesive part and the epoxy just molds to the shape of the rock to give more surface area for the glue to stick to.
It works really well for me and you can get all of the supplies cheaply and at the dollar store (glue) and Walmart (epoxy).

Awesome! Thanks. What you said about the epoxy molding to the rock makes perfect sense. I am going to try this.

 

[JGT]

By your description, you say you coat the frag plug with glue. I could be wrong but that sounds like a light coat. You want a big blob in the center so when you press it down on the rock it oozes out from the center. Hold it in place line 30 secs and it should be fine. The sandwich is good for larger frags, esp if you’re affixing to a shear wall of rock.

 

[WheatToast]

I’m having trouble glueing corals to my live rock and am looking for help.

I know I am late, but your mention of live rock reminds me of how superglue gel does not easily stick to bio-films (which should be present on live rock). I have read that this is best scrubbed away with a melamine sponge (such as Mr. Clean Magic Eraser) without additives, though I have never tried this.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’m having trouble glueing corals to my live rock and am looking for help. I glued a couple of sps frags and then today when I was in the tank the fell off the reef with barely a bump.

I’m using Dollar Tree superglue. I clip the stem of the frag plugs and try to coat with super glue and place.

How do you glue your frags and get them to stay?

thanks!

You want GEL superglue and quickset type