Frags not holding very long

[West1]

I have a 45gl and have used 3 different types of reef safe glues over the past year.

In the last 2-3 weeks, random frags have been coming undone where they were glued.

Is this common or a sign of something off?

I do have a great population of bristleworms and my recently added arrowcrab is eating well.

 

[Reefpuck]

Any turbo snails? They're usually my first culprit...

 

[Coralreefer1]

What kinds of frags? Soft corals, LPS, SPS? Are these corals you recently fragged or purchased? I don’t see bristleworms or your Arrow Crab as being the culprits of knocking your frags off. What other livestock do you have?

 

[West1]

No turbo snails in tank.
I mentioned bristleworms just in case they are burrowing through the glue.

These are the six frags that have fell within the couple weeks. All were glued at random times within the last year.

Mummy eye
Hammer
Green blasto
Green gray between clam and mummy eye
Pink frag that is similar to xenia (looks not growth).
Red montipora

 

[Katrina71]

Do you have some cyano? If yes, my son's tank has the same issue.

 

[West1]

Do you have some cyano? If yes, my son's tank has the same issue.

I do have cyano, I dont think it's out of control but could that me causing frags to fall?

The hammer that fell left a white spot on my rock as that piece has been there for quite some time. Interesting

 

[Katrina71]

I do have cyano, I dont think it's out of control but could that me causing frags to fall?

The hammer that fell left a white spot on my rock as that piece has been there for quite some time. Interesting

I can't swear it causes it, but I find it more than coincidental.

 

[West1]

Still having issues. I've tried switching glue and some still randomly fall.
I've tried putting a load of glue and this method just seems to delay them from falling, what gives?

 

[ihavecrabs]

Still having issues. I've tried switching glue and some still randomly fall.
I've tried putting a load of glue and this method just seems to delay them from falling, what gives?

Try the superglue / epoxy putty / superglue sandwich.. just a dab of the superglue on each side and it works like a charm.

 

[West1]

Regular gorilla super glue and any all purpose putty epoxy?

I've heard of the gorilla super glue but never read anyone using putty epoxy.
Any specific brand?
Tyvm! On my way to HD rn

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-2-oz-Universal-Epoxy-Putty-1999131/206156392

 

[Ashish Patel]

Its good to dab some glue on the epoxy (one sides), use some water (outside of the tank) and get the glue wet, this does a better job of holding once underwater. twist against the rockwork so glue breaks and seals. After 5 minutes or so depending on how fast the expoxy hardens repeat the step only this time with glue on the frag plug. It is a big learning curve in mounting corals and sometimes they will fall but if they don't fall in the first few hours you should be fine. You can work more expoxy around the frag plug when your confident the frag is their to stay. Hope this helps

 

[West1]

Is this epoxy putty ok to use?

 

[Rcollick]

Try the superglue / epoxy putty / superglue sandwich.. just a dab of the superglue on each side and it works like a charm.

This right here. Jb water weld for the epoxy.

 

[mystersyster]

Is this epoxy putty ok to use?

Yes since it's drinking water safe. Might make your skimmer go crazy so watch out for that.

 

[West1]

Yes since it's drinking water safe. Might make your skimmer go crazy so watch out for that.

Good catch, I missed the Drinking Safe.
I did a quick search and found EP-200 reef safe so I went with that.

Thanks for the help all, I hope this fixes everything!

 

[Ashish Patel]

What kind of glue are you using?

 

[jda]

If you are really worried, then 4.4 ounce one from Coralvue is $5.24 on Amazon... sure thing and twice as long, but it might take a day to arrive.

 

[MSB123]

I use super glue gel. Takes a whole bunch, but those suckers are never coming off.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Two little fishies glue is the only glue that I am able to reuse after almost 2 years, the tips on other brands always harden even when wiping the tips after every use. I ordered Poly-lab new glue since their glue hardens only once undwater so I feel this would save me alot of time being now I can glue multiple frags and expoxys without worrying about cure time.