Is foam-safe CA reef safe?

Crashjack · Mar 18, 2017

I'm cleaning out my old RC hobby stuff to make way for my new tank and reef supplies. I've had reef tanks before and know that regular CA glue is reef safe (I didn't even know about foam-safe CA at that time). I have some foam-safe CA and accelerator spray and wondered if either were reef safe. For those who don't know, foam-safe CA is meant to stretch/give a little and doesn't bond instantly like normal CA unless accelerator is applied. That said, it is widely accepted that adding accelerator slightly weakens the bond and might slightly reduce the glue's ability to stretch/give.

Anybody know the answer?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 18, 2017

CA is what?

rc1626 · Mar 18, 2017

I think he is talking about cyanoacrylate. I didn't know there was a flexible version though.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 18, 2017

There are different accelerators. Does your can say what it contains? Acetone is OK after drying.

Crashjack · Mar 18, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
CA is what?

Yes, Cyanoacrylate glue. Sorry, in the RC hobby everybody calls it CA glue. The rest of the world calls it Super Glue. The accelerator just says "Heptane based". It also says not to inhale the fumes. I've also read you can use baking soda as an accelerator. I can't tell you what makes foam safe CA foam safe, but it is always more expensive than its non-foam safe counterpart.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 19, 2017

Crashjack said:
Yes, Cyanoacrylate glue. Sorry, in the RC hobby everybody calls it CA glue. The rest of the world calls it Super Glue. The accelerator just says "Heptane based". It also says not to inhale the fumes. I've also read you can use baking soda as an accelerator. I can't tell you what makes foam safe CA foam safe, but it is always more expensive than its non-foam safe counterpart.

Chemists call it cyanoacrylate. lol

Heptane is OK once aired out.