Seachem Laboratories Coralcrete Not Mixing

[pepper89]

I don't know if it's old, as it does feel extremely dry. Though, I can't get the two to mix together very well. It is mixing a tad bit, but mostly just splotchy, and really hard on my fingers. Is there a way to make it more pliable? or should I just give up and get some new fresh stuff tomorrow?

Even though it isn't mixing that great, the little test spot I used to apply some rock to a skull aquarium decor, and it is holding alright, though I am using it and thick super glue. I just don't want to waste all the superglue, and my fingers will not be able to finish this aquascape with how hard it already is.

 

[blaxsun]

Bump.

 

[HappyOne]

I have had similar challenges with this product recently. What I did that helped was to cut the amount I was going to use, wrap it in a piece of damp paper towel and nuked it in the microwave for about 10 seconds and then mixed it together. This made it much more pliable. I would also wear disposable gloves while handling the stuff.

 

[pepper89]

I have had similar challenges with this product recently. What I did that helped was to cut the amount I was going to use, wrap it in a piece of damp paper towel and nuked it in the microwave for about 10 seconds and then mixed it together. This made it much more pliable. I would also wear disposable gloves while handling the stuff.

Thanks, yeah I did notice heat seemed to make it a little softer, but I ended up giving up on that tube. Even mixing quarter-size amounts was a huge fight. I got a little bit more from my LFS and it seems to be a bit better at mixing, but it's still not ideal. I can try the microwave with a damp paper towel for the last tube to see if it makes it a little more bearable.

It does seem to cure quite well once given 24 hours to fully cure. Though, it seems really brittle until then and kind of falls apart. So I ended up having to smash it between the rock seems as best as I could, then seal the edges with a thin layer of thick super glue to hold it steady until it cured the whole day. After that though, it seems to be rock hard, and the skull piece even rolled a few feet on accident and the rock broke away, but none of the pieces came off.

 

[HappyOne]

I was not impressed. I used the superglue/epoxy/superglue approach and that worked ok but I would use the superglue gel wherever I can instead.

 

[pepper89]

I was not impressed. I used the superglue/epoxy/superglue approach and that worked ok but I would use the superglue gel wherever I can instead.

Yeah, I'll be honest I like the super glue gel bond the best if I can get enough surface area for both of the rocks to touch. But, with what I've been doing, getting enough actual surface area hasn't been ideal, so sometimes once I put enough pressure on the bond it cracks. Where with the epoxy, I can create a little more artificial surface area to work with, but it's still just not exactly what I was hoping for. I might just try the two little fish's epoxy, if the heat+damp cloth in the microwave doesn't help, or try some mortar.

I do know though, for most of the pieces, the main thing really I think keeping it together is the super glue gel.