Attaching Frags
- Thread starter spjeff69
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coral_reefer_25
New member
Take a small piece of rock. Dry it off. Squeeze out a dab of the superglue gel onto the rock. Position the frag onto the superglue and hold it there for a second. Carefully take the coral AND the rock and dip it in water, just enough to cover the gel. This will make the gel form an outer skin. Take it back out of the water and let it set for a few minutes longer (maybe 2-3 minutes)
Should be good to go after that.
Should be good to go after that.
coral_reefer_25
New member
There is a link to a couple of pictures of the process on this page.
http://www.mtrc.org/meetings/fragswap/thirdannualfragswap.html
http://www.mtrc.org/meetings/fragswap/thirdannualfragswap.html
DMBillies
Active member
The super glue gets a skin on it the second it hits the water. So, just putting it in and pushing it onto the rock will not suffice to get it to stick. What I usually do is give the superglue a few seconds in the water (maybe 7 or 8, don't actually time it) and then put the coral in place. One you get it about in the spot you want it, twist the coral against the rock you want to attach it to. What I think this does is break the skin on the glue and allows the glue to directly contact the rock. The reason I give the glue a few seconds in the water before I try to attach it is that it seems like maybe it allows the skin to get thicker and then when it actually break it rips a bigger hole in it (I think, letting more glue directly contact the rock at once and then sticking it more quickly). Don't know if you're already doing this, but give it a try.
Also, you might be surprised by how much you actually need to use in order to get them to stick. Personally, I never use less than about 1/3 of a tube for anything but the smallest frags. For attaching most colonies and mini-colonies I'll use the better part of a tube. My biggest colonies I end up using almost 2 tubes and/or aquamend. I wouldn't recommend aquamend for smaller stuff because it drives skimmers crazy and does not cure very fast.
Finally, if you can do the gluing outside of the water, do it. Then, to get it to cure quickly, put it back into the water. Gluing outside of the water is much easier, but for some things impossible.
Don't know if you're already doing these things, but I hope that helps.
Also, you might be surprised by how much you actually need to use in order to get them to stick. Personally, I never use less than about 1/3 of a tube for anything but the smallest frags. For attaching most colonies and mini-colonies I'll use the better part of a tube. My biggest colonies I end up using almost 2 tubes and/or aquamend. I wouldn't recommend aquamend for smaller stuff because it drives skimmers crazy and does not cure very fast.
Finally, if you can do the gluing outside of the water, do it. Then, to get it to cure quickly, put it back into the water. Gluing outside of the water is much easier, but for some things impossible.
Don't know if you're already doing these things, but I hope that helps.
crumbletop
New member
Here is something I wrote for another thread:
How to mount frags:
You can mount frags to a new piece of rock, or somesuch with a dab of super glue gel. If you can get the base out of the water, the easiest way to mount the frag is to put a dollop of glue on the rock, place the bottom of the frag on the glue, and then submerge the whole deal under water to help the glue cure.
If you are trying to mount the frag plug onto some rock in the tank, put a big glob of super glue gel on the bottom of the plug and put the plug in the tank where you want it. Press it down into the rock in the aquarium and scrape it around a bit to get a glue bond between the rock and the plug, and gently twist it from right to left until it starts to firm up. Then you are done. You can also use this method to directly mount stonies onto LR under water.
The glue I have found to work best is Duro brand super glue gel available at Walmart. It sets and cures pretty quickly. I have used other gels like stuff that comes from the dollar tree, and they have not worked as well for under water mounting because they take too long to set and don't hold as strongly.
How to mount frags:
You can mount frags to a new piece of rock, or somesuch with a dab of super glue gel. If you can get the base out of the water, the easiest way to mount the frag is to put a dollop of glue on the rock, place the bottom of the frag on the glue, and then submerge the whole deal under water to help the glue cure.
If you are trying to mount the frag plug onto some rock in the tank, put a big glob of super glue gel on the bottom of the plug and put the plug in the tank where you want it. Press it down into the rock in the aquarium and scrape it around a bit to get a glue bond between the rock and the plug, and gently twist it from right to left until it starts to firm up. Then you are done. You can also use this method to directly mount stonies onto LR under water.
The glue I have found to work best is Duro brand super glue gel available at Walmart. It sets and cures pretty quickly. I have used other gels like stuff that comes from the dollar tree, and they have not worked as well for under water mounting because they take too long to set and don't hold as strongly.
DMBillies
Active member
I agree on the Duro brand being one of the best brands for this application, but it isn't $1.00 for three tubes like the stuff they sell at the Dollar Tree.
And yes, that may make me a cheap skate, but the girl at the dollar tree knows we're the glue people... which means I buy enough of it that saving $.50 per package adds up to a meaningful amount.
And yes, that may make me a cheap skate, but the girl at the dollar tree knows we're the glue people... which means I buy enough of it that saving $.50 per package adds up to a meaningful amount.
waynesworld
Premium Member
I have some of this stuff that my brother told me works good I haven't tried it yet it is From Bob Smith Industries.
crumbletop
New member
I still use the dollar tree stuff too, just not for mounting rocks in the tank.
rcmike
Active member
If you put a little dab on your finger and rub it onto the rock where you want the frag stuck and then put a little on the frag and then push it to the rock it will bond to the rock much better. The only downside is that you get glue all over your fingers this way. 
Wayne, I would bet that BSI glue is better. Most CA glue for r/c airplanes are much better than the ones found at retail stores. The thin is so potent it will smoke sometimes from the heat generated when you put it on a piece of balsa.
Wayne, I would bet that BSI glue is better. Most CA glue for r/c airplanes are much better than the ones found at retail stores. The thin is so potent it will smoke sometimes from the heat generated when you put it on a piece of balsa.
waynesworld
Premium Member
Ya I think Steve is going to have some made up with his label on it. I like it because it is in bigger bottles and you can glue more then 2 frags per tube and you can actually buy refills in bulk. I am going to try it out some time when we have a lot of fragging to do to price the cost out on the difference of the gel
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