best way to glue live rock?

[ItzJustinN]

title says it. i tried using super glue gel but that stuff only really works if you apply it out of the water and then sumerge it. (instant bonding) and doesnt work to well for my rock already under water. i heard about drills n zipties but i dont have a drill. any other ideas? my lfs had epoxy for $12 for a little container, but i didnt get it becuz i wanted to find out the cheapest methods

 

[consumed corals]

http://www.marcorocks.com/e-marco-40010lbkit.aspx

this stuff works great, I also like using two part epoxies and fiberglass rods, they are alot cheaper than the acrylic ones

 

[medic155]

Haven't tried it yet, but I picked up some JB WaterWeld at Lowe's for $5 bucks. Read on here someone else had tried it and it worked great. Simple putty that can be applied and cures under water. My rock will be ready in two weeks, I'm gonna try it out then!

 

[ItzJustinN]

let me know about the jb waterweld. ive read somewhere this stuff works too. was looking for it at home depot/lowes but couldnt find it. what section did u find it in?

 

[travischristy]

I bought that stuff but remember not using it for some reason - something I read or found something better. I would use the epoxys that are made for tanks or test out that stuff in a separate tank than your main display.

 

[Dr. Reef]

can of insulation foam called "GREAT STUFF". i use dry rock so i just make the scape i want and spray this foam between rocks and let it harden over 1 hour or so. i have never had any negative effects coz of it.

 

[alex28]

i use this stuff it works for me!!

good luck

 

[medic155]

let me know about the jb waterweld. ive read somewhere this stuff works too. was looking for it at home depot/lowes but couldnt find it. what section did u find it in?

It was in the section with all the silicone and super glues, which in my Lowe's is next to the paints and stains. Also you can get it on Amazon for about a buck more than Lowe's, with free 2 day shipping if you pay for Prime.

 

[salty72]

Is that safe for corals too? Being that you have to be so careful with anything you put in your tank I would never have thought to use something like that.

 

[tkeracer619]

Be careful what you wish for. A tank full of rock that is glued together can look great and be a total pain in the butt. If you ever have something you want to remove, good luck.

IME do it only if you need to for some exotic shape you want. If that shape fails and a rock falls make sure it won't destroy your tank.

 

[ItzJustinN]

i wanna bump this. plan on picking something up tomorrow. any more ideas. or j-b water weld.

 

[medic155]

I can't remember where I read about someone using the water weld for aquascaping, but it does say it is safe for drinking water, nothing on the package relating to corals or marine life.

 

[ItzJustinN]

i used it and it doesnt work to well, plus it made the skimmer go nuts. i saw a loctite brand silicone that is supposedly "aquarium safe" but didnt get it becuz i wasnt sure. hate to say but will probably end up picking up 10-20 of the 3 pack super glue gel at dollar tree

 

[Frantz]

you can get a drill for under $30. Zip ties are great and not permanent, but strong. The ties should really only be insurance. I like letting gravity be my glue.

 

[subsailor232000]

Just about all the underwater stuff including jb waterweld will make the skimmer go crazy, so that is one thing to remember. I always liked just using acrylic rods, a lot easier to take apart when moving stuff around

 

[ItzJustinN]

my rock is very porous and fragile, i cant drill my rock without it breaking, i have ziptied some of it and currently using super glue gel to secure the rest. i bought ten packs of the future super glue gel.

 

[ItzJustinN]

the super glue gel actually works pretty well. i used the future gel which is supposed to have a more instant bond. if rock is summerged apply it directly to the crack/crevice/ or are of the rock you wish to bond and dont try to move it for atleast 30 mins..if u try to move the rock you will break the bonds between the rock and glue. if rock is not summerged apply glue as normal and press pieces together and sumerge rockso glue turns into a putty, once putty form return the rock to air to cure.

 

[ItzJustinN]

just dont be cheap with it, expect to use 1/2 - 1 tube per connection. considering u get 3 tubes for $1. better safe than sorry later on.

 

[Dr. Reef]

this stuff i used is pretty good if using dry rock. as u need to let it dry for about 1 hr. once hard its almost like a styro foam and pretty strong hold.

 

[subsailor232000]

i find when it is very fragile rock you can use a hole saw instead of a drill bit and instead of catching and ripping it goes right through smooth.