Epoxy

[etepperman]

Hi All,

I recently got some aquarium Epoxy to stick some of my more clumsy coral down. However, I am having a heck of a time getting anything to stick to the stuff.

Can anyone recommend a brand that sticks well to rock.

Thanks,
Elliott

 

[Lynnmw1208]

you could use super glue gel or this coraffix http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+13723+18325&pcatid=18325

 

[sslak]

PC Marine Epoxy putty is great, but it doesn't really do the sticking.

Try this:
Glob of super glue gel on the frag.
Small ball of Epoxy putty stuck to that.
Another glob of super glue gel on the ball of epoxy putty where you plan to stick it to the rock.

The putty molds to the shape of your rock and frag, while the super glue gel does the sticking. I've used this method and it works great every time.

 

[lordofthereef]

IME it will adhere fine if you just hold it in place for a minute or two. i guess it sucks sitting there with your hand in the tank, but it will work. I'd sooner cramp my hand a bit than keep adding crap to my water column.

 

[IslandCrow]

Honestly, I really wouldn't worry about superglue. . .certainly no more than epoxy putty. Not that this is necessarily an apples to apples comparison, but while I'd use superglue on an open wound, I'm not sure how willing I'd be to do the same with epoxy putty. Of course, superglue isn't necessarily the easiest stuff to work with underwater, but I've used the method sslak described, and it's very effective. The putty acts as a mold/anchor, while the superglue is the actual adhesive (and far more effective at that than epoxy putty, regardless of your method).

 

[etepperman]

Thanks I will try this. I have used super glue in the past, but find I can not get good surface contact. The epoxy/super glue trick makes good sense.



Thanks
-E

 

[IslandCrow]

You may already be doing this (there's definitely an art to using superglue underwater), but once you place the object you're glueing against the surface you want to attach it to, give it about a 1/4 twist to break the film that forms when the superglue hits the water. After that, hold the object firmly against the surface for at least a minute. I'm not 100% successful with this method (assuming just superglue and no epoxy), but it works most of the time. Adding epoxy into the mix definitely improves your odds of getting a good bond.