adhering corals to LR already in your display???

DLANDINO · 02/27/2008, 11:09 AM

I am still in the discovery phase of coral keeping. I only have one Kenya Tree coral now, it is doing great so I have been encouraged. I am going to start to place more pieces of coral in the display.

A few questions,

Which types of adhesives should be used for each different type of coral? Brand names and suppliers would be appreciated.

When gluing frags to an existing large piece of lr in the display, do you have to remove the LR to do this or can you place glue on the frag and then stick it to the rock.

If so, will this cure underwater and how quickly can you remove your hand from the water. Is there a period of time that you have to keep the corl frag in place?

Answers may spark more questions, thank you in advance!

Dave

Radioheadx14 · 02/27/2008, 11:15 AM

I use this stuff from bostonreefclub to attach frags to live rock. Its an epoxy puddy. work it up with your hands and stick the two pieces like putty. Also and type of coral super glue will work too. Both can be used W/O removing LR

packer · 02/27/2008, 11:44 AM

Use super glue gel. A real good one is Zap Gel PT26, but all superglue gel is the same chemical makeup. Put it on the coral and then place it onto the rock in the tank. Wiggle a tiny bit then hold steady with a little pressure and it usually sets within 20 seconds or so, depending on the size blob of glue. Sometimes I use a popsicle stick to apply a bit of glue to the rock first pushing or smearing it on and getting the stick off quick. Then it seems the coral frag will stick even better faster. The epoxy works also but takes longer to set up. If the coral has any gravity affect they can pull away with epoxy. With the super gel they stay put after 20 seconds or so.

paulallen · 02/27/2008, 12:39 PM

In my experiences with super glue gel there is a film that comes off when you first submerge the frag with glue into the water. This film can cover healthy parts of the frag and cause problems. I use a product called aquastik. It comes in both stone gray and coralline purple. It has worked great for me when I need to secure stoneys to a rock. I wouldn't use use either super glue gel or the aquastik on leathers, mushrooms, zoas, or any other coral without a hard skeleton. There are various methods to secure these types to rocks in your display. Most zoas and mushrooms come on small rocks. In this case you could use the aquastik to stick the rock in place onto another rock in your DT. For leathers I usually use a small needle and 2 lb. test fishing line because the ones I have gotten come on those annoying plugs or square bases. One poke straight through the base of the leather with the fishing line running through is all you need to tie it onto a rock. After about a week I make sure the leather has attached to the rock and I clip the line and pull it out of the leather like a suture.

DLANDINO · 02/27/2008, 12:41 PM

thank you. I am researching all of this great advise. I guess I will be uneasy at this until I actually try it.

MrSpiffy · 02/27/2008, 01:32 PM

Super glue will work great for stony corals (LPS/SPS). Just try not to get any on the tissue. Try and keep it on the hard skeleton, if you can. Also, try and get the GEL kind of super glue. I use Loctite-brand gel. Great stuff. The liquid stuff just runs all over, you'll get it on your hands (or drip it all over), and you won't get enough contact on both pieces to hold things together.

You can even use super glue underwater. Just put a glob onto one piece while it's out of water, then press it to the other piece underwater. The glob will skin over because of the water, but pressing it to the other piece will break that skin and it'll stick. I've done this several times with no problems.

For softies/mushrooms, I'm with paulallen on this one. I've used a needle and thread and it works great. Just go right through the coral's stalk/base and wrap it around the rock to hold it in place. Don't tie it too tight or it'll just pull right through the soft tissue and you'll have if floating around again. I used this method on Kenya Trees, mushrooms, Devil's Hand leather, etc. Just give it several days (I'd say a week or more.) before removing the thread, and it should be good to go.

02/27/2008, 11:09 AM	#1
DLANDINO D.L. Heritage Rings Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Clinton, CT USA Posts: 5,610	adhering corals to LR already in your display??? I am still in the discovery phase of coral keeping. I only have one Kenya Tree coral now, it is doing great so I have been encouraged. I am going to start to place more pieces of coral in the display. A few questions, Which types of adhesives should be used for each different type of coral? Brand names and suppliers would be appreciated. When gluing frags to an existing large piece of lr in the display, do you have to remove the LR to do this or can you place glue on the frag and then stick it to the rock. If so, will this cure underwater and how quickly can you remove your hand from the water. Is there a period of time that you have to keep the corl frag in place? Answers may spark more questions, thank you in advance! Dave __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: JBJ 8 Nano mixed

02/27/2008, 12:41 PM	#5
DLANDINO D.L. Heritage Rings Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Clinton, CT USA Posts: 5,610	thank you. I am researching all of this great advise. I guess I will be uneasy at this until I actually try it. __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: JBJ 8 Nano mixed

02/27/2008, 11:15 AM	#2
Radioheadx14 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,601	I use this stuff from bostonreefclub to attach frags to live rock. Its an epoxy puddy. work it up with your hands and stick the two pieces like putty. Also and type of coral super glue will work too. Both can be used W/O removing LR

02/27/2008, 11:44 AM	#3
packer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ventura, Ca Posts: 338	Use super glue gel. A real good one is Zap Gel PT26, but all superglue gel is the same chemical makeup. Put it on the coral and then place it onto the rock in the tank. Wiggle a tiny bit then hold steady with a little pressure and it usually sets within 20 seconds or so, depending on the size blob of glue. Sometimes I use a popsicle stick to apply a bit of glue to the rock first pushing or smearing it on and getting the stick off quick. Then it seems the coral frag will stick even better faster. The epoxy works also but takes longer to set up. If the coral has any gravity affect they can pull away with epoxy. With the super gel they stay put after 20 seconds or so.

02/27/2008, 12:39 PM	#4
paulallen Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 344	In my experiences with super glue gel there is a film that comes off when you first submerge the frag with glue into the water. This film can cover healthy parts of the frag and cause problems. I use a product called aquastik. It comes in both stone gray and coralline purple. It has worked great for me when I need to secure stoneys to a rock. I wouldn't use use either super glue gel or the aquastik on leathers, mushrooms, zoas, or any other coral without a hard skeleton. There are various methods to secure these types to rocks in your display. Most zoas and mushrooms come on small rocks. In this case you could use the aquastik to stick the rock in place onto another rock in your DT. For leathers I usually use a small needle and 2 lb. test fishing line because the ones I have gotten come on those annoying plugs or square bases. One poke straight through the base of the leather with the fishing line running through is all you need to tie it onto a rock. After about a week I make sure the leather has attached to the rock and I clip the line and pull it out of the leather like a suture.

02/27/2008, 01:32 PM	#6
MrSpiffy Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,300	Super glue will work great for stony corals (LPS/SPS). Just try not to get any on the tissue. Try and keep it on the hard skeleton, if you can. Also, try and get the GEL kind of super glue. I use Loctite-brand gel. Great stuff. The liquid stuff just runs all over, you'll get it on your hands (or drip it all over), and you won't get enough contact on both pieces to hold things together. You can even use super glue underwater. Just put a glob onto one piece while it's out of water, then press it to the other piece underwater. The glob will skin over because of the water, but pressing it to the other piece will break that skin and it'll stick. I've done this several times with no problems. For softies/mushrooms, I'm with paulallen on this one. I've used a needle and thread and it works great. Just go right through the coral's stalk/base and wrap it around the rock to hold it in place. Don't tie it too tight or it'll just pull right through the soft tissue and you'll have if floating around again. I used this method on Kenya Trees, mushrooms, Devil's Hand leather, etc. Just give it several days (I'd say a week or more.) before removing the thread, and it should be good to go.