how do you mount your frags? epoxy or glue?

[reefer on a budget]

just curious how everyone mounts their frags.

using epoxy alone usually leaves this ball of mess that tends to just surround the base/or cover much of the frag without getting a secure bond. super glue is near impossible to use if you plan on mounting frags under water. ive used my share of epoxy and super glue and find that the best method of mounting frags is using a combination of both. using both saves you money in that you'll end up using less epoxy/glue and you can virtually mount frags off walls/overhangs all underwater instantly
i usually start off with a small bit of epoxy and coat it on the parts that will contact the frag/mounting surface with super glue gel. place the frag on the epoxy coated with glue and then place the frag on the rock of choice. the frag mounts instantly and you dont have to worry about holding the frag waiting for the epoxy to cure.
ive mounted some caps right off the vertical planes with no problems and barely have frags unmounted. the good thing also is that you eliminate the mess of glue and epoxy off your finger tips
just thought i'd pass this info to those who havent tried doing this.

[cal3v]

Good tips, I'll probably use them to mount sps previously not possible in areas where the superglue just isn't strong enough by itself. Oh for those who have clams and don't want a thick rock or shell to have your clam attatch to, I like using epoxy to make either a flat thin pancake if I am putting the clam on the sand or if in the rockwork I shape it to the rock so I can take the clam out easily if necessary without having to take out the base rock it would have attatched to otherwise.

[skeletor]

hey ROAB,

What sort of epoxy are you using ? is it that green/white stuff in the tube ?

thanks,
-skeletor-

[reefer on a budget]

i used aquamend from home depot and it is green/white. other brands ive tried tend to breakdown and crumble in water.

[loui]

I have always used you super glue gel and it has always worked and it is cheap and since it comes in small amounts I don't end up wasting a lot.

[AgentSPS]

I used to use epoxy but stopped after several RTN experiences. The issue I have with epoxy is that certain corals do not react well with it and it also can leach chemicals into the tank (evidence is in the way your skimmer reacts when you use it). As we all know, epoxy putties are two part. The curing agent needs to be mixed in order for the putty to cure. Being that the epoxy is in a putty form it makes it difficult for ALL the curing agent to be mixed in with the putty. Whatever is left over in the end and is exposed to water will dissolve into the water column. I have pulled out pieces of epoxy months after placing it in the tank and it still smelled. Crack it in half and the smell is even stronger. The curing agent is volatile and that is what you are smelling.

So I personally will limit my use of epoxy to only the most difficult mounting situations. Super glue works well enough for most jobs. Another benefit is that it is not toxic. The exact same super glue we us is used in surgery as a substitute for stitches.

[AgentSPS]

Oh...one other thing...during the curing process epoxy putty generates a lot of heat. Use too much and it might burn the coral tissue

[Znut Reefer]

I have tried the epoxy, My vote goes to supergel. So much easier. And I've never had a frag to come loose. And after two weeks you can't see the glue because the frag has encrusted over it.

[Sand Dollar]

i find an ideal size rock for the position in the tank and the frag that i am glueing to it. I like to use Scotch Super Glue Gel by 3M because it is actually a gel and not runny like the stuff at HD. Take the dried rock and then dab some super glue gel to where you want it, dab dry the broken off end of the frag and then mount it in the gel and hold in place approx. 1-2 minutes (usually takes hold alot faster). This is a little harder to do with frags that slime a bunch, just need to dab dry them more.

Then i use holdfast epoxy to mount it in the desired tank position. I find it easier to get frags where you want them this way.

[reefkeeper1]

It all depends on the frag I have. I received a frag from agentsps as thanks for looking after his tank, and because it had a nice wide base, and I was sticking it on a nice flat surface, I used superglue gel. With thinner and longer frags that I'm sticking to an irregular service, epoxy is the only sure bet for me to keep the the frag in place - especially if you have urchins and large snails. After using the Two Little Fishies AquaStik (caused my skimmer to go crazy) and Holdfast (didn't stick well enough) epoxy sticks, my favorite is the epoxy that Reefdream gets from Polymeric Systems. I like the Repairitquick over the Instacrete - they also make Aquamend. It's easy to work, sticks well, and doesn't cause my skimmer to go crazy. Another thing I do is stick a frag in a flower stem holder (you can get them at florists - wash out the liquid in them if they have any before you store or use them) and let it encrust the rubbery top of the stem holder. This is really low stress on the frag since no epoxy or superglue is touching the tissue. After the frag has encrusted, you can stick the whole holder in a crevice in your live rock, or you can pop off the top and epoxy it somewhere. David Cripe demonstrated how easy it was to do at a SeaBay meeting and it's also shown in Calfo's propagation book:



I almost forgot - I always put on nitrile gloves before I mix epoxy so that I don't develop an allergic reaction to it in the future.

[kelhuffman]

I use blue chewing gum. That way it looks like all my frags have encrusted a beautiful shiny blue base. awesome.

OK, really. epoxy is a PIA. But I use a fair amount of it after using gel super glue to mount the frag to a tiny piece of rock. literally wrap the rock in epoxy to get a firm hold. This works..most of the time. My epoxy tends to work itself loose over time. I might try reefer's method next.

Not sure about the toxicity part. I'm sure its not completely benign but I've never had the skimmers react even when I went crazy with epoxy in the tank one time.

I tried those plastic plugs for a while but there just isn't enough perfectly situated holes to stick them in. Great for propagating though.

[reefer on a budget]

im a bit surprised so few of you have tried using epoxy and glue together. been doing it for years and its far superior to the other methods listed above. i also have never had frags bleach due to glue or epoxy. that perhaps may be due to the extra handling required when using only epoxy.
everyone try the glue+epoxy next time you mount frags and you'll thank me.

kelly,
i still gotta see your tank when you're available. come by sometime and you'll see a whole set of new corals that you didnt see in my 120.

[rendeyxu]

that means the side which touch the rock doesn't have super glue or the side which touch the frag don't have super glue?

thx

[reefer on a budget]

hey rendey,
read directions

[rendeyxu]

excuse my shabby english. just tell me , man

[rendeyxu]

got it.

[smiller]

Good tip. Thanks.

[JB NY]

OK I tried the epoxy/superglue combo yesterday. Awesome! Very easy to do it that way. I'll try it on more frags in the future, but everything stuck together very solid on this one.

Thanks for the great tip ROAB!

[reefer on a budget]

joe,
im glad someone took notice of this better way of mounting frags. you wouldnt believe how i mounted some of the frags in my tank. even colonies mounted on small rocks, im able to mount securely on other rocks.
so everyone uve heard it so now try it.
you'll all thank me.

[kozmo02]

gel based super glue for me

[reefer on a budget]

kozmo,
let me know if u can mount large frags off overhangs/walls with that glue of yours underwater?
i use that glue as well and it does not work as good as the mixture i suggest. trust me once you try it you wont mount any other way.

i guess the saying " you cant teach an old dog new tricks" applies here.

just pulling your leg

[justletmein]

Wow, I lost several nice purple acro frags to RTN when mounting them with epoxy. I always wondered what happened. These were such nice frags that I wanted them in the perfect spot and probably over-used epoxy to position them perfectly. I didn't realize anyone had had any problems with it before.

[reefer on a budget]

justletmein

i think more than ever the handling required to mount frags using epoxy is what stresses out the coral the most, subsequently causing it to rtn. i remember using epoxy and having to attempt to mount the piece several times b4 the frag would stay put.

[justletmein]

Could be. I've been scared of it ever since so I haven't tried again. I'd used epoxy in the past without problems. I may try your method, or the other method of super-glueing to a small rock and then using epoxy on the rock. That epoxy I had never dried either. After a coupld days when I removed the frags it was still pliable and mushy, only a little firmer than it was to begin with. I threw the whole tube away thinking it might have been the epoxy, which was made by Two Little Fishies.

[deansreef]

SUPERGLUE BABY!!!!!!!