Gluing Live Rock

Greg129 · 04/19/2006, 11:26 AM

What type/brand of glue do I need to stablizie live rock? Thanks.

kevin gu3 · 04/19/2006, 11:28 AM

Zip ties and a drill worked best for me.

Greg129 · 04/19/2006, 11:42 AM

The thing is that my live rock is cured and has coralline and tubeworms all over it. I just realized that I didn't like the aquascape and that I don't trust its stability.

rustybucket145 · 04/19/2006, 11:58 AM

Lots of superglue gel works pretty well for stabilization (not static holding) For higher stress areas use underwater two part epoxy (available at HD or Lowes, or for double price at you LFS)

After a month or two the superglue gel will encrust with corraline and look more like natural rock than the epoxy.

Greg129 · 04/19/2006, 12:00 PM

Could you explain what static holding means? Thanks.

rustybucket145 · 04/19/2006, 12:10 PM

If you are just sitting a rock on top of another and the main force of the top rock is being held by the bottom rock but maybee it is just a little wobbly, superglue gel will sturdy it up.

But if you are wanting to say... create an overhanging ledge where without glue or epoxy the rock will not stay in place. Your glue/epoxy will actually be responsible for holding the rock in place and without the epoxy/glue it would topple/fall. In this case I would use the epoxy because of its long term higher strength holding ability.

Does that make better sense? Basically the epoxy is stronger but is better utilized when a weighted load will actually be on the epoxy joint.

Greg129 · 04/19/2006, 12:16 PM

Okay. For just stacking the rocks, I should use superglue gel. For overhangs and ledges, I should use the underwater two part epoxy.Is this correct?

What brand names of supergule gel and underwater two part epoxy should I look for?

rustybucket145 · 04/19/2006, 12:40 PM

You've got it. I use Ross Superglue Gel (Available at the Dollar Store for $1 for two tubes) I don't remember the name of the epoxy off hand.... It is a green rod of silly putty like clay about 4-5 inches long and about as big around as a quarter. The center is white. You roll the stuff around in your hands until the colors mix, then you have about 15mins to work with it and then it is dry within an hour. Even though it is underwater epoxy, it is much easier to work with out of the water, but it does work underwater.

With the superglue gel. Apply a liberal blob of glue to each rock's contact point being sure to rub the glue in with the tip of the applicator then just combine the two blobs and kinda rub the rocks together for a sec or two.

rustybucket145 · 04/19/2006, 12:45 PM

oh, I forgot to mention, If you plan on doing alot of rock work you are going to need alot of glue so you might want to pic up 10-12 packs of the glue. That's why I go to the Dollar Store, it can be as much as $4 a pack at other stores. One pack of the epoxy goes a long way.

Greg129 · 04/19/2006, 01:12 PM

Thank for all of your help rusty. I have another question. My live rock has coralline and tube worms on it and probably other microrganisms I can't see. Would it be alright to remove the rock for about 15 minutes?

Kevinnap · 04/19/2006, 01:17 PM

you should be fine with the rock out of water for 15 Minutes.
no worries

Greg129 · 04/19/2006, 05:01 PM

Any comments from rustybucket?

04/19/2006, 11:26 AM	#1
Greg129 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 687	Gluing Live Rock What type/brand of glue do I need to stablizie live rock? Thanks. __________________ 65 gallon Glass (36" x 18" x 24") -36" 2x96W Coralife Aqualight CF hood -Remora Pro Protein Skimmer -3x Maxijet 1200 Powerheads -2x False Perculas -1x Melanurus Wrasse -1x Coral Beauty Angelfish -1x Yellow Tang -1x Red Firefish -1x Purple Pin Cushion Urchin -1x Leather Coral

04/19/2006, 11:28 AM	#2
kevin gu3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Whitmore Lk, MI Posts: 732	Zip ties and a drill worked best for me. __________________ Divert all money to life support. Your wallet will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. Current Tank Info: 90g reef, 29g anemone exile tank

04/19/2006, 11:42 AM	#3
Greg129 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 687	The thing is that my live rock is cured and has coralline and tubeworms all over it. I just realized that I didn't like the aquascape and that I don't trust its stability. __________________ 65 gallon Glass (36" x 18" x 24") -36" 2x96W Coralife Aqualight CF hood -Remora Pro Protein Skimmer -3x Maxijet 1200 Powerheads -2x False Perculas -1x Melanurus Wrasse -1x Coral Beauty Angelfish -1x Yellow Tang -1x Red Firefish -1x Purple Pin Cushion Urchin -1x Leather Coral

04/19/2006, 11:58 AM	#4
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Lots of superglue gel works pretty well for stabilization (not static holding) For higher stress areas use underwater two part epoxy (available at HD or Lowes, or for double price at you LFS) After a month or two the superglue gel will encrust with corraline and look more like natural rock than the epoxy. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

04/19/2006, 12:00 PM	#5
Greg129 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 687	Could you explain what static holding means? Thanks. __________________ 65 gallon Glass (36" x 18" x 24") -36" 2x96W Coralife Aqualight CF hood -Remora Pro Protein Skimmer -3x Maxijet 1200 Powerheads -2x False Perculas -1x Melanurus Wrasse -1x Coral Beauty Angelfish -1x Yellow Tang -1x Red Firefish -1x Purple Pin Cushion Urchin -1x Leather Coral

04/19/2006, 12:10 PM	#6
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	If you are just sitting a rock on top of another and the main force of the top rock is being held by the bottom rock but maybee it is just a little wobbly, superglue gel will sturdy it up. But if you are wanting to say... create an overhanging ledge where without glue or epoxy the rock will not stay in place. Your glue/epoxy will actually be responsible for holding the rock in place and without the epoxy/glue it would topple/fall. In this case I would use the epoxy because of its long term higher strength holding ability. Does that make better sense? Basically the epoxy is stronger but is better utilized when a weighted load will actually be on the epoxy joint. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

04/19/2006, 12:16 PM	#7
Greg129 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 687	Okay. For just stacking the rocks, I should use superglue gel. For overhangs and ledges, I should use the underwater two part epoxy.Is this correct? What brand names of supergule gel and underwater two part epoxy should I look for? __________________ 65 gallon Glass (36" x 18" x 24") -36" 2x96W Coralife Aqualight CF hood -Remora Pro Protein Skimmer -3x Maxijet 1200 Powerheads -2x False Perculas -1x Melanurus Wrasse -1x Coral Beauty Angelfish -1x Yellow Tang -1x Red Firefish -1x Purple Pin Cushion Urchin -1x Leather Coral

04/19/2006, 12:40 PM	#8
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	You've got it. I use Ross Superglue Gel (Available at the Dollar Store for $1 for two tubes) I don't remember the name of the epoxy off hand.... It is a green rod of silly putty like clay about 4-5 inches long and about as big around as a quarter. The center is white. You roll the stuff around in your hands until the colors mix, then you have about 15mins to work with it and then it is dry within an hour. Even though it is underwater epoxy, it is much easier to work with out of the water, but it does work underwater. With the superglue gel. Apply a liberal blob of glue to each rock's contact point being sure to rub the glue in with the tip of the applicator then just combine the two blobs and kinda rub the rocks together for a sec or two. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

04/19/2006, 12:45 PM	#9
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	oh, I forgot to mention, If you plan on doing alot of rock work you are going to need alot of glue so you might want to pic up 10-12 packs of the glue. That's why I go to the Dollar Store, it can be as much as $4 a pack at other stores. One pack of the epoxy goes a long way. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

04/19/2006, 01:12 PM	#10
Greg129 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 687	Thank for all of your help rusty. I have another question. My live rock has coralline and tube worms on it and probably other microrganisms I can't see. Would it be alright to remove the rock for about 15 minutes? __________________ 65 gallon Glass (36" x 18" x 24") -36" 2x96W Coralife Aqualight CF hood -Remora Pro Protein Skimmer -3x Maxijet 1200 Powerheads -2x False Perculas -1x Melanurus Wrasse -1x Coral Beauty Angelfish -1x Yellow Tang -1x Red Firefish -1x Purple Pin Cushion Urchin -1x Leather Coral

04/19/2006, 01:17 PM	#11
Kevinnap Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Maine Posts: 121	you should be fine with the rock out of water for 15 Minutes. no worries __________________ Success has many fathers, while failure is an orphan. Current Tank Info: 135G Oceanic, 3 Aquamedic 250w DE , Deltec ap600 skimmer

04/19/2006, 05:01 PM	#12
Greg129 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 687	Any comments from rustybucket? __________________ 65 gallon Glass (36" x 18" x 24") -36" 2x96W Coralife Aqualight CF hood -Remora Pro Protein Skimmer -3x Maxijet 1200 Powerheads -2x False Perculas -1x Melanurus Wrasse -1x Coral Beauty Angelfish -1x Yellow Tang -1x Red Firefish -1x Purple Pin Cushion Urchin -1x Leather Coral