Underwater epoxy & superglue gel HELP!!

[cyberwollf]

I am seriuosly about 5 seconds from throwing a hammer through my tank!!! underwater expoy dough doesnt stick to anything!! i have always hated superglue gel. could never get it to "tack up" when both items were wet. so tying the expoy to build my rockwork and it sticks to NOTHING!!! I have broke about every hard coral i have.... what am i doing wrong these products just seem USELESS if both items are WET....

Its JB waterweld (its reefsafe and the MSDS is almost exactly the same as aquamend) and superglue gel....

I just had to walk away from the tank.... ARGGHH... and i still have to figure out some ATO before i fly out tomorrow ...!!>!>!!>!>!>!!>!>!>!>>!>!>!!!!>!>!>.>

[lazylivin]

Aquamend is the same. Wont stick wet. Aquamend is great for contouring to the surfaces. It wont stick by itself. Once it is molded to the correct shape by pushing it all the nooks and cranes let dry. Then add a little super glue gel between it and the surface will make a rock solid hold.

[reefman]

Super Glue all the way!!

[cyberwollf]

Aquamend is the same. Wont stick wet. Aquamend is great for contouring to the surfaces. It wont stick by itself. Once it is molded to the correct shape by pushing it all the nooks and cranes let dry. Then add a little super glue gel between it and the surface will make a rock solid hold.

Thats what  i am finding.  So stick some epoxy on the rocks, then how long does it take to dry?

What is the best way to get superglue gel to get tacky underwater? I cant make it stick to anything either. Is there a faster set superglue gel? so i dont have to hold the frag there for 90 seconds or so?

[Wall_Tank]

Wes,

Patients,   oh and use a lot of it.

For building rock, you need alot of epoxy.   If you can't prop the rocks together, the epoxy won't help.  Use the epoxy to make the rock stable, or to slightly adjust the angle.

If your trying to attach coral to rock, I take the coral and dry the base as much as I can,  Load it up with Gel, wait a minute.  Then quickly put it in place.  Once the gel hits the water, the surface will instantly cure, so you need enough gel that you can break the cured surface and have plenty to ooze out.   When you place the coral, you can't tip or lean or position it.....get it right the first time.  I practice once or twice to make sure I know which way its going.   Make sure your power heads are off, and usually you can let go in a minute.   Oh and don't hold the coral too tight, fingers are tough on the flesh of the coral.

If you don't have a natural nook for the coral base to sit in the rock.  Use epoxy, but you have to be quick here too.  Take a wad of epoxy and put it in position, then put superglue on the coral, then stick it in the epoxy.  Do be careful not to get too much epoxy up on the coral base, as curing epoxy is pretty tough on it.

[lazylivin]

That is a great explanation Paul

Aquamend dries in about 5 minutes, almost to quick, have had it dry when I am still shaping it. I usually roll it into a log shape and then wrap it around the touch points of the two pieces of rock.
There are a few great super glue gels out there. Retail icegel and loctite. I purchase .010” gap fill in 20 gram tubes, 25 tubes per box lot from Parsons Adhesives. If you need some they are 6$ per tube.
http://www.parsonadhesives.com/parfix/cyanoacrylate-adhesives.htm

[Riderc82]

For my rock structures I purchased a masonry bit, cpvc pipe and a couple of zip ties.  My rock was wet when I done this but if you had dried base rock you could make some sweet structures.

[HUNGER]

Wes,

Patients,   oh and use a lot of it.

For building rock, you need alot of epoxy.   If you can't prop the rocks together, the epoxy won't help.  Use the epoxy to make the rock stable, or to slightly adjust the angle.

If your trying to attach coral to rock, I take the coral and dry the base as much as I can,  Load it up with Gel, wait a minute.  Then quickly put it in place.  Once the gel hits the water, the surface will instantly cure, so you need enough gel that you can break the cured surface and have plenty to ooze out.   When you place the coral, you can't tip or lean or position it.....get it right the first time.  I practice once or twice to make sure I know which way its going.   Make sure your power heads are off, and usually you can let go in a minute.   Oh and don't hold the coral too tight, fingers are tough on the flesh of the coral.

If you don't have a natural nook for the coral base to sit in the rock.  Use epoxy, but you have to be quick here too.  Take a wad of epoxy and put it in position, then put superglue on the coral, then stick it in the epoxy.  Do be careful not to get too much epoxy up on the coral base, as curing epoxy is pretty tough on it.

great point   +1

[reefman]

+1

[chromiumlux]

I have been using TLF epoxy to mount my corals and have not had a problem. They encrust right over it. +2 on the superglue.

[jeremyt]

+3 on super glue!!!!!!

[chromiumlux]

Use super glue gel

[reefman]

Use super glue gel

So true

[cyberwollf]

Yea I had bought both but ended only using superglue. The expoy wasn't even hardend after several hours

[HUNGER]

superglue gell is great   the epoxy from marien saloyions works very well

[Vinnbelle1]

Mix the two part plumbers epoxy with super glue, and it cures really strong.  Also cures within a few seconds.  I used it to repair a huge piece out of an overflow with 4000g/hr pushing against it, and it held.