Superglue or Putty

[landlord]

Feel free to post the reasons for your polling selection. I got 24 unmounted frags coming and I obviously haven't figured out how to use cyanoacrylate glue underwater yet. I've heard there's a trick. I usually end up with a golfball sized blob of glue on a toothpick sized frag. So feel free to throw me a bone.

Thanks for polling --landlord

[JokerGirl]

I use Superglue gel. What I usually do on frags is dry off at least one of the areas to be glued whether it's the frag, the rock, or both... and put a small glob of the gel on the dry area. After that, I let it start to set for 30 seconds or so, then go ahead and put it in place. It's worked pretty well for me in the past.

[landlord]

I will only be able to dry the frag. My issue is that the rocks are massive and cannot be pulled out to dry them. I can glue dry frags to dry disks no problem it is when I work underwater that I end up with a freakin mess. Ideally I want to attach them directly to the rocks in some manner.

Thanks for the reply

[Rosseau]

I use gel glue, though sometimes it is tough to get enough onto a spot and to have it the surfaces fit properly. Sometimes irregular shaped rock doesn't lend itself well to super glue - I would like to try putty in its place.

What putty is generally used?

[King-Kong]

For the most secure fit possible, you use both:

rock -> superglue -> epoxy -> superglue -> frag

[Puffdragon]

A neat idea I saw was to glue the frag to a small piece of rock. Then take some glue and smear on the larger rock where you want to glue the frag to. This gives the glue on the frag a better place to adhere to. Also when you place the frag/small rock combo in the tank make sure to move it around a little on the larger rock as the super glue develops a skin surface when it comes into contact with water.

[landlord]

I had a conversation earlier with Dr Mac. He suggested the superglue with the reason being it takes a lot of putty to get the frag in place. I am torn, it seems to me it would be easier to work with putty (which I haven't worked with BTW). However I have purchase frags secured with putty and currently they look kinda funky. I am hoping the bright white putty will eventually get covered by the coral or coralline or something because it really really stands out.

[rhinochaser]

i agree with using both glue and putty, gluing frg to putty and putty to rock

[landlord]

Just so I am clear in my understanding. For those glueing frag to putty and putty to rock. I was under the impression that the putty itself was an adhesive of some sort. Is this correct or incorrect. I am now guessing incorrect since there are folks out there glueing things to it.

Thanks again for putting up with this --landlord

[dkh0331]

I just superglue gel the frag to a piece of rubble that I keep in my sump. Then superglue gel that to the larger piece in the tank.

[hyperfocal]

I like gluing the frag to a small piece of rock like Puffdragon suggests, the securing the small rock to the reef with a small ball of epoxy -- the epoxy usually hold well, and is easy to pop off if something needs to move.

To secure the frag to the small rock, I've found a multi-step process works best. First, I'll put a gumball sized ball of epoxy putty onto the rock and smoosh it in well. Before it sets, I'll form the middle of the epoxy into a small cup shape large enough to hold the foot of the frag (or the base of the peg if mounted). I then let it set. Next, I'll fill the little cup with either CA gel or more epoxy (which I use depends on the frag and my mood at the time) and put the frag into the cup. If the frag is mounted on a spike or plastic golf tee, I cut off as much of the pointy bit as I can before jamming it into the glue. Once the CA/epoxy sets, the frag is held pretty well.

[King-Kong]

Epoxy is not an adheasive. It works by drying into the small holes and dents in the rock, effectively "grabbing" on, but it's not a glue. Keep that in mind when using it.