does superglue gel work for gluing rocks together?

super glue gel works great. it's what I always use. normal super blue doesnt work nearly as well. it doesnt need cure time, just time to dry. maybe 5 minutes? i've even used it in the tank before.

 

Hmm... this is perplexing. After I posted, I tested the strength of a test I did last night using a new tube of Loctite Super Gel. Thought it was holding, but only a gentle amount of pressure broke the bond of two light weight pieces.

So, I called Loctite product support.

They advised two cautions:

1) They stated it is not marine safe!
2) They stated that it is not waterproof. "In fact" (their words) they stated that it is water soluble - it will dissolve in water.

I also inquired if they had any product suitable for an aquarium application. I got a resounding, "No!".

That said, you are certainly not the first to report success.

Further confounding a clear answer is that IC-GEL (highly touted as reef safe and secure) is also made of ethyl cyanoacrylate. Loctite's Super Gel merely states cyanoacrylate but I have no clue if there is any difference.

 

+1 to the super glue/epoxy combo. Super glue has very good surface adhesion properties, but poor shearing strength. Epoxy is excellent structurally, but has poor adhesion properties. Mix the two together and you have an excellent bond.

 

They have to say it's not Marine safe because it's not labeled for use in aquariums. Its a liablity issue. I and many many others all over the country have been using it for years.

 

Very creative suggestion.

Now, is this CA gel or the more liquid form?

And, to clarify... actually mixed together or apply the CA adhesive to the epoxy before it dries or cures?

 

Yes, well I didn't intend to dispute Loctite's safety... certainly, it's sometimes (maybe too often) difficult to sort the legal issues from effectiveness and safety or appropriateness.

Worth mentioning also is that I had on hand Loctite's gel and IC-GEL in advance of starting the scape because they are so prevalent in the hobby...so, again hence my surprise in the former not holding.

My motivation for calling Loctite was only because the Super Glue Gel it was not holding as I had expected. So I was trying to sort that issue and not inquire about safety - which was an issue they brought into the conversation, which seems so odd to me....even now.

Getting the feedback about adhesion vs searing in this thread... also calling BSI for feedback on their CA IC-GEL product...now makes it seem as though Loctite was doing nothing but distancing me from their product. So, I am in agreement with you.... and have lost any motivation to use their products (save that I really like their new dispenser..lol)

 

What I do is:

- Mix up a small batch of epoxy and put some super glue on one side of it. Gel tends to work best.

- Now take that (still malleable) piece of epoxy and mush the side with the super glue on it onto the frag/small piece of rock.

- Let that sit for a little bit to allow the super glue to cure some. I usually let it sit for about a minute. You can't let it go too long or the epoxy will start to cure as well.

- Now add some super glue to the other side of the epoxy. Hold onto it for a little while to get some small amount of curing (30 sec or so).

- Now mush the frag/rock where you want it in the tank.

 

Great idea.... detailed instructions. Thanks!

 

A while back I wrote a review of Loctite Epoxy... So maybe we can still use Loctite products after all...

Loctite Epoxy Putty Review

 

Also worth mentioning about CA glue...

During my conversations with Charlee at BSI (phone and e-mail) regarding use of CA glue in the tank to glue rock-to-rock, I was given several pointers. Here are some:

- Okay to glue damp rock, as the water will help activate the glue but dripping wet rock should not be glued to CA. Won't work. My rock was damp. Although it was received dry from BRS, I placed it in a 32g Brute to determine water displacement (RO/DI water). And, although the rock sat out of water for about 2 weeks, it was still damp as it is so porous.

- CA glue once cured will hold up to water but is not considered waterproof (see his e-mail in this post below).

- Best to let the CA glues cure for 24 hrs. before immersion in water, for best results.

- Using the liquid form of CA glue applied over the gel form (before it dries, like immediately) will facilitate the gel getting into the more porous areas of the rock. So, apply the gel, then immediately apply the liquid for best dispersion of the gel. Great tip!

Regarding CA's water resistant characteristics and the use of epoxy with CA, here is Charlee's e-mail to me:

Larry,

CA like IC-Gel cannot be labeled waterproof since it would have to maintain all its characteristics for decades. After about 8 years of exposure to water, it will lose about 20% of its strength. But since it is so much stronger than other alternatives to start with, this loss still keeps it in the strong category. After bonding the rocks with IC-Gel, you could come back a few minutes later with fillets of our 30 minute Slow-Cure along the joint. The epoxy would add better shock resistance and it is waterproof. You would never want to mix the two adhesives together before bonding.

Charlee


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All said, clearly there is more than one correct path... different methods and materials available to approach the problem.

While Pukani seems easily drilled (very soft, porous), at the last moment (with threaded nylon rod in hand) I opted to go the CA route. Drilling presents it's own unique set of issues and adhesives.... and being that the Pukani is so light weight and fits together like Lincoln logs...and with my aquascape not so complex... I used what I had in hand. CA glues: gel and liquid.

I'll test the glue joints this evening and post final scape pictures here and in an album.