Adhesive for Wet Rock?

[gbroadbridge]

$60 for super glue and accelerant with postage. Ugh!

Buy it from your local big box hardware place and avoid the reef tax.

 

[AKReefing]

$60 for super glue and accelerant with postage. Ugh!

Accelerant is baking soda and water. The problem is that super glue skins over on contact with water.

 

[MissMolly]

I have been trying to get a decent aquascape in my Biocube 32 but am having a heck of a time. My rock is wet because I changed from a 35g to the biocube. The footprint is way smaller. I tried using the Instant Ocean putty, but it didn't stick at all and fell apart. I tried the super glue plus baking soda which I had preciously been successful with, but it didn't work as well on the wet rock because of course the baking soda dissolved. So I currently have an unsteady pile of rocks in the Biocube. I want to make it look decent, but I need a really good adhesive that will work while it is wet and maybe work despite my impatience. I'm so frustrated with this build for a hundred reasons but this aquascape had really put me over. I don't know what to do! The pieces are pretty small and lightweight so the weight isn't stabilizing the rocks. I'd be ever so appreciative of some suggestions.

I have just been there. Tons of failures. Only think that works properly on wet is the sandwich model: glue/epoxy/glue

 

[MissMolly]

Maybe try the sandwich frag process? Super glue/Epoxy/superglue? At least to get it started? Then add the fillers?

Yes, only thing that works.

 

[jacksin]

I’ve had pretty good luck with Nyos reef putty. The black is messy to mix, but has held wet rocks together

 

[Dburr1014]

I use the super glue and Sand method with wet rock you just got to make sure you cover it well and it's fine

 

[stepho725]

Buy it from your local big box hardware place and avoid the reef tax.

I'm having a hard time finding the super thick super glue on the box store websites

 

[WvAquatics]

I'm having a hard time finding the super thick super glue on the box store websites

I was also unable to find CA superglue in box stores besides the usualy small bottles that would make a few bonds. Amazon was where I got mine from.

 

[stepho725]

I use the super glue and Sand method with wet rock you just got to make sure you cover it well and it's fine

Here is my problem with this method. I don't have neat fitting rocks so in some areas they are barely touching each other. So if I try to put sand in the gaps it won't fill, it will just go around.

 

[stepho725]

I was also unable to find CA superglue in box stores besides the usualy small bottles that would make a few bonds. Amazon was where I got mine from.

Which brand did you go with? Did you get the thick kind?

 

[WvAquatics]

Which brand did you go with? Did you get the thick kind?

I used gluemasters thick and medium. Both worked well once you get the hang of how to properly do it. And for where you said the rocks barley touch you will need to wedge in ruble into the cracks. Load it with glue and add sand and repeat until all gaps are filled. Then you need to bond that seam with layers between the 2 rocks. Wear gloves or your be pealing sand and rock off your fingers for hours.

 

[SaltCreepReef]

Tunze Coral Gum 0104.747 or Tunze coral Gum Instant 0104.760 is my go to for in tank repairs and setting, works great with the super glue sandwich method mentioned before. It also stay slightly flexible and doesn’t crack so even if you pull your rock apart you can reset it with the existing puddly and it will basically snap back together. It’s a little pricey but worth every penny. It doesn’t stink, it doesn’t get all over, and it won’t make your skimmer go nuts.

Beware the Instant version will set in about 20-30sec after mixing so do little bits at a time…and don’t mix it all together at once!

 

[BriDroid]

JB Waterweld sets underwater. It's safe for potable water too. No issues using it in my tank. Keep in mind that it dries bright white though, so put some sand or something in/over it.

 

[Zymotic]

You could buy some larger dry rock pieces and use them as a base to build up your live rock. This would create sort of cascading scape that would be great for arranging corals.

Another option is plan out the scape you want and select live rock pieces knowing you will have to allow the rocks to dry out before you can glue them. Then when you create an arch or whatever it is you're trying to accomplish with the scape, you can reintroduce the rock to the live rock that is already in your tank, and all the bacteria and life should grow back onto it in a short amount of time.

And finally, you could just find a way to make it work. Buy a big bottle of super glue, smash up some of your smaller rock pieces (or better yet buy a dry rock for this purpose), and layer the finely smashed rock pieces and glue several times to create the bond. It can still be done but you're going to need to use a lot more glue than if you were working with dry rock.

I used this glue for my scape.

THIN CA Glue -3T Large 8 oz Bottle - "Super Glue" Adhesive - Cyanoacrylate | eBay

Condition is New. - The Thin super glueis the best for repair small crack. The thicker super glue,the lower drying speed. The shape of bottles you receive may varies .

www.ebay.com

 

[Dkmoo]

I used nyos reef cement for my rock structure - works both wet and dry and inside or outside water. It could be tricky to work with to get the timing down, esp if you do it inside the water - put the cement in too soon and work it to much/too early and it'll melt in ur tank. Putting it in too late and it'll set and harden before you fully work it into how you want your rock to look. So, it's better to first try it in a bucket filled with your tank water with same temperature with test rocks a few times to get the timing down before you do it for real

 

[Dburr1014]

Here is my problem with this method. I don't have neat fitting rocks so in some areas they are barely touching each other. So if I try to put sand in the gaps it won't fill, it will just go around.

Start with a few grains then glue, a few more grains then glue, it starts to build up and get thicker.

You can't use the thick super glue with this method, it needs to be the water Super Glue.

 

[stepho725]

JB Waterweld sets underwater. It's safe for potable water too. No issues using it in my tank. Keep in mind that it dries bright white though, so put some sand or something in/over it.

I used JB Waterweld ystrdy afternoon in a final attempt and found that 24 hours later most of it hadn't cured. There were two pieces which cured and were super strong - success! And then I put it in the water and it fell apart! This is insanity lol. I even dried out the rock. Crazy!

 

[areefer01]

Sea TaK is an option. Bit cumbersome to work with but once you get the hang of it - it works very well.