Can someone please explain...

[Der_Iron_Chef]

...how it is that marine epoxy SUCKS so much?

Things in my tank needed to be secured. Like a good little boy, I went out to the store and bought some epoxy, which stated that it was "perfect in freshwater or marine" aquariums.

I'm wondering if there's a different definition of "perfect" floating around out there? Does it include "doesn't work as advertised" and "guaranteed chunks of our $h**y product floating around your tank after all is said and done"?

This stuff didn't work at all. I even held my hand in the aquarium for 5 full minutes, pressing a monti cap frag where I wanted it to stick....and then it fell into my frogspawn colony, collapsing the whole mess onto my fungia.

So, I'm frustrated. A thousand plagues on marine epoxy! ARRRRRRGGH.

And now that I feel slightly mollified by my rant, I'd like to ask what other sane people use instead of this absolutely ridiculous product.

[Underwater]

Dude-I'm sorry, but sitting here-reading your post-I am laughing my fool head off. Holy Cow!!! I know everyone who reads it is nodding their head because they know exactly what you're going through and TOTALLY feel your pain!!!

(Don't even get me started on how many times I've glued my fingers together with "quick set" epoxy that isn't as quick as it should be-until I have gotten it all over the place...in my hair...on my clothes....random pieces of furniture....the dog....It doesn't work so well on what it's supposedly for, but it'll sure stick other things together!)

[Lance]

You've both got me laughing!
I've been using the AquaStik Epoxy Putty by Two Little Fishies. It's not great, but it's better than anything else I've tried.

[Delphinus]

:lol: I know, it's one step above using chewing gum as an adhesive. Where's Macgyver when you need him!!

[crtrcrzy]

i could never get this sh-t to work either but sphelps came over and attached my frags with the stuff no problem. i think you have to hold your tongue a certain way and pinch your butt cheeks

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Damn. I was pinching the butt cheeks, but my tongue was too busy swearing.

[Underwater]

See, there's the problem...my tongue became glued to my teeth while I was trying to chew my fingers off of my couch.

[Aquattro]

I dunno Drew, I've used epoxy for years and swear by it. Nevr have I had an adventure like yours :)

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I dunno Drew, I've used epoxy for years and swear by it. Nevr have I had an adventure like yours :)

OK, so.....as stupid as I feel asking this, maybe you can explain your technique? :)

[fishytime]

Which epoxy are you using. There is two kinds. One is a single stick containing both parts of the epoxy. This one REALLY sucks. As soon as it hits the water it losses all its stick. The other has the two sticks of stuff that you combine. This one works much better IME, although it to has its limitations. You may need to temporarily brace the pieces over night while the epoxy hardens.

[Carmen]

When is Red Coral getting in that 2 part epoxy? :lol: I REALLY need some!

[Drock169]

holdfast epoxy is the cheap one that comes in 1 stick, its pretty bad. Aquascape 2 part epoxy is generally pretty good. I find that the problem is usually in the consistency when its mixed up, if after a couple minutes of kneeding it, its not tacky then there is an issue with the proportions mixed up and you need to add more of one of the colours.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

The type I used last night was the first you described....the one stick. It was absolutely maddening. I have, however, used the other kind....and without great success either.

[michika]

I also agree with Drew...I too have had many interesting adventures with epoxy. I now avoid the stuff in favor of superglue. Sometimes I make a piece with epoxy that will fit perfectly on the rock and to the coral, and then I glue all three together with super glue.

[Oscar]

This is a timely thread. I just picked up my first frags over the weekend. Currently they are temporarily located on the sand but this weekend I will attach them to the LR.

I have a package of the 2 stick epoxy and some liquid epoxy which I think can only be used out of water.

There is obviously a lot of frustration with attaching frags but are there any pointers to minimize the frustration? I could use the liquid epoxy or super glue on LR that can be removed from the tank. But what is the best trick for LR that cannot be removed?

[Underwater]

Duct tape....
:crazyeye: :lol:

[Aquattro]

I use the stick with the two parts. I cut off a slice with a knife, knead it until it's all mixed, create a roll about 1.5 inches long, wrap it around the base of the frag and stuff it into a crevice or hole. It isn't supposed to be sticky and stick things to flat surfaces, it fills th espace around the hole you put the frag in and hardens in place, locking the frag in. It isn't glue. It's filler.
I just mounted 16 frags without an issue in about 10 minutes. I love this stuff.

tip. Keep your fingers wet when your kneading it, it won't stick to you that way.

[Canuckgod420]

Try the Tunze two part....works great for me.

[mseepman]

I recently purchased the two part to use on some frags as a trial but I haven't yet used it. Previously, I've been using the Zeo Speed-glue (like cement) and though it's a pain to work with, I would say I'm successful 3 out of 4 tries. Golds sells it. It is a powder that you need to mix (mix it really dry) and then you have about 3-5 seconds once you put the clump of it in the water. If you are fast, then you have a really good stick. If not, then it comes out easily enough as a lump of concrete.

[Oscar]

It isn't supposed to be sticky and stick things to flat surfaces, it fills th espace around the hole you put the frag in and hardens in place, locking the frag in. It isn't glue. It's filler.
I just mounted 16 frags without an issue in about 10 minutes. I love this stuff.

tip. Keep your fingers wet when your kneading it, it won't stick to you that way.

OK, that sounds appropriate for SPS frags. I have a mushroom and a small piece of GSP to attach, neither of which are attached to rock. What do you suggest?

Plus ricordia and zoos on rock. I am hoping to break the rock into smaller pieces. Should I also be looking for depressions to effectively use the epoxy?

[Delphinus]

It totally depends on what I'm trying to do, which affects my choice of what glue to use. If I'm mounting a clean cut frag of SPS onto a disk, unless I have a poor surface to work with I'll just use cyanoacrylate (superglue) gel. If it's an odd shape then I'll use the epoxy. I've used the green stick, the Tunze stuff and the Deltec stuff. In my opinion they are equivalent products, except that the Tunze and Deltec epoxies harden in a brown or pink (I forget which is which) which blends into rock nicer than stark white does, but in most circumstances coraline covers it anyhow over time.

It's in the approach though - like Brad said, the stuff is filler, not an adhesive. So it has to surround the pieces, not just interface them. I did use it so mount some gorgonians to some rocks but I had to use elastics to hold the gorg bases down while the epoxy hardened. Now it's fine although the elastics are permanently embedded in the glue. Eventually they'll just disintegrate though.

[Aquattro]

I have a mushroom and a small piece of GSP to attach, neither of which are attached to rock. What do you suggest?



super glue or fine fishing line. I never had much luck with glue, but I'm a SPS guy, never needed it.

[Oscar]

How about this for my mushroom and GSP: I have some rock "flakes", a result of breaking up some LR. I could super glue these guys to the flakes, then use epoxy to set into the LR in the tank. That way avoiding the fishing line option.

[Aquattro]

Yup, that works

[Geofrog]

I've tried the superglue route with xenia, and it didn't work for me. They just slime over and the superglue won't hold.

[Aquattro]

Xenia, for me, worked best with thread or fishing line. Although I'd never put it in my tank again on purpose :)

[justinl]

I hate epoxy. Ill use it if I reallly really have to in certain cases, but otherwise screw it. SUPERGLUE. it's a godsend.

i never try to attach epoxy underwater. always out... seems to work better for me.

[Oscar]

Just testing an older tube of superglue gel. It is still not curing after 30 minutes. How long should it take?

[Sebae again]

About a minute unless you use to much. Dry end of frag and what you are mounting to.

[justinl]

yeah it should not take long at all. I like to spray the glued part with tankwater or dunk the whole thing in the tank because it makes it cure faster. how old is "older"?

[Oscar]

how old is "older"?

Not sure how old this tube is. I will test again, 1 minute curing time is more like what I expected.

[Captainhemo]

I've been using the two stick stuff, "AquaScape Construction Epoxy" for quite a while and it works quite well.
I find it works best to press the putty into the rock where you want the coral, then press the coral to the putty