Best way to secure rock / coral frags?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

catmel

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Apr 20, 2008
Messages
660
Location
Findlay, Ohio
Hi everyone :)

I was wanting to get your opinions on safe, easy to use stuff to secure my rocks and frags in place. I LOVE my pencil tip urchin, but hes having some fun pushing my small frags around.

Whats the best 'fixing' stuff? I want to make sure its safe to use obviously. I've seen underwater epoxy ( both 'glue' form and puddy form) as well as some other 'glues'. Are these things usually permanent? Or cant it be taken apart if I decide to re-scape?

Any links / names would be helpful! Tired of my rocks falling over ;)

thanks!!
 
I use Aquascape by DD. Its a 2 part putty that works very well. Comes in gray and purple. I use it to hold rocks together and to secure new frags (fags mounted to a plug or rock that is) to the rock in the tank.
 
you can get some loctite superglue gel also and use that, i have good results with that. Ill use the putty for big jobs like putting rocks together or sticking a frag on a rock but if i have a frag already on a disc or rock or whatever ill usually glue it down. I have a pencil and a pincushion and they reak havoc on my set up too. if you use the glue, be sure to dry off the bottom of the frag first and put it straight in the tank, you dont have alot of time to maneuver it and place it and see if it fits, its more for an exact placement
 
For live rock do you really need to glue them down or anything? I have mine just stacked but they're all pretty secure. Should I be worried?
 
Nah, I'm only inquiring because i have a pencil urchin that pushes stuff around. Thanks guys!!

Are both of those options permanent or can you take them apart later btw?
 
naa i didnt glu my big pieces down, they are well secured but i had some that are balanced on a point so to speak so if there is a shift then...tumble! i glued those to down and like small pieces that can move i glued them down, you can also use zip ties thy work great at the salt wont eat them up pluse algae will grow over them thats another option you can go too plus they are super cheap, i zip tied some of my LR that were once branching corals together to a big piece of rock so they dont teeter toter
 
I personally use epoxy to attach frag discs to rocks and superglue gel to attach frags to the discs.

I did read a very interesting approach on my local club site recently though that I thought I'd share. He drills 1" deep 1/2" holes allover his rock and then uses plugs with his frags. That way he can move them around the tank in various light and flow until they are "happiest". In his words... working in his tank is like playing with Mr. Potato Head. :clown:
 
Just for some added info., zip-ties will indeed become brittle over time and snap or slip prior to.
 
Back
Top Bottom