Hot glue as aquarium adhesive

[FinsandFeathers]

Has anyone used hot glue to adhere decor to an aquarium, specifically an acrylic aquarium?
My wife bought some resin faux stone shelves that she wants to put in the 400g acrylic aquarium. Normally, I'd use silicone to attach them, but they weigh just enough that I'm afraid I would have to sit squeezed inside the tank for hours until the silicone set enough to hold them. So, we thought about using hot glue, or possibly super glue. However, we want to be able to remove it in the future if we ever decide on a decor change. Also, chemicals leeching into the water from the glue would be a concern.
If anyone has used either of these glues on acrylic, I'd be interested in hearing how it turned out.
Thanks.

 

[coralbandit]

Many use super glue in aquariums with out issue I believe..I have and do..
I don't have an acrylic tank but maybe you mount the rocks to a 'plate' made of something that will sit on bottom of tank covered by substrate. That way not attached to tank...

 

[FinsandFeathers]

Thanks, coralbandit.
That's exactly what we have planned for decor that will sit on the bottom of the tank. Partly for stability, partly for added weight, so the fish hopefully can't move decor around. Since the tank is over 3 1/2 feet tall, it will be difficult to reach in to put decor back in place.
The "stone" shelves the wife bought will be attached to the rear of the aquarium, however. If super glue is safe, I may use that. I have to actually get inside the aquarium to put decor in, and attach the shelves - not an easy feat for someone who is 6' 2" and over 220 pounds. So, I don't want to contort myself inside for too long waiting for adhesive to set so the shelves will stay in place. They aren't terribly heavy, but weigh enough that they'll fall if the adhesive isn't well set.

 

[Kitekat87]

Maybe you could use hot glue in spots to hold the decor in place while you silicone around the rest of it. I believe, eventually, hot glue dissolves in the tank and then that would just leave the silicone. But the glue should be enough to stop you having to spend a couple of hours in the tank.

 

[Big Bubble00]

I tried hot glueing rocks and make it a tunnel, put the tunnel in water, the glue becomes useless and doesn't stick other rocks together.

 

[EOGoldfish]

I believe super glue will also dissolve in the water eventually as well

 

[Wy Renegade]

Super glue - the gel type is used in aquariums all the time and will not cause issues. It also has a relatively short "set" time, so you should be good. If you are structures that are particularly heavy, I would consider silicon and super glue both. That said however most silicons do not adhere will to acrylic, so I would consider attaching things to a glass plate, rather than directly to the aquarium itself, which is likely to cause issues for your back wall construction. Maybe coated magnets?