Superglue from Ebay safe?

[Lildragon]

I've been using Superglue Gel for over a year with no problems. However, the price per tube is extremely expensive.

I did a quick search on E-bay, and found a couple of manufacturers (E-Z Bond, 5 Star adhesives) that are extremely reasonable (50g bottle for $7 US). This is 20 times cheaper than the Superglue brand!

However, looking at the MSDS sheets, the E-bay adhesive also contains Hydroquinone and Methylmethacrylate in addition to the Cyanoacrylate.

Superglue brand name just contains (cyanoacrylate) and (fumed, Silica)


Anyone know if Hydroquinone and Methylmethacrylate are reef safe?

[DMK]

stick w/ cyanoacrylate.

[kwiker]

You can use "Locktite" glue which can be purchased at any hardware store, Wal-mart, etc. It is about $3 abottle. I have used it numerous times directly onto the flesh of some really small zoanthids and never had a problem.

[Tat2demon]

Check local hobby stores that sell RC cars, planes ect. At Hobby Town USA here in town you can get a 2oz. bottle of CA clue for I think $7.

[Lildragon]

The reason I want to try something else is because of the price! If I am trying to glue 2 or 3 pieces, I seem to need 3 tubes of the superglue gel ($4 x 3 = $12).


Tat2demon: That stuff on E-bay was for RC cars and other hobby stuff, but it has those other chemicals in it. At $7 for 2 oz, that would get me the equivalent of 31 tubes of the superglue gel!

I am just wondering if anyone has used the hobby store CA glue in their tanks with no consequence?

[foob]

3 tubes for 2-3 pieces? Superglue is pretty strong, don't use that much...

I'm a little wasteful and I can do 2-4 pieces with 1 tube.

[Lildragon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7167086#post7167086 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by foob
3 tubes for 2-3 pieces? Superglue is pretty strong, don't use that much...

I'm a little wasteful and I can do 2-4 pieces with 1 tube.

I figured someone would say something :)

I am typically trying to adhere the rock rubble (that these frags are attached to) with a larger piece of live rock in the tank (see pic below). Some of these things are 1-2 inches in diameter, and it seems to take quite a bit of gel to make up for the inconsistencies in the two surfaces. Is there a better way to do this?



http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/89624acro_blue_20060412-med.jpg

[Tat2demon]

Just look at the label and make sure its just CA. I know the Hobby Town brand is. The SLOW kind is the best for frags. Its much thicker.

[foob]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7167494#post7167494 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lildragon
I figured someone would say something :)

I am typically trying to adhere the rock rubble (that these frags are attached to) with a larger piece of live rock in the tank (see pic below). Some of these things are 1-2 inches in diameter, and it seems to take quite a bit of gel to make up for the inconsistencies in the two surfaces. Is there a better way to do this?



Hehe if you can take it out of the water to attach, can use very little. In the water it's difficult to use super glue gel and gotta use more. I guess since it's rubble to rock, the rock isn't removable.

[Lildragon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7167511#post7167511 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tat2demon
Just look at the label and make sure its just CA. I know the Hobby Town brand is. The SLOW kind is the best for frags. Its much thicker.

I'm not sure looking at the label would help. Most of things say they are CA adhesive. It's only by fluke that I happened on the MSDS on the 'net and started to do a comparison with the different types...

[Flyflicker]

This may sound like a stupid question to you guys on this thread but how do you glue coral to rock? Is it all done underwater or do you have to take the coral and rock out of the water? How long does it take to dry? And is this the same superglue you buy at the grocery store?

[Salamander]

I buy tubes of superglue gel at the dollar store for .99 for two tubes. Its just straight up Cyano acrylate and works great.

Flyflicker Super glue gel is the best to secure frags to rock. Look on th label to make sure it says cyanoarcrylate, thats what you want to use. Its best if you can glue outside of the water since it will form a skin when wet. Its best to put a dab on both surfaces, wait a few seconds then push them together. You can plop it back in the tank right away.

Epoxy like Aquamend (for boats, pools and fiberglass repair) which is available at your local hardware store is good for securing rock to rock.

Check some of the sticky threads in the Coral Prop forum for more info.

[Flyflicker]

Thanks for the education.

[aurora]

I use superglue from the Dollar Store. Some stores have packs of 5 for $1. I've used this method to glue together small pieces of rock. First, hold the 2 pieces together and drip some glue onto the area where the pieces are touching. Then sprinkle some dry sand onto the same area, add more glue, sprinkle more sand, and continue the process until your get the joint that you need. In the end you get a bond/cement area holding the 2 pieces together from sand and glue.

This is a great way to add more rock to the base of your sps frag as it gets bigger. I've also use the same method to attach sps frags to rock. Since they are only aboutn 25c a tube, I throw them away after each use.

[Ewan]

Some of the reefcentral sponsors sell large tubes of CA gel. I picked up a large tube from Dr.Mac at Macna last year. I think it was only $7. It was the size of a tube of toothpaste.

Premium aquatics also sells it.

If I'm in a bind, I just pick up the blue loctite bottles from a local retailer. You can use them again and again until it's empty, and not worry about the bottle getting crusty.

-E.

[compulou]

I've got plenty of Loc-Tite that I use on my RC Cars, which one would be safe to use?

Thanx

[Ewan]

loc-tite super glue gel (in a small blue bottle) not loctite.

sorry for the confusion. Please don't use loctite in your aquarium.

-E.

[rottface4]

For glueing larger surfaces, as in this case I use Aquamend (marine epoxy putty) and super glue gel. Aquamend does a good job in filling in the irregularities between the rocks and then you only need a little super glue to glue the Aquamend to the rocks. Aquamend can be found at almost all home depots, usually by the wood glue/super glue in the paint section.

[Lildragon]

Thanks for all the replies! I haven't actually seen an answer to my original question....:D

Has anyone used the RC adhesive in their tanks?

[Salamander]

Well I don't know if Hydroquinone and Methylmethacrylate are reef safe but why risk it when you can use products that are known to be safe. I think that's why no one has answered your question. There's not too much that we want to put in our tanks without prior knowledge and experience of others. So I'd day don't use it, but I do not know for sure, just advsing you don't experiment when there are known products that are ok. But then again without taking risks and experimenting, how do we learn.

[Ewan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7174372#post7174372 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Salamander
Well I don't know if Hydroquinone and Methylmethacrylate are reef safe but why risk it when you can use products that are known to be safe. I think that's why no one has answered your question. There's not too much that we want to put in our tanks without prior knowledge and experience of others. So I'd day don't use it, but I do not know for sure, just advsing you don't experiment when there are known products that are ok. But then again without taking risks and experimenting, how do we learn.

:thumbsup:

That's what everyone has been trying to say.

How about this: I wouldn't dream of putting that ebay stuff in my reef. Not when an alternative is available for the same price, and sold specifically for gluing frags.

-E.

[rustybucket145]

I get my glue from the Dollar Store. You get 4grams (two tubes) of Ross Brand Cyno for $1 I go about once a month and buy every tube they have. You get some strange looks but I like the idea of smaller tubes. You can use one tube to glue what you want and then trow away the tube. If you need glue just pop open a new one at $.50 per tube it is the cheapest thing my tank has ever seen.

[dippin61]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7167782#post7167782 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Salamander
I buy tubes of superglue gel at the dollar store for .99 for two tubes. Its just straight up Cyano acrylate and works great.

Flyflicker Super glue gel is the best to secure frags to rock. Look on th label to make sure it says cyanoarcrylate, thats what you want to use. Its best if you can glue outside of the water since it will form a skin when wet. Its best to put a dab on both surfaces, wait a few seconds then push them together. You can plop it back in the tank right away.

Epoxy like Aquamend (for boats, pools and fiberglass repair) which is available at your local hardware store is good for securing rock to rock.

Check some of the sticky threads in the Coral Prop forum for more info.

every hobby store guy, and my bottle of CA glue say to only glue 1 surface for better adhesion.

[Ewan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7178180#post7178180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dippin61
every hobby store guy, and my bottle of CA glue say to only glue 1 surface for better adhesion.

What does a hobby store guy know about gluing frags?

And I'm sure whoever wrote the instructions on the bottle never held a green slimer frag in one hand and a wet rock in the other. Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing anything in the instructions about gluing animals to rocks.

Just kidding around. :D

Everyone's got their own technique. I saw a great fragging presentation at Macna, where the speaker (Greg Hiller) used accelerant. I had never even heard of the stuff, but now I swear by it.