Superglue question

[Scapexghost]

For those who glue anubias and java fern to rocks and wood, how long do you let the super glue dry/cure? I'm a bit concerned since if you leave it too long the plant will dry out, but if you put it in it too quickly you risk leaking chemicals into the tank.

[lefty o]

a few seconds. side affect of putting them in water is, water cures superglue.

[Guppysnail]

I wait about 30 seconds until it sticks then spritz with water to be certain it’s completely cured. 

[Torrey]

On 3/3/2022 at 7:42 PM, Scapexghost said:

For those who glue anubias and java fern to rocks and wood, how long do you let the super glue dry/cure? I'm a bit concerned since if you leave it too long the plant will dry out, but if you put it in it too quickly you risk leaking chemicals into the tank.

As long as you are only dabbing a little (not overgluing) the chemical reaction between water (H2O) and cyanocrylate (not typing out the chemical) is instant cure, a potential polymer in a longer chain reaction, and a nitrogen and an oxygen molecule.

For more information you can read this article.

I literally put a drop on the plant, and stick it on the wet hardscape, and stick it in the tank. If I am doing a more complex creation, like when I was building floating moss rolls for my bettas, I kept a spray bottle on the table and worked on paper towels in case of 'oops'. shrimp didn't even complain. 😅

[Odd Duck]

I’ve been known to put glue on the plant, then quickly stick it straight in the tank onto hardscape that’s already there.  Gotta work fast and have your placement well-planned.

I test fit it first to make sure it doesn’t take too much pressure to fit the rhizome into the spot where I want it, make sure there isn’t any significant biofilm/slime on the pieces I’m gluing, make sure I’m holding it in a way that won’t get too much glue on my fingers or tweezers but will let me press the rhizome onto the wood correctly, select the part of the rhizome that will be most against the wood, apply a dab, and quickly press into place and hold for at least 20-30 seconds because I don’t want to apply more glue.  I want as minimal white glue showing as possible when I’m done.

If I’m gluing onto small pieces of wood or rock, I usually have the epiphytes floating in a sink of dechlorinated water.  I do the same fitting process, apply the glue and hold, and if the wood is small enough, I hold it in the sink of water while waiting for it to set.  If I’m doing multiple pieces, once glued, the pieces are just dropped into the sink until I’m ready to put them in a tank at the end of the gluing session.

It’s really quite simple and most people over think it when they’re trying it for the first time. I know I sure did.  Now I just glue and go.  It takes more time to plan a piece, checking placements, etc, than to glue a piece, usually.

[CT_]

On 3/4/2022 at 12:54 AM, Odd Duck said:

I’ve been known to put glue on the plant, then quickly stick it straight in the tank onto hardscape that’s already there.  Gotta work fast and have your placement well-planned.

I've been tempted to try this, and now I think I will 🙂

[1moretank]

@Scapexghost the key is to use super glue GEL, not liquid, and that the ingredient is cyanocrylate.  Then I have never seen a side effect from putting glue on plant, plant on item, sticking into tank - I think the explanation was that the water activates and speeds up the glue gel setting.

Good luck.