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On 6/27/2022 at 7:02 AM, Minanora said:

Glues can be a pain in the butt.

That is an understatement make no mistake!  I cannot take anymore off I have been working on this for two hours. As you can see the middle top is the only one I got perfectly clear the rest are a little bit sticky😡

I tried every method conceivable.  If I had known this was gonna be such a pain in the butt I would have would’ve gotten 16 of them with no backing at all instead of just the 6 I need.

 

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On 6/27/2022 at 12:30 PM, sweetpoison said:

That is an understatement make no mistake!  I cannot take anymore off I have been working on this for two hours. As you can see the middle top is the only one I got perfectly clear the rest are a little bit sticky😡

I tried every method conceivable.  If I had known this was gonna be such a pain in the butt I would have would’ve gotten 16 of them with no backing at all instead of just the 6 I need.

 

I feel your pain. Lol.

Knowing that it's going into a fish tank makes it hard mode. 😛

You could use them for target practice! =D

Dawn dish soap or oxyclean may do it. But it's going in a tank so eh. Bleh.

Good news is that when you're done it's going to be AWESOME! 😄 

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On 6/27/2022 at 2:56 PM, Minanora said:

I feel your pain. Lol.

Knowing that it's going into a fish tank makes it hard mode. 😛

You could use them for target practice! =D

Dawn dish soap or oxyclean may do it. But it's going in a tank so eh. Bleh.

Good news is that when you're done it's going to be AWESOME! 😄 

I got new coasters NO cork backing they’ll be here tomorrow😂

Edited by sweetpoison
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On 6/27/2022 at 2:56 PM, Minanora said:

 

Good news is that when you're done it's going to be AWESOME! 😄 

Just might be hope for me yet!  This is the clearest my tank has been since my sand fiasco🤗 somebody recommended filter floss and boy does that really work! I think I first put my tank up in April. Do you see the fish I have? You have to look hard because they are ghost fish and very invisible!  I have no background, no driftwood, no fish🥴

It was one thing after another now I am cycling my tank ~ it’s a mess in there atm, I am putting up my Forestwood soon☺️

FFCAC446-D0CB-4236-B644-51D54C3504D2.jpeg

Edited by sweetpoison
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If you used the superglue gel, it should be fully set in 20-30 seconds depending on your humidity.  You can always spritz it with a little water if in doubt.  It’s sets via moisture so humidity speeds it up and contact with water sets it even quicker.

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On 6/30/2022 at 10:23 AM, sweetpoison said:

Good to know!  I used aquarium silicone.  Not a forgiving product at all😡. I also bought super glue gel and I will use that moving forward!

@Odd Duckcan you use super glue to glue something that’s in the tank already under water? Or do we have to take out the item?

Silicone needs to cure for at least 24 hours or more.  I leave it until I can’t smell any trace of vinegar, then leave it at least 24 hours more.

Yes, to supergluing under water.  I glue plants to wood or rocks under water frequently.  Have your spot picked out, make sure it fits well with no to minimal tension/pressure, make sure that you can get it to the spot to be glued quickly plus hold it securely for 20-30 seconds (as in your arm or hand won’t fall asleep or be at such an awkward angle that you can’t keep holding that long, you won’t need to stop to keep the cat or dog from getting into something, won’t need to let go to answer your phone, etc, etc), then place your glue dab(s) as needed, plunge, and hold.  Then hold a bit more while trying not to get the glue on your fingers.  Then hold the item in place with your free fingers (Oh, you’re using all of them to hold it, oops.) so you can pry your potentially gluey fingers off your item, then carefully remove all fingers and cuss because it didn’t hold.  Then glue again and hold more carefully so you don’t glue yourself to the plant this time.  Well, it doesn’t always work like that, but about 1/5 to 1/10 are like that when it comes to gluing epiphytes for me.

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Thank you for these directions on how to superglue something underwater. Because I have more plants coming.  I always put your post in my notes on my iPhone under aquarium so I can find everything🤣step-by-step instructions for me♥️

OK People In My Phone ❥

I just finished this tank I’m telling you, that I wish I had put two tiles on the bottom of each tile ~ these puppies tried to float away from ME🥴  I thought oh HELL No!  The Driftwood had bubbles all over it they were not happy😂

I really like it I have some dark green plants coming.  Kind of cloudy ~ it was so clear but it’s cloudy now because I was playing inside and it was FUN👏
 

Do you guys think it really needs a background? If I got one more tall plant I could hide those cords…I was gonna pick up the my paint today but then I have to take a lot of water out to move this tank out to paint🤪 I do think that pretty blue look so good without it.  But the tank kind of looks bigger without it. Optical illusion I’m sure!

 So now I have to  start cycling this tank and get some actual wet pets!  Do you know that I bought this tank in April🤦‍♀️

 

I forgot the picture I’m so sorry!

 

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On 6/30/2022 at 1:13 PM, Odd Duck said:

so you can pry your potentially gluey fingers off your item, then carefully remove all fingers and cuss because it didn’t hold.  Then glue again and hold more carefully so you don’t glue yourself to the plant this time.

Cory uses the superglue cap to press on the plant he’s gluing. But then I don’t know how quickly you could maneuver that underwater. The glue sets extra quickly when submerged.

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On 6/30/2022 at 7:16 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Cory uses the superglue cap to press on the plant he’s gluing. But then I don’t know how quickly you could maneuver that underwater. The glue sets extra quickly when submerged.

I always start out trying to use my tweezers (talking about ‘too worn out for surgery’ tweezers) so they are plenty precise for gluing epiphytes. And I always seem to end up using my fingers. Mind you, I use less worn out version of these tweezers nearly every day so it’s not like handling them is a new thing for me. Yet I always feel like they are going to cause tiny tears in the rhizome because I glue the tweezers to the plants regularly, too. Making the smallest dots of gel I can, it still gets where I don’t want it. 😆 😂 🤣 

If you use the cap underwater it will have water inside it and the cap will get glued to the bottle. I use the bottle multiple times. 

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On 6/30/2022 at 11:31 PM, Odd Duck said:

If you use the cap underwater it will have water inside it and the cap will get glued to the bottle. I use the bottle multiple times. 

?  Do you put your glue on the plant before putting the plant in the water?  Or do you submerge the bottle of glue and then squeeze the glue onto the driftwood, rock,etc?

@sweetpoison tank looks nice. I don't think it needs the background?  The wood forest is drawing my attention more than anything. I like it.

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On 7/1/2022 at 8:21 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

?  Do you put your glue on the plant before putting the plant in the water?  Or do you submerge the bottle of glue and then squeeze the glue onto the driftwood, rock,etc?

@sweetpoison tank looks nice. I don't think it needs the background?  The wood forest is drawing my attention more than anything. I like it.

Glue bottle stays dry, dots on plant out of tank, plunge plant into place.

On 7/1/2022 at 8:24 AM, sweetpoison said:

I thought maybe everybody forgot about my tank ~ Thank you so much!  It’s even a lot clearer today!  

 

Not forgotten. We just know it takes some time to sort out.  We tend to talk amongst ourselves if there isn’t anybody leading the meeting.  😆 😉 

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On 6/25/2022 at 9:47 AM, sweetpoison said:

Well this is a unmitigated disaster once I had it water 😢 The Driftwood which I soaked for a week or two and it NEVER floated in the tank I just took down, floated everywhere!

I want my mom!🥺

So you can see I put rocks on top of them all. They never floated when I buried them in sand maybe I just need more gravel? What do you think?  Do you think the Driftwood was out of water too long before I put it back in??  I wish I’d gotten the plates on the bottom because the owner of the company asked me and I said no don’t bother🤦‍♀️😩

And if you look closely you see the background I must’ve gotten water in there and I’m gonna take that off every time I mess with water and dry it?

I keep telling myself   “I’m having fun I’m having fun”😂😂

On a nice pleasant note the tanks’ clear👏👏

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Update!

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On 7/3/2022 at 11:10 AM, sweetpoison said:

Update!

123B1C63-219B-48E4-BBAE-1CCE48BAAF85.jpeg

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You are going to need more gravel. Can I ask where you got the wood? Some self collected wood takes a long time to to sink. I think the tank looks great. I know it can be frustrating but you did good. Way worse things have happened in set-up aquariums. I personally would plant the pants so they can at least start grow and adding reverse storages of engery if you have to move them again. Abound the wood I normally soap my wood the same as you. If wood is hard and the rings are really tight or close to each other it does take some time for water to replace the gas that is in the wood. I have some 100+ cypress knees still soaking and it’s been over a year(they are almost ready). I think you have two ways to go with the wood put more gravel in and see if that works. Depending on how fast you can get gravel just let the plant float. The second thing is to heat the wood upon water. I have a big soup pot. I hear mine up to just before it simmers and let the heat open up the fibers in the wood to let the gas out and the wood in. I don’t boil mine to get it to sink I have but few that the heat just under a boil. I do it for as long as I can before in put them back, if I have done all day, but when I shorter times or more wood a few hours helps. I’m sure you will get more opinions.

 

Here are a few people with worst I days. 

 

 

 

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I was thinking that too!  I was going to get another bag of white gravel but you know what I was thinking and  tell me what you think, I was thinking about getting a bag of black gravel because the white is going to turn ugly sooner or later.  I don’t know what I was thinking getting white…

I have a link where I got my wood.  And I soaked it for maybe know a week or two weighted down, and it worked perfect in my tank of sand that I no longer have!  Then I left it out of the water too long apparently taking down the sand tank and it would not sink😡😂then I had to attach a base to it and everything‘s fine.  
 

I was gonna boil it but then I got it all out to boil and I don’t have a pot big enough😂😂

so it is attached with ceramic coasters and they’re never coming out😂

So what do you think about the black gravel I’m not taking out the white don’t even suggest that I might find you🫣🤫

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On 7/3/2022 at 3:29 PM, sweetpoison said:

I was thinking that too!  I was going to get another bag of white gravel but you know what I was thinking and  tell me what you think, I was thinking about getting a bag of black gravel because the white is going to turn ugly sooner or later.  I don’t know what I was thinking getting white…

I have a link where I got my wood.  And I soaked it for maybe know a week or two weighted down, and it worked perfect in my tank of sand that I no longer have!  Then I left it out of the water too long apparently taking down the sand tank and it would not sink😡😂then I had to attach a base to it and everything‘s fine.  
 

I was gonna boil it but then I got it all out to boil and I don’t have a pot big enough😂😂

so it is attached with ceramic coasters and they’re never coming out😂

So what do you think about the black gravel I’m not taking out the white don’t even suggest that I might find you🫣🤫

Black is ok, I use black or a tan. If you are going to add it to the white you may want to see if you like the color mix. I think it will look good.  I guess I missed that the wood was sunk with the sand. If that’s the case then some more gravel should work. Sand is heavier. There a chance that it could still float but I would not boil the wood more or anything. You might have to add. Extra around the wood temporarily if it won’t stay down and have a plan to spread the gravel away in a month or so. It the long game I know that stinks. I’m thinking I will stay with the gravel and thee you can plant and just be done. And have it growing in.  I normally don’t weight wood down I just what for it sink.(it works for me I have enough tanks that are not out that other people see, it’s not for most people. But I try to use natural stone title. I call around and se if tile companies have it and if they have broken boxes or tiles to they will sell. I done it with the stone and noble cutting companies as well. They tend to help more and have lots of cut pieces and are will to give or pay a nominal fee or if you need a few cuts they may charge for that. This is more of a helpful hint to some else, than this. If you are nervous about mixing the colors you may want to do a little soot on a back corner just it see. I think it will be great. 

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