# superglue?



## Nick_V (20 Jul 2015)

Hi,
I don't know if this is in the right part of the forum, but I couldn't find anything better.

I heard a few times about glueing plants on wood or stones with superglue. But isn't it toxic for fish? And what glue do you use? And if it's possible, can you glue under water?

~Nick

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## Wisey (20 Jul 2015)

Superglue is safe to use. I don't know about using it under water, I think it is best to dry the area as much as possible before application. I had been soaking bogwood for 3 weeks, but just used some kitchen paper to dry off the area so it was not soaking wet, then applied superglue gel. It is best to use the gel version as it does not run as much as the liquid. I applied the gel to the rhizome of the Anubias and Microsorum, then held against the wood for about 30 seconds. The glue I used is this one:

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/sg_g_tube/overview/Loctite-Super-Glue-Gel.htm


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## Nick_V (20 Jul 2015)

oké thank you!

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## Julian (20 Jul 2015)

You should get the gel super glue, it doesn't dry instantly, gives you time to place the plant properly. Don't try and use it underwater. Be advised, when it drys it turns white, but after the plant grows over it, you won't see it.


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## roadmaster (21 Jul 2015)

I just stuck some moss to a piece of wood in shrimp tank with super glue.
I just patted dry the piece of wood which came from the tank,added a few drops of the glue,and then stuck the moss to the glue.
I left the wood out of water for maybe five minutes and then placed the piece with moss attached back in the tank.
Saw shrimp exploring the moss new to the tank within a few minutes, and they are still alive and kicking.


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## Nick_V (21 Jul 2015)

oké thank you, that's what I wanted to know


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## sciencefiction (21 Jul 2015)

Superglue dries very fast underwater, rather immediately. That's why it's best doing it outside as it gives you time to adjust things. I've read that if you apply it on dry surfaces and wait for it to cure, it won't turn white underwater but it's hard doing that with plants as you can't dry them.  Once I adjust the plant position, I dip the lot in water so it sticks faster and I don't have to wait...
Then I put it in the tank immediately. There's no need to wait to be honest. It won't harm anything even that it smells.

Just get the stuff that says "cyanoacrylate" and doesn't have other additives. It was initially designed to stick human wounds from what I know.  It's not toxic to fish as well.


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## ian_m (21 Jul 2015)

Super glue sets (actually polymerises) in the presence of water, which is why the items you are gluing must be dry. If it doesn't set breathe heavily on it to force it to set.


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## zozo (24 Jul 2015)

Most super glews from the shelf are but just to be sure the discription on the tube should read content "Cyanoacrylate"  That's the super glew you need any other content might not be safe.

As said it will (can) turn white under water if not fully cured when placed there. You could sprinkle some dry sand, grit or powder type substrate you use over it to camouflage that a bit and give it a more natural look.


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## X3NiTH (24 Jul 2015)

The degradation products of ethyl/methyl cyanoacetate derived glues are quite toxic to aquatic organisms, for there to be consequences in an aquarium its possible you would need a lot of it in there to begin with to reach lethal levels and to never change the water allowing it to accumulate (unlikely in most aquariums), the degradation products are short chain cyanoacetates (ethyl/methyl cyanoacetate) and formalin, here is a paper on formalin toxicity on fish and some data for ethyl cyanoacetate toxicity with Daphnia, you can see the concentrations for a lethal dose for both byproducts are quite high which is why you can probably get away with using methyl/ethyl derived cyanoacrylate (most commercial superglues), I say probably because at very low concentrations if degradation occurs (possible in very low pH water as acids can weaken the cyanoacrylate bonds, not so much a problem in salty systems where the pH is much more Alkaline) then the byproducts will likely still act as an irritant to aquatic life if it builds up in the water. The irritant nature of methyl cyanoacrylate is why octyl cyanoacrylate was developed as a medical glue as its breakdown products are longer chained and less of an irritant, this abstract from Bristol University has a warning under the Cyanoacrylate use in Medicine about the different types.

My take on it if I were planning on using a lot of it (I use remineralised RO and my planted tank water is around pH5 half the day, the other half its still slightly acidic at pH6.5) then I would try and get the octyl derived stuff instead.


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## dw1305 (6 Nov 2019)

Hi all, 





X3NiTH said:


> The irritant nature of methyl cyanoacrylate is why octyl cyanoacrylate was developed as a medical glue as its breakdown products are longer chained and less of an irritant, this abstract from Bristol University has a warning under the Cyanoacrylate use in Medicine about the different types.


I had a persistent cut in the tip of my finger and eventually I thought "_I'll super-glue it_". The good news was that it sealed and healed really quickly, the bad news was that it "_stung a bit_" (a lot) for about two days after application.

cheers Darrel


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## roadmaster (6 Nov 2019)

Bouncer at a night club turned me on to super glue for cuts after he opened a gash above my eye some year's ago. I carry a tube of it in my tackle box for accidental cuts while cleaning fish I catch.


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## Ian L (13 Nov 2019)

Just a comment on use of Cyanoacrylate glues. All the trades that have use for these use the 2 part system as they set almost instantly and are easier to work with as nothing happens until you activate it. 
Some of these systems have a spray activator (as opposed to a pen)and so I was wondering if this offer an easier solution for positioning properly and instant setting.

Regards Ian


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## ian_m (13 Nov 2019)

The problem with the two part cyanoacrylate glue activators with respect to fish tanks is this symbol on the data sheet and container. Say no more.



Where as single part cyanoacrylate glues do not have this, but generally state "No aquatic ecological hazards due to rapid polymerisation with water".


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## Geoffrey Rea (14 Nov 2019)

Well that fish clearly died from poor scaping and living in a diamond shaped aquarium.

Superglue, one part or two, was the least of its worries poor thing.


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