# Glue gun and hot glue... anything I should know before using it?



## parotet (16 Aug 2015)

Hi all

I want to use a glue gun with standard hot glue sticks to attach some floating driftwood to rocks and aquarium bottom. I can use aquarium silicone but I can only buy it in standard tube format and I will be using a few drops (... and silicone tubes dry after some months). 

The glue gun option seems interesting, and as far as I have read it seems aquarium safe (it turns white with water but I don't care, the glue won't be seen). 

Anything I should know before using it? Any good or bad experience?

Jordi


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## Greenfinger2 (16 Aug 2015)

Hi Parotet,

Not used a glue gun.

I use this it sets in 5 min I have used the glued on rock---wood  Works well and has never fallen apart.

Plus the rest of the glue left in the tubes lasts for a year or more 

http://www.screwfix.com/p/evo-stik-epoxy-rapid-2-x-15ml/76199


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## parotet (16 Aug 2015)

Greenfinger2 said:


> Hi Parotet,
> 
> Not used a glue gun.
> 
> ...


Thanks! The only problem is that some pieces of driftwood will have to be glued to the bottom of the tank and my guess is that epoxy resins will be very difficult to remove compared to silicone or hot glue, isn't it?

Jordi


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## Greenfinger2 (16 Aug 2015)

Hi Parotet,

I would not glue anything to the glass. I would use a piece of flat slate glue the wood to the slate then cover with substrate


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## zozo (16 Aug 2015)

That James Findley has a video about his scape called "Altitude".. There you see him build a 60 cm high lavarock wall in a tank using a glew gun..  I guess if it was a bad idea he wouldnt advertise it in his videos.


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## parotet (17 Aug 2015)

Hi all

yesterday evening I glued the wood to the rocks and to the aquarium bottom. I used a standard glue gun and transparent standard glue sticks. This morning they were perfectly attached, solid as a rock. Let's see if it does well once flooded. I'll try to post again here in a few weeks to close the thread and make it useful for future users.

Jordi


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## parotet (11 Sep 2015)

Hi all

as promised, another post to let you know how it worked. The truth is that it worked, but only for small pieces of driftwood with low buoyancy. It did not worked with the largest piece, probably because I only used the hot glue in three points and this was not enough. My guess is also that the hot glue seal is not that flexible as silicone once cured, so if there are forces that try to twist the attachment point it will break more easily.
My advice would be using silicone, much stronger and secure attachment.

Jordi


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## Edvet (11 Sep 2015)

Driftwood can be screwed to some pice of slate, but for me it has always been "patience" and wait till it sinks (i have even chucked (large) pieces in the pond)


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## parotet (11 Sep 2015)

Edvet said:


> for me it has always been "patience"


Also for me but the (quite thin) Juniperus sabina pieces of wood were soaked for 3 months in my pond (+2 weeks in the tank now)... and they do not sink! I fear the stone that is now on the floating piece could pass from a "temporary solution" to a "definitive part of the layout" (the problem is that the stone is in a funny position)

Jordi


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## zozo (11 Sep 2015)

Pfew.. Than i was very lucky.. .. Glewed 6 pieces of Mopani which also floats with superglew to a few rocks to keep 'm down and in place. All glew came lose from the wood by now after 4 months submersed, i feel it wigling now when doing maintainance. And all wood stays down...


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