# Super glue and java ferns? Really?



## frootbat (Oct 14, 2009)

This is a super stoopid question, but does the super glue thing really work without leaching chemicals in the tank? I don't want any pygmy cories with 3 eyes!

I have seen the term "Cyanoacrylate"...is that the main ingredient?

One last thing, then I'll go away, promise! can I just put a couple of drops on the base part of the plant and stick it to the wood? I will have just bought these, so can they be a lil damp?

Thanks for your patience!


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## chicken (Aug 22, 2007)

I've used super glue to attach anubias to rocks with no ill effect on shrimp or fish. It's a lot easier than trying to tie it or rubber band it. I try to dry it off a bit first, but a little damp is OK.


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## legomaniac89 (Mar 16, 2008)

I use the gel type superglue all the time. It works perfectly and doesn't affect the fish at all. Reef guys use it to attach coral frags to live rock, so if they can use it, so can we


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## frootbat (Oct 14, 2009)

Gel type? Is that the kind that comes in the itty bitty tube with lettering too small to read? I'll pick some up at walmart tomorrow, but I'm guessing they'll have a jillion kinds.


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## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

You definetely want to use gel super glue, the regular one simply dries too quickly. And yes, it's safe when dry and water actually speeding up the drying. Super glue worked the best for me. It's even good wwhen you cut yourself to stop bleeding


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## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

It dries white so don't use too much. It will show if you do. Also great for mosses. Just use sparingly!


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## frootbat (Oct 14, 2009)

Thanks for all the replies!

So I'm guessing this isn't the kind in the itty bitty tubes that I think of when someone says "super-glue".

Is there a brand or packaging I should look for ?


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

I use Loctite super glue gel. Here's a link to see a pic of the actual packaging. I always buy mine at the grocery store. A drop or two is all you really need. It will bond to damp wood too, but you will need to hold it on the wood longer to get the bond. I used this stuff on all the ferns and anubias in my eel tank recently.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

frootbat said:


> Thanks for all the replies!
> 
> So I'm guessing this isn't the kind in the itty bitty tubes that I think of when someone says "super-glue".
> 
> Is there a brand or packaging I should look for ?


I use this kind. It is faster drying than gel, though. Two for a buck at the dollar tree.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

smoq said:


> It's even good wwhen you cut yourself to stop bleeding


A lot of people aren't aware of this, but that was it's original intended purpose. It was developed for the medical field, and it was just eventually realized all the other practical and industrial purposes it has.


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

Any type of glue is safe as long as it is completely dried and hard before its in the water. The fact that super glue dries so quickly is what makes it the best choice. Many glues and adhesives take a long time to cure and harden, and by that time your plant is all dried up. Many glues will not harden at all if they come into contact with water or moisture, which makes it difficult to glue a wet plant to something. Even super glue I would not put in my tank unless I was sure it was completely hard.

You might find it easier just to use invisible thread.


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## mgamer20o0 (Mar 8, 2007)

Church said:


> A lot of people aren't aware of this, but that was it's original intended purpose. It was developed for the medical field, and it was just eventually realized all the other practical and industrial purposes it has.


used in WW2 in the battle field right..... 

only bad thing i even had was the white it leaves the wood. personally found fishline less trouble some.


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## londonloco (Aug 25, 2005)

Used it all the time in my reef for corals. Def safe. I found for me, the gel was easier to work with, dries faster, and held better. To make the gel super glue harden faster, I had a small bucket of tank water available to dip the coral in once the glue and coral were together. Haven't tried it on plants yet, but def will.


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## Harry Muscle (Mar 13, 2007)

Robert H said:


> Any type of glue is safe as long as it is completely dried and hard before its in the water. The fact that super glue dries so quickly is what makes it the best choice. Many glues and adhesives take a long time to cure and harden, and by that time your plant is all dried up. Many glues will not harden at all if they come into contact with water or moisture, which makes it difficult to glue a wet plant to something. Even super glue I would not put in my tank unless I was sure it was completely hard.
> 
> You might find it easier just to use invisible thread.


I would be tempted to not agree with the comment about any glue is safe. Even something that is completely dry and hard can still leach chemicals into the water that will kill all inhabitants.

Harry


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## Ariel301 (Sep 7, 2009)

I would also agree that not 'any type of glue' is safe, dry or not. If that concept was true, you could paint your rocks with lead based paint, let it dry, and put it in the tank...I don't think that's a good idea.

Super glue definitely works though. Doctors and vets use it all the time. When our dog was neutered, they actually superglued him closed instead of stitches. If it is leaching chemicals, it's not bad enough (that we know of at least!) to do any real harm.


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## barbre44 (Aug 31, 2009)

Learn something everyday! I would have thought super glue would have been toxic. Cool topic.


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## fishbreath (Feb 18, 2007)

Robert H said:


> Any type of glue is safe as long as it is completely dried and hard before its in the water. The fact that super glue dries so quickly is what makes it the best choice. Many glues and adhesives take a long time to cure and harden, and by that time your plant is all dried up. Many glues will not harden at all if they come into contact with water or moisture, which makes it difficult to glue a wet plant to something. Even super glue I would not put in my tank unless I was sure it was completely hard.
> 
> You might find it easier just to use invisible thread.


I (and many, many other reefers) have used super glue in my reef tank for glueing frags to rock. While holding the frag in my hand, I apply the glue to the bottom side, then place it in the tank in the desired location. This has to be done FAST because the water really speeds up the drying of the superglue. So I can say, unequivocally, superglue will dry underwater, and in about 3 seconds. SAFE FOR SUREroud:


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## kid creole (Dec 25, 2008)

Church said:


> A lot of people aren't aware of this, but that was it's original intended purpose. It was developed for the medical field, and it was just eventually realized all the other practical and industrial purposes it has.


No, I think they were looking for something that would repair plastics or a gun sight material, something like that.

Wikipedia to the rescue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_glue


> Cyanoacrylates were invented in 1942 by Dr. Harry Coover and Fred Joyner of Kodak Laboratories during experiments to make a special extra-clear plastic suitable for gun sights.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Okay I stand corrected. But, for the record, Wikipedia is not a good enough source, obviously, since anyone can go there and add whatever they want to any entry they want. But I did Google "cyanoacrylate history" and found some old magazine articles and interviews with the original manufacturer, and sure enough, the gunsight thing is what I keep finding.

So yeah, even though it ended up being used on the battlefield, primarily during Vietnam, that was never its original purpose. Very interesting! Thanks for the correction, kid creole.


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## kid creole (Dec 25, 2008)

Church said:


> Okay I stand corrected. But, for the record, Wikipedia is not a good enough source, obviously, since anyone can go there and add whatever they want to any entry they want. But I did Google "cyanoacrylate history" and found some old magazine articles and interviews with the original manufacturer, and sure enough, the gunsight thing is what I keep finding.
> 
> So yeah, even though it ended up being used on the battlefield, primarily during Vietnam, that was never its original purpose. Very interesting! Thanks for the correction, kid creole.


For the record, Wikipedia is an excellent source of information because anyone can go and make whatever entry they want.


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## comatoast (Mar 11, 2009)

kid creole said:


> For the record, Wikipedia is an excellent source of information because anyone can go and make whatever entry they want.


That makes it an excellent source of_ questionable_ information. :eek5:

Wish I'd known about the "dries white" effect before I used it with some moss- now I'm waiting for the moss to grow enough to cover it up.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

comatoast said:


> That makes it an excellent source of_ questionable_ information. :eek5:


LOL, that's almost exactly what I would have responded myself. Except, my word choice wouldn't have been as tactful as yours. :biggrin:


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## kid creole (Dec 25, 2008)

I think you guys just expect it to be something other than what it is. It's ideal for checking little unimportant yes or no facts, like the history of super glue or the number of lakes in Minnesota.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Nope, I'm simply from the old school where, when we want to confirm facts, we confirm _facts_, not "facts."

Wikipedia is the Fox News of encyclopedias.


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## kid creole (Dec 25, 2008)

Church said:


> Nope, I'm simply from the old school where, when we want to confirm facts, we confirm _facts_, not "facts."
> 
> Wikipedia is the Fox News of encyclopedias.


Is the Encyclopedia Britannica fact?

You do agree it was right about crazy glue, a fact which you never thought to check. Do you have some instances where it's mislead you?


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## davocean (Oct 11, 2009)

I remember a 60 minutes episode where they used superglue for sports injuries excessively, and this resulted in nerve damage, pretty severe in some cases, but I was surprised at how common it is used for this purpose.
Also a reefguy here, and used superglue a gazzillion times for very sensitive corals.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Kid, you're missing the point... just because Wikipedia can be right some of the time, or even most of the time, doesn't make it the correct source of information to go to when ttrying to confirm something. And yes, even editors at the Encyclopedia Brittanica can be wrong sometimes, or let something slip through the cracks. And I'm sure you've noticed that school text books can have errors in them.

But at least textbooks aren't being written by the students that they are meant to educate.

Nonetheless, I don't want to derail this thread. I just wanted to point out that Wikipedia is, _by definition_, not authoritative.


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## kid creole (Dec 25, 2008)

Church said:


> Kid, you're missing the point... just because Wikipedia can be right some of the time, or even most of the time, doesn't make it the correct source of information to go to when ttrying to confirm something. And yes, even editors at the Encyclopedia Brittanica can be wrong sometimes, or let something slip through the cracks. And I'm sure you've noticed that school text books can have errors in them.
> 
> But at least textbooks aren't being written by the students that they are meant to educate.
> 
> Nonetheless, I don't want to derail this thread. I just wanted to point out that Wikipedia is, _by definition_, not authoritative.


Saying that people just make stuff up on Wikipedia, and that Wikipedia is not to be confused with an authority like the Machinist's handbook are two different things.


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