Help, GSP on glass overflow won't stay!

[Maokin]

I have been trying to get my GSP to mount to my glass overflow now for the past few weeks without success. Here are some pictures of my attempts. Initially, I tried directly attaching the plug and coral without success. I have since removed the plug and tried twice again. I tried last night without the plug and left my MP40's off all night in hopes that the less flow would allow it to stick better. In my view, I have a few things working against me on this. For starters, I am battling a bit of slime algae that keeps coating the glass. I am scrubbing and scraping the overflow glass to ensure all algae is removed before gluing. I also seem to have a really tall GSP frag. I checked with my retailer and it is carpeting but I just have a piece that ended up growing tall. I am using BRS extra thick super glue from a bottle. I pierce the glue bubble attached to the frag before attaching it to the overflow. It seems to stay fine when I attach it but always falls off at night. I guess a fish or invert could be touching it. I have various snails most stand dwelling, 2 clowns, 2 emerald crabs, 1 six line wrasse and a yellow tang.

I am running out of options getting this coral to stay. Should I be using different glue? Would it make sense to glue my rather tall GSP frag to it's side so that it doesn't protrude from the wall so much? Should I attempt to prop it up for the night? Everything I read and see everyone makes it seem really simple attaching coral to your back glass. So far for me, it has been anything but.

 

[Maokin]

I just had an out of the box idea that might work. I have these suction cup mounts for my Eheim heaters that might hold the coral in place for a period of time. However, given how fast superglue sets underwater this could be just delaying it falling off till I remove the suction cups. I tried to look up the set time of super glue underwater but all I found was, "it is quick". I guess worth a try if I can't think of anything else.

My worries with attaching the frag on its side are covering up too many of its current polyps and killing it. It does seem to be growing nicely in my tank after around 2 months in my tank.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

I just had an out of the box idea that might work. I have these suction cup mounts for my Eheim heaters that might hold the coral in place for a period of time. However, given how fast superglue sets underwater this could be just delaying it falling off till I remove the suction cups. I tried to look up the set time of super glue underwater but all I found was, "it is quick". I guess worth a try if I can't think of anything else.

My worries with attaching the frag on its side are covering up too many of its current polyps and killing it. It does seem to be growing nicely in my tank after around 2 months in my tank.

What worked best imo is let the gsp grow onto the sand like a mat or glue the plug to a square of acrylic and let it grow there. Then peel the gsp off the acrylic and glue it on there.

 

[Brian Kennedy]

Why not try silicon? It will stick really well to the glass and should hold the plug too.

 

[Maokin]

Why not try silicon? It will stick really well to the glass and should hold the plug too.

Great idea! Any specific type of silicon? Ideally, I would glue it in water so I don't have to drain the tank. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Maokin]

What worked best imo is let the gsp grow onto the sand like a mat or glue the plug to a square of acrylic and let it grow there. Then peel the gsp off the acrylic and glue it on there.

I like that idea. Thanks for sharing. Yeah, a larger base should allow it to stick better. I run my MP40's at 40-50% in different modes throughout the day but that is a good bit of flow for a 3ft RSR250.

 

[motortrendz]

I wouldnt use silicone. Silicone is toxic as it cures. It's only reef safe after it sets.

 

[Brian Kennedy]

I wouldnt use silicone. Silicone is toxic as it cures. It's only reef safe after it sets.

thats a great reason to not use silicon

 

[Bryknicks]

I used regular super glue gel and glued the GSP direct to my rear glass. I have two patches that I glued months ago and it took right away.

 

[Maokin]

I used regular super glue gel and glued the GSP direct to my rear glass. I have two patches that I glued months ago and it took right away.

Was it just a mat of GSP? How big was it and how much super glue did you use?

 

[homer1475]

I simply placed the frag next to the glass on the sandbed. When it grew out, it went up the glass. I then cut the extra a few inches from the sandbed and it continued to grow up and over the glass.

I eventually got sick of it, peeled it off the glass(was rather easy), and traded it into my LFS.

 

[Maokin]

I simply placed the frag next to the glass on the sandbed. When it grew out, it went up the glass. I then cut the extra a few inches from the sandbed and it continued to grow up and over the glass.

I eventually got sick of it, peeled it off the glass(was rather easy), and traded it into my LFS.

Yeah, that seems easiest let me try that. How long did it take yours to start climbing? Thanks for the tip.

 

[homer1475]

Couple months actually. It first "plated" out onto the sandbed, then started up the glass.

 

[Bryknicks]

Was it just a mat of GSP? How big was it and how much super glue did you use?

Yes it was just a mat of GSP. Each mat was roughly 2" x 3". I only used a couple drops of glue, I would say maybe four drops. I did turn my flow down for a hour or two so it would adhere without being disturbed.

 

[Maokin]

Yes it was just a mat of GSP. Each mat was roughly 2" x 3". I only used a couple drops of glue, I would say maybe four drops. I did turn my flow down for a hour or two so it would adhere without being disturbed.

Thanks. Think i am going to try and grow it out more and see if it will start growing up the back on its own or attach it once it is larger as you have done. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Bryknicks]

No problem, good luck! If that doesn't work you can also put it on the sand bed along the glass like homer mentioned. I did that on an old tank and it worked as well.