NSA scape...broke...how to glue back together?

[GuppyHJD]

Hello,
Eight months ago, I used marco rock and the GlueMaster glue, with rock dust, sand and baking soda to but a NSA aquascape. It has been rock solid EXCEPT one branch. Well that branch collapsed. I have tried to glue it back on using thick Glue Master glue and Two Fishes AquaStix coral putty.
What I have learned is the putty does not harden quickly enough. So - any suggestions?

 

[noobtanker]

Following

 

[Jekyl]

Use string to tie it in place until it hardens

 

[OREGONIC]

I had to glue a branch on my scape back in place about 3 months after setting up my tank. I built a platform using egg crate and left over pvc to support the branch. I just used a ton of superglue and a little sand for texture. I left a very small gap between the 2 pieces of branch and then smoothed it out way past the gap on both sides of the branch, about 2 inches each way. I also made sure the glue went all the way around. I then went back a few days later and coated it all again with super glue. Took a few months to blend in but can’t really tell at all now and has held strong for over 8 months. Dont have a picture of the break but I have attached a picture of what it looked like after removing the platform before second coat of glue and what it looks like now, cant even really tell.

 

[GuppyHJD]

I had to glue a branch on my scape back in place about 3 months after setting up my tank. I built a platform using egg crate and left over pvc to support the branch. I just used a ton of superglue and a little sand for texture. I left a very small gap between the 2 pieces of branch and then smoothed it out way past the gap on both sides of the branch, about 2 inches each way. I also made sure the glue went all the way around. I then went back a few days later and coated it all again with super glue. Took a few months to blend in but can’t really tell at all now and has held strong for over 8 months. Dont have a picture of the break but I have attached a picture of what it looked like after removing the platform before second coat of glue and what it looks like now, cant even really tell.

Pretty tank.
Did you use the superglue on the rock while it was in the tank and full of water?

 

[Islandvib3s]

Hybrid method, superglue gel,epoxy, superglue again. Secure with rubberband or zip ties. Goodluck.

 

[OREGONIC]

Pretty tank.
Did you use the superglue on the rock while it was in the tank and full of water?

Yea did it all under water.

 

[GuppyHJD]

Hybrid method, superglue gel,epoxy, superglue again. Secure with rubberband or zip ties. Goodluck.

That is exactly what I tried. I used Glue Masters thick superglue, put it on the broken piece, pushed a ball of Two Fishes AquaStix in the glue, covered the end of that with more superglue, pushed it against the main rock formation and used four zip ties...24 hours later cut the zip ties and the rock falls. What epoxy do you recommend?

 

[GuppyHJD]

Is there anything like a two part epoxy like JB Weld ?
Should I be using a GEL supper glue instead of just Glue Master's THICK?

 

[afrokobe]

Is there anything like a two part epoxy like JB Weld ?
Should I be using a GEL supper glue instead of just Glue Master's THICK?

you could try moldable plastic similar to this:

this should work under water if you are fast enough. Are you trying to repair this underwater?

I can't seem to post the amazon link

 

[Dolphins18]

This isn't cheap but it will make things very easy. I use this for all my frags and have used it to glue large rocks together as well, this stuff hardens to cement in like 30 seconds. It does nothing to the skimmer at all, so you dont have to turn it off.

Coral Gum Instant

Why does BRS recommend this? Tunze Coral Gum is by far our favorite two-part epoxy to work with for frag mounting. Coral Gum is a fast setting epoxy that gives you just enough time to get the frags in position, but it sets much faster than other aquarium epoxies so that you don't have to sit...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Also it is coralline colored so blends in nicely... this stuff is amazing.
You do not have long once it is blended, 30 seconds maybe, it hardens even faster under water.

 

[GuppyHJD]

This isn't cheap but it will make things very easy. I use this for all my frags and have used it to glue large rocks together as well, this stuff hardens to cement in like 30 seconds. It does nothing to the skimmer at all, so you dont have to turn it off.

Coral Gum Instant

Why does BRS recommend this? Tunze Coral Gum is by far our favorite two-part epoxy to work with for frag mounting. Coral Gum is a fast setting epoxy that gives you just enough time to get the frags in position, but it sets much faster than other aquarium epoxies so that you don't have to sit...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Also it is coralline colored so blends in nicely... this stuff is amazing.
You do not have long once it is blended, 30 seconds maybe, it hardens even faster under water.

THANK YOU....now I have to see if I can find it locally or wait a week for BRS