# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk >  Using Super Glue On Plants.

## David

Hi Everyone

I am sick of using fishing line to tie ferns and mosses on rocks and wood.

It is to my understanding that Super Glue has been used by reefers to stick corals to rocks and stuff like that with no ill effects to livestock or water perimeters.

Would it be possible to use Super Glue for ferns and mosses so that I don't get the unsightly bunch of nylon strings?

Alternatively, surgical self dissolving thread?

Has anyone done this?

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## blue33

Here's the search.  :Wink: 

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ght=super+glue

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## David

Thanks Blue33....my mistake .... :Embarassed:

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## felix_fx2

and there are crazy who do it to snails..  :Very Happy:

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## Urban Aquaria

I've used the "jelly type" superglue from Daiso, worked very nicely in attaching ferns and anubias to rocks and wood, just a small dot of the glue will do for each plantlet... but when i use it for moss, it tends to become a big mess (i guess my gluing skill isn't at expert level yet), end up the rocks and wood all covered in unsightly patches of white glue residue.  :Grin:

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## David

So it's good for ferns but not moss...perhaps self dissolving surgical thread? Any one tried this?

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## Urban Aquaria

Actually superglue is still a good option to attach moss, just that you'll have to contend with the exposed white glue patches until the moss grows to cover it, which requires some patience.  :Smile: 

Surgical thread sounds useful... how long does it take to dissolve? Moss takes a while to grip onto wood or rocks so need something that dissolves very slowly.

The other method i tried before was to use green cotton thread, it matches the moss color and will also dissolve over time (though only after many months).

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## David

It was you post of white patches that I better give it a second thought. I am not the most careful of person especially when it comes to minute application of glue to stick moss...I am most likely to botch up the whole thing and worst end up with stuck fingers to with moss or rock...I think the green cotton thread sounds more feasible... :Smile:

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## Dodofish

I ever tried once. Then it was one mess I create. 

I read about grinding the moss then placing it on the dw for it to attach itself in dsm. Just keep it moist would do, I am testing this in a micro tank. Not sure whether I be successful. 2 weeks already haven't add water.

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## ConcaveLiNkiN

Just went Daiso Tampines to get the last couple of Non-Dripping Gel Glue:

Attachment 36763

Trying it out this weekend. Hope it will turn out nice.


Cheers
eRic

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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## limz_777

> and there are crazy who do it to snails..


haha , i did that to mine nerite snails before but i am not crazy  :Laughing:

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## Urban Aquaria

Just to update, i received a few queries on the "Jelly Type" superglue from Daiso that i use... here is a photo of it for reference:



I've tried out the other types of super glue at Daiso, and they can also work too... but i find the "Jelly Type" version the best in retaining its shape/consistency when attaching plants to wood and rocks.  :Smile:

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## ConcaveLiNkiN

> Just to update, i received a few queries on the "Jelly Type" superglue from Daiso that i use... here is a photo of it for reference:
> 
> 
> 
> I've tried out the other types of super glue at Daiso, and they can also work too... but i find the "Jelly Type" version the best in retaining its shape/consistency when attaching plants to wood and rocks.


I saw a lot of the jelly type when I was at Daiso, but wasn't sure if it can be used.


Cheers
eRic

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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## Urban Aquaria

Yeah, i've used it to glue anubias plants on rock pieces in my shrimp tank, so far no issues and shrimps all okay.

The "jelly type" has a percentage of resin in its compound, so i guess thats what contributes to its denser consistency... it also takes abit longer to harden too, so you'll get more working time to attach the plants properly.

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## illumnae

I've used jelly type for ferns and anubias, and liquid type for moss. For moss, put the liquid type on the rock and slap a wad of moss on it. A few minutes later shake it gently in water and the loose moss will float off, leaving a clump stuck on.

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## David

Hey UA...does this turn white as well?

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## Urban Aquaria

> Hey UA...does this turn white as well?


I've found that all of them tend to turn whitish when cured, so its best to just apply a few small "dots" of the super glue then do the attaching, usually the plant rhizomes and roots will cover the cured super glue so it looks clean.

If too much is applied then the excess will squeeze out of the gaps and the white residue gets exposed, that's when it gets abit unsightly.  :Grin:

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## David

Thanks UA...going to get some glue to try my hand with it...

Hopefully I don't end up at the A&E ward for emergency procedure to either removed glued fern or stone or worse still both from my fingers... :Wink:

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## coolgear101

Hi bro

Would silicon will be a better option as it is aquarium safe proven?

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## David

I think silicon has not been considered because of application. It is difficult to control silicon and may end up as a blob. I could be wrong though.

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## Urban Aquaria

I tried using aquarium-safe silicone to attach plants before, but it requires much longer cure time (and it can't be put under water until it cures fully), so the plants will usually need to be misted constantly until that happens, hence requires more time and effort.  :Smile:

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## ConcaveLiNkiN

If we ever plan to rescape, when remove the plants, will the gel glue be removable too? If not, the rock or the wood might be gone to waste. And cannot be recycled, if we choose to change the plants on them.

Just my 2cent after thinking about it for a while, purchased the glue but never really use it over last weekend when I set up my tank.


Cheers
eRic

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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## David

The stone can be saved but the plant is gone. The only thing left on the rock could and most likely the white patch.

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## Urban Aquaria

Yeah, usually the cured glue can be scraped off quite easily if you detach the plants, but there will sometimes be some bits of the residue remaining that might need more effort to remove.

I guess if you have very nice wood or rocks that you want to keep in pristine condition, or tend to keep rearranging or changing the plants, then maybe just tie the plants on instead.

In my case, i super glue my anubias to small rocks which are basically just anchors to weight down the plants. The rocks are partially buried or hidden in the substrate amongst other plants, so can't be seen anyways.  :Smile:

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## herns

hey guys,

does white super glue residue faded overtime? 
anyone experience this applied to moss?

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## Urban Aquaria

> hey guys,
> 
> does white super glue residue faded overtime? 
> anyone experience this applied to moss?


The glue residue does gradually fade abit over time, but its usually still visible for quite a while. For those plants which i use glue to attach to objects, i can still see most of the glue reside intact after a year, that's why it's best to only use a tiny bit, so that its as unnoticeable as possible.

Moss can be abit tricky to glue on objects, you'll just have to make sure very little glue is used as it can get messy and the moss will take a while to grow out enough to cover the residue stains.

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## herns

I tried attaching fissidens geppi and the residues are noticeable. Unlike other moss such as vesicularias, etc, they would cover the object moss attached to overtime.

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