Epoxy Putty
From RTAW Reefpedia
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Introduction
Epoxy putty is of great use in the aquarium for mounting coral frags and stabilizing rockwork whilst aquascaping.
Usage
The putty comes as a co-extruded malleable stick with two dissimilar components constituting the base putty and a curing catalyst. When ready for use, an appropriately sized portion of the stick can be kneaded to blend the two putty components which triggers the curing process. It takes several hours for the putty to cure to full hardness, during which time it can be shaped and squashed as required. After hardening, it can be drilled and sanded. After a period in the aquarium, the surface of the epoxy will readily become colonised by encrusting algae, corals and other sessile invertebrates. If you constantly dip your hands and the putty in the tank water whilst kneeding, it will make it a lot easier to handle and not stick to your hands.
It must be noted that epoxy putty is not an adhesive as such. It will not "stick" to surfaces, it is a putty or filler. It can be used to form a physical bond between coral frags and rocks, but only if there is sufficient shape or texture to the surfaces that the putty can key into once it has hardened.
Epoxy can be used in combination with supa glue to form physical shapes into which frags or objects can then be glued securely.
The only real adverse reaction that has been noted from use of epoxy putty in the aquarium is that for a short time whilst curing it has been known to cause protein skimmers to produce copious amounts of skimmate. Precautions should be taken to make sure that the skimmer does not cause an overflow event.
Availability
There are a number of brands specifically marketed for aquarium use. Other brands are available from hardware stores that have been used successfully by many aquarists. Make sure you get a grade that is labelled as suitable for curing underwater. Proven brands include Selley's Aqua Kneadit and Bostik.
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