Is Krazy Glue Safe For Aquariums ? | A Crazy Answer For You |

Aquascaping requires lots of setups. For these setups, you need glue most of the time. For example, aquarium plants do not sit in your preferred place if you just put them in there without anchoring. And the best way to anchor plants in odd places is to use glue.

But, most of the time, you may hesitate because you care about your plants and the aquarium life. What if the ingredients of glue aren’t safe for your fish? In worst cases, what if your fish die because of glue?

This is a common problem every beginner aquarist faces, and it is good to search for some alternatives.

Fortunately, we have some non-toxic glues that you can use. You no longer need to worry about your fish. It is known as Krazy glue.

Is Krazy glue safe for aquariums?

The answer is yes, Krazy glue is safe for your fish and plants if you use the right technique.

The ingredients of Krazy glue aren’t toxic when completely cured, and fortunately, it takes seconds to polymerize.

Further, the ingredients of Krazy glue become inert when moist or wet. That’s an added advantage of Krazy glue, as many of us hesitate even after the adhesive is cured as we are not sure if it is still active.

What are the ingredients of Krazy Glue?

Krazy Glue is a brand. The ingredients of the original Krazy Glue by Loctite are ethyl cyanoacrylate and contain about 20 – 40% cyanoacrylate monomer, which is a resin.

Further, it also contains n-butyl Cyanoacrylate, hydroquinone, and benzyl alcohol. The amount of ingredients varies from product to product. But all these ingredients are not harmful when cured completely.

Further, water is an accelerant (or catalyst) for Cyanoacrylate in the curing process. When the glued object gets in contact with water, the glue tends to cure faster without mixing with the water.

So, don’t fear getting Krazy glue in your aquarium.

Is Krazy glue safe for aquarium plants?

In simple words, yes. As far as the ingredients are concerned, it is not toxic to plants.

Moreover, it doesn’t take a very long time to polymerize, and if you use the right technique as mentioned below, there will be no damage to aquarium life.

How to use Krazy Glue on aquarium plants?

First of all, you should ensure that the plant and the surface (let’s assume a rock) are out from the aquarium.

You MUST not use ANY GLUE inside the aquarium. All adhesives must be used out of the water because the glue can kill fish and plants when it comes in contact before curing.

Step 1: Clean the surface you are applying glue to remove any moisture, dirt, dust, or particle.

Step 2: Take a tiny amount of Krazy glue and apply it on the surface if needed. Stick the plant to the surface. To apply the glue, use a toothpick or a cotton bud.

Step 3: Wait for the glue to polymerize and completely dry before putting the plant back in the aquarium.

The glue will take about 30 to 45 seconds to polymerize and will take about 5 to 7 minutes to cure completely.

As the water helps this glue cure faster, you can put the plant back in the aquarium within about a minute.

But, we recommend keeping it for about 5 minutes as the plant may unglue and separate from the surface before curing completely because of the pressure of water.

Is Krazy glue safe for aquarium inhabitants?

Krazy glue is safe for the inhabitants of your aquarium as well as plants and other décor items.

It is safe to use Krazy glue on hard surfaces such as rocks and driftwood as long as the glued surface is out of the water.

For the glue to work well, the surface needs to be dry. This is why we remove the objects from the aquarium before applying the glue.

What are the alternatives to using Krazy Glue in an aquarium?

There is not much alternative when it comes to Cyanoacrylate glues. You can use superglue and aquarium sealant.

1. Superglue

In some countries, it is known as Krazy Glue and comes with almost the same ingredients as Krazy Glue.

However, when it comes to bond strength, they are not very strong and don’t last long in aquariums.

They work well in freshwaters and can be used on hard surfaces such as rocks and driftwoods.

2. Acrylic sealant

Acrylic sealant is a common product used by many planted tank enthusiasts to adhere décor items to the glass of aquariums.

You need to note that Acrylic sealant is NOT glue. It is a sealant and works well with acrylic surfaces, glass aquariums, and plastic décor items. However, you cannot use it with porous materials such as driftwoods and live plants in most cases.

Where can I use Krazy glue in my aquarium?

Krazy glue is super strong and makes a bond as hard as a rock.

Krazy glue (or its alternative Superglue) has become the first choice to many aquarium enthusiasts when it comes to gluing décor items such as driftwood and rocks. You can use these glues on any hard surface.

You can use Krazy glue or Superglue on live plants, gravels, driftwood, rocks, and any other aquarium decor without any problem.

BUT, there are certain circumstances you can not use Krazy glue to adhere things in the aquarium. It’s not because of the glue itself, but the limit it can distribute to.

Since this is a fast-curing glue, you can not use it as a sealant. It will be brittle and leave small gaps in between.

Therefore, you can only use Krazy glue to fix small-sized décor items such as stones and small pieces of driftwood.

So, if you want to secure a large-sized piece of driftwood or a big rock to the aquarium, you should use an acrylic sealant.

Another alternative to Acrylic sealant is “Superglue Gel.” For aquarium decor that requires gluing of large surfaces, “Superglue gel” can work wonders.

It may take more time to cure than Krazy glue, but it is still faster than other types of glue that require overnight to cure completely.

Other aquarium safe glue types

While many glue types can not work as an alternative to Krazy glue, when it comes to the safety and the time it takes to cure, there are some other glues that you can use in aquariums safely.

1. Silicone

This type of glue takes a very long time to cure and would take more than 24 hours to cure completely.

2. Epoxy

This is a multi-purpose adhesive glue that cures fast and is very strong. But, it’s not suitable for aquariums before curing completely.

3. Hot Glue

It is a fast-curing glue but is only recommended as a sealant without a bond.

4. Superglue gel

This is the only type of Superglue with a prolonged curing time and can be used as an alternative to Krazy Glue.

Conclusion

To sum up, if you want to secure large décor items in your aquarium, then you need to use an acrylic sealant.

If you wish to glue small décor products, there are multiple types of glues that can work well. However, Krazy glue outperforms all other glues because it is safe and super fast. 

However, if you want to use Krazy Glue (or its alternative Superglue) in your aquarium, make sure that the decor items are completely dry. This type of glue won’t work if the décor objects are wet.

Also, remember that this is a powerful adhesive and may cause damage to your hands.

Use it with care and lift up slowly as you can easily glue your fingers together if they are in contact for a longer time.

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