Cyanoacrylate Glue Brands In Canada

HI - very new here and starting my first planted tanks. I'm having some issues tying them down (I don't know what my problem is, really!) but I have heard you can use super glue - cyanoacrylate I think it is? - glue to affix rhizomes to rocks or driftwood.

I have to do a lot of online shopping - no, check that - I shop online because I hate malls and stores of any kind and I'm trying to find what brands of superglue sold in Canadian Tire or what have you are actually cyanoacrylate. I'd rather pay online and pick up if I can. I've seen Gorilla Glue, Krazy Glue and Loctite but I'm not sure if it's right - it's called Threadlocker Adhesive and that doesn't sound like the right product.

Any brands would be appreciated. Also - I've read here that gel is better and some say the regular kind. What would you recommend?

Thanks!

 

Hi,
I would suggest the Loctite brand which I have found is exceptional. I used to use it years ago when I was a mechanic, and it always did it's job.
Stay away from super glue in those little tube as they tend to be single use as once used, they get all blocked up and useless. They even get messy it you try to unblock them.
The plastic bottles are excellent and from experience they don't block up, and they last a long time.

I just did a quick search on Loctite in Canada and there were a lot of results.

LMGTFY

I singled one site out as it discussed the products in detail. They even have a flexible product which I have never heard of, and one I plan on getting some myself next time I need some. That's if it's available here in Australia.



I hope this has helped you.

Cheers

 

Oh yeah, I've found the gel to be inferior. The gel tends to be more messy, and not as instant as the liquid type.
Also, it's best for flat surfaces. I've never tried it on wood, but I'm not sure it will work on wood, although some who have tried it on wood suggest it works.

I usually use rubber bands as they are more flexible, and will allow for movement. They will also break down over time and break and fall off. I've found when they break down, the plants have already attached.
I have also tried cotton which works well, and cotton also breaks down in the water and falls away, and the plants have usually attached.
Some use a flexible/stretchy thread that's like fishing line, but the stuff I have found came out of the sewing box. I tend to avoid anything that is permanent as then I will have to cut it off when the plant has attached.

Cheers

 

HI Steven, thank you very much for that very detailed information - I really appreciate it! Your LMGTFY link was something I've never seen before, cool.

Rubber bands, what a great idea! Maybe I just lack the patience for cotton thread/yarn/string - or maybe it's a perfectionist streak. I've tried using it, I think I have the plant right where I want it, then I put it in the water and BAM, it's a hot, crooked mess. I will definitely try the rubber band thing for rhizomes and check out your links for the java moss.

This planted tank thing is going to teach me patience, I just know it.

Thanks again!

 

You're very welcome.
Don't try to get everything too perfect. With moss, I tend to wrap it around a branch and secure it in place with cotton. It may not look perfect, but it will grow and look much better in no time.
Anubias I tend to find a natural place where they seem to sit naturally, then use elastic bands to attach them. Rubber bands are flexible and allow for growth and movement.
Go for a walk in the bush. Check out trees and plants. Sit by a creek or stream. Have a picnic and let nature guide you. Notice how nothing is perfect. Nature doesn't place this here and that there to make a perfect layout. Things grow where they fall, or where there's an opportunity for them to grow.
When I was first playing around with scaping, I tried too hard, and when I asked a couple people who are brilliant, their advice was pretty much to let it be, to not be so fussy with perfection. One of the guys builds scapes to particular themes, then when he gets a new idea, he will start fresh, but his creations look natural. He's amazing. The other guy who I respect very highly makes his scapes so natural that it's like being in nature.
This is one of his creations:

Check his YouTube channel out and let his work inspire you.

Lighting is very important, and yet, many preach blue lights and lights at high k temperatures.
If you look at the colour wheel, (light colour wheel is different to pigment) and notice the colours and the opposite colours. Green plants absorb red light. Red plants absorb green light etc.
Natural full spectrum light is around 5000-5400k, not 10000k or higher. The only plants that require blue light grow very deep, and in salt water. Blue spectrum is a short wave and is the last visible light to be filtered by the water. Warm light such as red is one of the first visible colours to be filtered.
I have 2 tanks that I've scapes. The first is a low tech tank with 3 custom led tubes. One is a high output 5400k tube, and the other 2 are white 5400k bands with red bands. The plants in that tank grow like crazy. I'm constantly cutting plants back.
My other tank has the standard Blue Planet led light that came with the tank, but I'm running Co2. It too grows like crazy, but I know if I used the same sort of custom lighting in that tank, I could probably see plants grow lol.
My next tank I plan on going high tech. Programmable lighting which will give me a sunrise and sunset, full moon and the rest. Even storms with lighting and wind using programmable fans.
Co2 and all the rest of goodies I can afford, which isn't much lol.

Overall, check out some other scapes. Maybe look online, but the best advice is to let nature inspire you. And don't be afraid to try new things. The worst that can happen is you have to remove something and replace it, or just leave it bare.

I tend to ramble and get side tracked lol. Must be the meds lol

Good luck

 

Here's another link which I think you will like, and will show how it was done:

Again, it's Ian Cook's set up.

 

Wow, Steven, those videos were amazing! That is one happy frog. Thank you so much for sharing Ian's work with me.

I very much like your ideas for inspiration - I've actually been watching wild betta videos so I can see what their environment looks like - not sure I can recreate the conditions, but I totally get what you are saying about the messy/chaotic/disorganized way everything looks. It's really beautiful.

I got some new anubias (coffeefolia - my new favourite!) and used the rubber band trick you told me - it worked wonderfully, thank you! I'm still struggling with my perfectionist tendencies, but watching the second video showed me that it's really a process, much like flower gardening. When I saw the food processor, I thought, OMG he isn't ..! But he did! When my java moss grows out a bit (right now it's just a few pieces jammed under some rocks and driftwood) I might just try that...

And ramble away -- your tanks sound fantastic. Do you have any pictures posted?