# Hot glue and aquariums



## Neon1

Hey guys,

I plan on constucting my own artificial coral reef system with synthetic live rock and corals for a freshwater tank. My question is: is using a hot glue gun to assemble it safe for the aquarium? I really want to use that over silicone because it's stronger bond, and it hardens much faster. 

Thanks for any input


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## Cody

Stronger bond? Silicone is much stronger, and stays together much longer. You don't see aquariums made of hot glue, right?

I have heard hot glue breaks down in water and can release chemicals into the water. There are plenty of other aquarium safe silicones out there as well.


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## Twistersmom

I have used it to glue netting over large holes in the bottom of decoration. I had no problems with it. The glue is still holding strong after several months.


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## craigc119

I build custom tanks and I don't think that hot glue will hold up to the pressure of any decent size tank, how big are you making this tank?


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## onefish2fish

craigc119 said:


> I build custom tanks and I don't think that hot glue will hold up to the pressure of any decent size tank, how big are you making this tank?


he isnt talking about making a tank with the hot glue but rather making decorations.

super glue would work, you want cyanoacrylate which seems to work fine in marine systems so i dont see a problem in freshwater.


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## Neon1

Thanks for the inputs.


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## JHK30

use silicon for sure! I have heard the same thing cody did.


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## chris55

is the automotive clear silicn safe?? (permatex)


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## onefish2fish

chris55 said:


> is the automotive clear silicn safe?? (permatex)


 
idk about all that.

the "safest silicone" you will find is aquarium silicone but that also comes with a price tag. next inline would be 100% silicon with NO added mildewcides or any other moldicides or chemicals.


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## Binarywhisper

hot glue might work long term, it might not, it might harm your fish but it might not. Bottom line is why reinvent the wheel? The world at large has been using silicon for these projects since the conception of the aquarium hobby. 

We know it works and it works over the long haul. Go to an aquarium shop and buy a small tube with a screw on cap.

100% Silicons are getting much harder to come by in hardware stores and the like. They are being/have been phased out by most companies. You will find that the vast majority of stock is now latex or acrylic based/modified and the vast majority of the 100% silicon contains midicides. The true 100% products like GE Type 1 for Door and Windows you see in the stores is likely old stock and once gone will likely not reappear on the shelf.

I, like most commercial manufactuers, only use GE Commerical grade these days and it can be found in most larger aquarium shops for $10 to $14 a tube.


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