Epoxy sticks

[Bruce Carlson]

....then again, we use the Z-Spar Splash Zone compound, which I presume is 
a "marine" epoxy, directly in our closed-system living reef exhibits at the 
Waikiki Aquarium.  During the application underwater, plumes of dissolved 
epoxy disperse in the water (we are careful not to do this but it is 
unavoidable).  Sometimes the fish pick at the epoxy before it sets, which 
bothers me, but apparently not the fish!  Over all the years we have done 
this, we have not noticed any effects on the fishes or corals, except for a 
very narrow band of dead tissue immediately adjacent to the living coral 
tissue.  In my experience, at least this one brand of "marine" epoxy is 
completely safe and we also prefer it because it is much "stickier" than 
the epoxy that comes in stick form.

Bruce Carlson
Waikiki Aquarium

At 02:20 AM 3/2/2001 +0800, Steven Koch wrote:
>  When using epoxy under water, "Marine" epoxy is intended to be applied 
> in the air and only used in the sea after it has hardened. This type of 
> epoxy often shows toxic effects on living corals if it comes in contact 
> with the itssues before it  hardens.
>
>We have found an "Underwater" marine epoxy manufactured in the Philippines 
>which is VERY sticky underwater, holds very well with only small amounts 
>and has shown few toxic effects. The down side is that it is so sticky 
>that if you are not carefull you will mess up your diving gear.
>
>Steven Koch
>
>ORCA INC. Cebu Philippines
>
>--
>
>--------- Forwarded Message ---------
>
>DATE: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 09:26:37
>From: David Obura <dobura at africaonline.co.ke>
>To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>
>This does go on!!!  In reply to Bruce ...
>
>I've used expoxy sticks with great success, the version I have access to
>is a two-stick one called 'Pratley Quickset Putty', from South Africa.
>It has the same mixing/setting characteristics as others have mentiond
>(has to be hand-mixed in air, is best used UW 10-20 minutes after
>initial mixing). I've had probably > 80% setting success (compared to
>50%) with cement mixes of various types (including lime), and it sets so
>strongly that branching corals often break at the top edge of the putty
>rather than being pulled off, and seems to remain for several years.  It
>does sometimes, though not frequently, seem to cause toxic reactions to
>tissue in contact with it when setting,but this is obvious within a
>week.  It's best though for small fragments as large colonies need a lot
>(so expensive).
>
>I'd recommend it as more reliable than cement, though perhaps more
>suited to fixing sample corals for experiments rather than
>'rehabilitation' per se.
>
>all best,
>
>David
>--
>
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>David Obura
>CORDIO-East Africa
>P.O.BOX 10135 Bamburi, Mombasa, Kenya
>Tel/fax: +254-11-486473; Home: 474582; 0733-625888
>Email: dobura at africaonline.co.ke
>Web: http://www.cordio.org
>
>
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