You can glue aquarium plants to rocks, driftwood, or substrates. Super glue adhesive is aquarium-safe, water-resistant, and can be used in freshwater and saltwater aquariums. Glue gel fixes aquatic plants on rocks, stones, driftwood, and other surfaces to make fascinating underwater displays.
Let’s now understand the kind of glue you can use in an aquarium.
What Kind Of Glue Can You Use In An Aquarium?
The glue helps keep the aquarium plants in place.
It also helps attach decorations and other items to the sides of the aquarium tank.
There are different types of glues available in the market, but you can’t use all of them in aquariums.
Moreover, some glues are hazardous to tank water, fish, and coral if they come in contact with them.
Others may cause problems when you try to remove them from a piece of glass.
If you want to use glue inside the aquarium, make sure that it’s specifically designed for this purpose.
Below are some glues that can be used in an aquarium:
- Cyanoacrylate super glue: Cyanoacrylate glue is made of acrylic resin. It is the most commonly used glue in aquariums.
- Silicone sealant: Silicone is a multipurpose adhesive. The sealants create a protective waterproof seal and are resistant to temperature variations.
- Hot glue: Hot glue can be used in the aquarium to fix objects and decorations that aren’t submerged in water.
- Epoxy: Epoxy glue is unsafe for aquariums and can be used to fix pipe leaks and other equipment issues that are not submerged in water.
Super glue is the best adhesive for aquarium use and is preferred by many aquarists to fix decorations, aquatic plants, and other objects inside their aquariums.
Let’s now understand what plants are suitable for aquascaping.
What Plants Are Good For Aquascaping?
The below plants are suitable for aquascaping:
- Java Fern: It is popular among aquarists due to its aesthetic appeal. Java fern is hardy and easily survives in aquariums with the most boisterous fish. In its natural habitat, it grows by attaching itself to the rocks and roots of other plants.
- Java Moss: It is commonly found in freshwater aquariums. Java Moss has many advantages, such as being easy to grow, surviving in all kinds of lighting and water conditions, and producing little waste. It also makes good hiding places for small animals like shrimp and snails.
- Amazon Sword: This plant is cultivated in aquariums, ponds, and other artificial aquatic habitats. They are mainly planted in the background and easily create a forest-like environment in an aquarium. They are suitable for beginners as they don’t require much care and attention.
- Anubias Nana: They have thick, short-stemmed dark green leaves and are one of the smallest in the Anubias genus. They are used in aquariums, where they are fixed to rocks or wood above the substrate.
- Dwarf Baby Tears: It is mainly used in the foreground in planted aquariums. It creates a dense carpet with individual streams that branch off and grow along the substrate.
- Dwarf Hairgrass: Dwarf hairgrass is another popular aquarium plant mainly used in freshwater aquariums. The plant overgrows and doesn’t require a lot of care and attention. You can plant hairgrass in tight clumps to create a dense lawn effect covering the substrate.
- Dwarf Sagittaria: It is also known as an awl-leaf arrowhead or narrow-leaved arrowhead. It’s an aquatic plant that proliferates and survives very high pH and hard water conditions.
All these aquatic plants help you create a stunning aquascape inside an aquarium.
So, let’s now understand what rocks are suitable for live plants.
What Rocks Are Good For Live Plants?
Rocks add charm to an aquarium. Besides, rocks also help cultivate live plants when used in aquariums.
However, they also significantly change the pH and hardness of the water.
Therefore, you must first test the rocks before deciding to use them inside an aquarium.
Given below are the rocks that are good for aquascaping and live plants:
- Glass Rocks: They are chunks of glass, chips, or pieces. Glass rocks come in various shapes and sizes and are used in aquariums as decorations and fixing aquarium plants.
- Lava Rocks: Lava rock is a type of natural stone that is formed by volcanic activity. These stones look great as decorations in a fish tank, and they also make an excellent substrate to grow live plants.
- Mountain Stones: Mountain stones have a porous surface and come in varying shapes and colors. They have a decent grip and offer a stable foundation for cultivating aquatic mosses or other aquarium plants.
- Artificial Rocks: Artificial rocks are found at any pet store. They are lightweight, durable, and easy to clean. They come in different shapes, colors, and sizes, giving you more options. The most significant advantage of these rocks is that they are light and don’t add too much weight to the aquarium.
- Quartzite: Quartzites are small pebbles with rounded edges. They are made from crushed quartzite, which makes them very hard and robust. They are perfect for softwater planted tanks and freshwater aquariums.
- Rainbow Rocks: Rainbow rocks are one of the most popular artificial rocks available today. They consist of many layers of deep red and orange texture that give them a pleasing appearance. Besides supporting aquatic plants, they add color to an aquarium.
- Slate and Shale: Slate and shale are two common materials used to create artificial rocks. They come in a variety of colors. Both slate and shale are composed of minerals and offer excellent support for growing aquatic plants.
- Texas Holey rocks: Texas holey rocks are used in both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. They are created using sandstone and limestone. They are incredibly durable and long-lasting. Moreover, they provide a firm base for planting aquatic plants.
You can also add other rocks that are safe for aquariums.
However, make sure the rocks don’t have sharp edges and tiny pores.
So, let’s now understand how to glue aquarium plants to rocks.
How Do You Glue Aquarium Plants To Rocks?
There are many adhesives used to glue aquatic plants in an aquarium.
However, super glue is the best adhesive to fix aquatic plants on rocks or other substrates inside the aquarium.
Super glue is thick and doesn’t spread everywhere on the surface.
Instead, it creates a strong bond between the plant and the rocks on which you place the plant.
Given below are the steps to glue aquarium plants to rocks:
- Rinse the rocks to clear the dirt, debris, or other substances attached to them.
- Bleach the rocks to eliminate any unwanted parasites and bacteria. Make sure to rinse the rocks thoroughly under running water to get rid of the bleach.
- Boil the rock for ten to twenty minutes to remove pathogens and chemicals and spread them out to cool and dry.
- Pierce the top with the screw-on cap to open the glue.
- Gently take out the plant from the pot and carefully run the water over its roots to remove the cotton-like material from the plants.
- Clean the roots of the plants gently with your hands. Next, find the rhizome; it’s an underground plant stem. It can produce a new plant’s shoot and root system.
- Find a suitable part of the rock surface to place the aquatic plant.
- Use paper tissue or a towel to dry the plant’s roots before applying the glue gel.
- Apply a layer of glue adhesive on the rock surface where you want to place the live plants.
- Next, press both the roots and the rhizome vertically above the rock’s surface. Hold them together for a few minutes to allow the plant roots to hold onto the surface firmly.
- Repeat this process with other live plants that you want to add to your aquarium. Avoid delays and ensure you complete the process in 10 to 15 minutes to avoid the plants from drying outside the water.
- Plan your aquascape layout and arrange aquatic plants and rocks to mimic an underwater garden inside your aquarium.
Finally, enjoy the stunning display you have created and take care of your underwater garden.
How Do You Glue Aquarium Plants To Driftwood?
Driftwood has been around since people used logs to build their homes.
Today, we use driftwood to decorate our houses, gardens, and even aquariums.
Given below are the steps to glue aquarium plants to driftwood:
- Rinse the driftwood that has been cut to the size you want to add to your aquarium. Then, clear the dirt, debris, and other unwanted substances attached to it.
- Bleach the driftwood to eliminate the unwanted bacteria and parasites. Then, rinse the driftwood thoroughly under running water to eliminate the bleach.
- Boil a small piece of driftwood for fifteen to twenty minutes. Larger pieces should be boiled for more time, between one to two hours. Boiling will remove pathogens and chemicals. Next, spread them out to cool and dry.
- Use glue gel by piercing the top with the screw-on cap.
- Be careful while removing the plant from the pot. Also, gently run the water over its roots to remove the cotton-like material from the plants.
- Clean the roots of the plants gently with your hands. Next, find the rhizome; it’s an underground plant stem. It can produce a new plant’s shoot and root system.
- Find a suitable place on the driftwood where you want to place the plant.
- Use a towel or tissue paper to dry the plant’s roots before applying the glue gel.
- Apply a layer of glue adhesive on the driftwood where you want to place the live plants.
- Next, press both the roots and the rhizome vertically above the driftwood surface and hold them together for a few minutes to allow the plant roots to hold onto the surface firmly.
- Repeat this process with other live plants that you want to add to your aquarium. Avoid delays and ensure you complete the process in 10 to 15 minutes to avoid the plants from drying outside the water.
- Plan your aquascape layout and arrange the aquatic plants and driftwood to mimic underwater woods or forests inside your aquarium.
Remember that wood is organic and will deteriorate with time after it is submerged in water.
Keep looking for signs of damage and replace it before it breaks down and falls apart.
Finally, take care of your underwater forest to maintain the stunning display you have created inside the aquarium.
