How to Attach Coral in a Salt Water Tank

Live corals make an exciting addition to any home aquarium. Keeping and propagating corals is very rewarding. As long as the main components of your tank--such as water, lighting and trace elements--are maintained, the actual act of attaching corals to your live rock is simple. There are many products available that you can use to attach corals to your aquarium--from putty to reef glue.

Things You'll Need

  • 1/2-inch coral fragments
  • Reef Glue (Super Glue)
  • Marine putty
  • Live rock
  • Soft cloth
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Instructions

  1. Attaching Your Corals

    • 1

      Choose a piece of live rock for attaching the coral. Remove the rock from your aquarium and gently wipe off the excess water using your soft cloth. Make sure that the surface of the rock is relatively dry, then let it sit for about five minutes. During this time you can also prepare your coral. Gently remove the coral from the water and press the cloth around the base to dry it off as much as possible. Timing here is important, you do not want the coral to say out of the water for an extended amount of time. Once the surface of the rock and the base of the coral are dry, you are ready to proceed to the next step.

    • 2

      Apply a modest amount of glue or putty to the surface of the rock. Allow the adhesive about one minute to settle then gently set your coral in place. You will want to hold the coral in place for about one to two minutes if using glue. If you are using putty, gently form the putty around the base of the coral so that it will hold the coral in place. Hold the coral in place for about one to two minutes. After the adhesive takes a firm hold,you are ready to proceed to the next step.

    • 3

      Take your live rock with the attached coral and place it back into your aquarium. Monitor the coral for about 10 to 15 minutes to make sure that it will stay firmly in place. You may need to re-attach the coral if it comes loose. If this happens, simply remove the coral and the rock and repeat the first two steps. You will need to remove the old adhesive first in order to re-attach the coral.

    • 4

      Repeat this process every time you get a new coral that you wish to add to your aquarium. This process is simple and fun, and lets you add that personal touch to your reef. Your local fish store will be able to provide you with the putty or glue that you need for this project. It is very important that you do not use an adhesive that is toxic to your animals. Only products that are recommended for salt water aquarium use should be used.