Bad experience with Milliput- instantly dead fish!!

[Neil6]

Just an hour ago had a really bad experience with Milliput. Half of my fish stock is dead!!! Gutted! Killed within a few minutes!
I was led to believe Milliput was aquarium-safe?!?!
Modifying an established aquascape so needed to stick two rocks into place underwater. So mixed two twenty-piece-sized balls of milliput (in a 324lr tank) and squashed them behind the rocks, used my finger to mould them together, a minute later and noticed fish floating on the surface!!!
WTF, NEVER had that happened before?
Eight dead rummy nose tetra instantly killed😩🥺🥺🥺!!!!
Feeling guilty and sad☹️

Doing an 80% water change, so far no more dead fish can be seen.

All my Amano shrimp are dead or hiding🥺? Otto's look okay at the moment but.....time will tell as they are fussy buggers.

Milliput obviously isn't safe, just a warning to others? Won't be using that again...ever.

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Sorry to hear about your losses. Get an airstone in there after the water change.

I used lots of Milliput in my reef tank when I used to construct rock formations and stick frags to the rock. I’ve got some in my planted tank now holding some driftwood together.

The key is to mix it thoroughly out of the tank with a little water and then let it sit for a while (say 15-20 mins) to start bonding. Then give it another mix in your hands before using in the tank.

The putty is non-toxic but as it cures it depletes oxygen in the tank and can cause fish to suffocate. Don’t work it too much in the tank water so it doesn’t spread and if worried, run an airstone for a few hours while it goes off.

 

[Neil6]

Sorry to hear about your losses. Get an airstone in there after the water change.

I used lots of Milliput in my reef tank when I used to construct rock formations and stick frags to the rock. I’ve got some in my planted tank now holding some driftwood together.

The key is to mix it thoroughly out of the tank with a little water and then let it sit for a while (say 15-20 mins) to start bonding. Then give it another mix in your hands before using it in the tank.

The putty is non-toxic but as it cures it depletes oxygen in the tank and can cause fish to suffocate. Don’t work it too much in the tank water so it doesn’t spread and if worried, run an airstone for a few hours while it goes off.

Thanks, I'm always learning!
Any true underwater rock glue I can use? Super Glue goes off instantly. Aquarium glue is only good for sticking plants underwater. Aquarium-safe 100% silicon instantly forms a skin underwater so loses the ability to stick ( great in the dry or damp, just not underwater)
Any other options?

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Coming from the reef side of things, milliput and the expensive DD purple equivalent were ubiquitous. For sticking inherently bumpy rocks together, an adhesive with the ability to gap fill was ideal. Best done out of the water though if using a lot.

I haven’t tried other glues underwater. There’s some proprietary products sold mainly to the marine/reef market but I’m fairly sure they’re epoxy based putty’s too.

 

[Bradders]

This was quite a disturbing read. I am not sure if there are warnings on the actual product (or instructions on handling and application) but I looked at a few LFS websites and the product does not carry an online warning.

 

[Wookii]

Any true underwater rock glue I can use?

JBL Pro Haru is pretty good, and completely safe.

JBL PROHARU UNIVERSAL

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

This was quite a disturbing read. I am not sure if there are warnings on the actual product (or instructions on handling and application) but I looked at a few LFS websites and the product does not carry an online warning.

There’s complete safety data sheets available for Milliput with all the hazards for Part A and Part B shown. Milliput does not sell it as an “aquarium safe adhesive”. It’s not one of the listed uses. They sell it as “sets underwater”. It’s existed since the sixties so its uses and characteristics are pretty well known.

 

[Neil6]

Yeah, it just looks like the same stuff as D-D Aquascape Aquarium Putty