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Old Tunze coral gum instant not curing

JVU

JVU

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I bought Tunze Coral Gum Instant 2-part epoxy in 2017, used it successfully several times for a couple years. I haven’t used it since about 2020, but pulled it out today since I’m moving some coral colonies after getting rid of a bunch of coral and rocks. It looks completely fine, not dried out, nice and soft, kneads together normally. But it doesn’t cure/harden. Like ever. Just stays completely soft.

I’m assuming something about it sitting for a couple years is the problem, but what? Been kept sealed air tight. It’s been in my garage which gets hot in the Summer and cold in the winter, but nothing too extreme. Anyone else have this issue? Any suggestions for a chemical I can add back or something to get it to cure? Supposedly this stuff is the same as used in dental work, any experts on dental epoxy?
 
JVU said:
I bought Tunze Coral Gum Instant 2-part epoxy in 2017, used it successfully several times for a couple years. I haven’t used it since about 2020, but pulled it out today since I’m moving some coral colonies after getting rid of a bunch of coral and rocks. It looks completely fine, not dried out, nice and soft, kneads together normally. But it doesn’t cure/harden. Like ever. Just stays completely soft.

I’m assuming something about it sitting for a couple years is the problem, but what? Been kept sealed air tight. It’s been in my garage which gets hot in the Summer and cold in the winter, but nothing too extreme. Anyone else have this issue? Any suggestions for a chemical I can add back or something to get it to cure? Supposedly this stuff is the same as used in dental work, any experts on dental epoxy?
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I know this is not what you are asking but can this be used to glue live rock together underwater without the need to take it out?
 
JVU said:
Yes. I do the cyanoacrylate sandwich with it: rock-CA-putty-CA-rock (or coral). It cures underwater and isn’t toxic.
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Thank you - did not mean to hijack this thread but I have been using the maxspect coral putty with the same method - glue - putty - glue for corals but I was not sure if this can be done underwater with the glue with rock without removing the rock from the water (has sponges on it) - I was hoping the putty would enough for the rock, but maybe not.
 
Tunze support got back to me quickly (appreciated) and let me know that it’s common for it to lose the ability to cure after a few years of storage. “The catalyst and polymer undergo chemical changes”. No workaround known.
 
I had the TLF epoxy about the same age and had the opposite situation where it cured almost instantly. Just as unhelpful!
 
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