Polymorph

[Leishman]

This stuff is so easy to use and cheap.

 

https://reefbuilders.com/2016/10/10/polymorph-plastic-has-tremendous-applications-for-aquariums/#

 

 

Just melt in sub-boiling water.

 

 

and use to fasten rocks together.

 

 

Push some sand or rock chips in to areas that will be exposed (I was too late to do this fully)

 

 

and you have SOLID bonds.

 

[Origami]

Kinda cool. But isn't polymorph biodegradable plastic, Rik? (I don't know how long it would take to breakdown, but it would be good to understand that first.)

 

Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk

[Origami]

Just FYI. I seem to recall it being named early on during the discussion on biopellets a number of years back.

 

Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk

[treesprite]

Those look like dinosaurs.

 

I wonder if that stuff could be used to make my sandy lofts.

Edited November 19, 2016 by treesprite

[zygote2k]

I thought it looked like a T-rex too.

[AlanM]

I've read that algae really doesn't like to grow on it.

[treesprite]

There are different brands of this stuff under different names on eBay. A couple said they can be used in aquariums. If you put in polymorph, you will just get stuff related to polymer. I put in the words moldable plastic aquarium.

Edited November 20, 2016 by treesprite

[Origami]

There are different brands of this stuff under different names on eBay. A couple said they can be used in aquariums.

This is the stuff. It's PCL - polycaprolcatone. Along with other biodegradeable plastics, it was being looked at many years ago as an industrial source of biopellets (before there was really such a thing) and after it was called "solid vodka" back then. Here's our thread from May 2010.

 

The manufacturer says, "Polymorph is completely biodegradable in soil conditions and is 100% non-toxic." And that statement makes me wonder how long it'll last if we depend upon it as a structural adhesive in our tanks.

[Leishman]

I'm not worried about this collapsing in my tank.  I plan on adding a thin layer of superglue and sand/crushed coral before i set up the tank.  I'm sure that will prolong the rate of degradation and allow algae growth.

[SkiCurtis]

Man that's cool stuff, I used Marco rocks  e-400 to put my rocks together and it took along time but it looks awesome, this stuff looks like it is very easy to work with. good job .

Rik

[davelin315]

Just a heads up, we do 3D printing at work using this type of plastic and I thought that the unused spools of line would be great for use to snag things in deep tanks but it degraded very quickly after exposure to salt water.  Only took about a week or two for the line to completely fall apart (broke into multiple pieces as it started to degrade).  Each is obviously different, but these plastics do degrade pretty quickly in saltwater in terms of being able to hold things together.  I don't know enough about it but it seems as if it will start to degrade and fracture apart at joints and weak points based on my experience with it.