How Long for PVC Glue to Dry???

Dudnerd · 11-13-2005, 08:45 AM

After glueing PVC fittings, what is the minimum time that I can be sure the glue is not toxic to the fish? Normally I would wait a day, but I have caught myself in emergency situations where time was an issue.

funi42 · 11-13-2005, 10:38 AM

i would say 2 hours but wait for geoff he'll know

yardboy · 11-14-2005, 12:13 PM

Do you want to know how long I've done it, or the "right" time? Maybe five minutes?

Geoff · 11-14-2005, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yardboy

Do you want to know how long I've done it, or the "right" time? Maybe five minutes?

no comment.

sure, five minutes sounds like plenty of time.

G~

Dudnerd · 11-14-2005, 06:36 PM

Five minutes???? You must be joking. Even after an hour the fumes still make me see things. I know the stuff will hold but I am not worried about the joint. At what point can I truely be sure the glue is not toxic to the aquarium inhabitants?

Five minutes? Huh!

Michael

yardboy · 11-14-2005, 07:11 PM

After a hurricane came through, my neighbor, who had a fish cleaning table with water supply through PVC lift off and snap the PVC, had this nice geyser in his back yard. He was gone on vacation, so I went over with a valve and a bottle of glue. Opened the valve, liberally smeared glue inside, and slapped it down on the stub of pipe. After a minute, I turned the water off. Five years later, I moved away and the valve was still on the pipe stub.

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I'd prefer to wait, but I have done it on "shorter notice" and the joint held fine and no fish suffered. After all, it isn't water soluble. And I do run carbon.

Geoff · 11-15-2005, 02:49 AM

i have had to do some emergency repairs also, and 5 mins have worked fine. i normally like to wait at least 15 mins. the longer the better, but i am very impatient.

if you are really worried than wait overnight, or at least wait untill the fumes are gone. prolly just over an hour.

G~

Dudnerd · 11-15-2005, 03:22 PM

Like you said, you gotta do what you gotta do! I have done the 2 min quick fix but always worried if I was doing damage. When I am working on something new, I usually build the pipes the night before and plumb it to the system the next day after work. I was just curious anyway.

Thanx all.

Michael