any easy way to add suction cups to something?

[Bravofleet4]

Hi,

I'm trying to create a DIY Co2 reactor. One of the parts is a submersible pump I found lying around my school but I can't find the part where the suction pumps are attached. Is there some easy way to add suction cups to something? Can I for example just glue them to the pump using aquarium silicone? I need a reliable way for it to remain attached to the side of the tank.

 

[Bravofleet4]

Hi,

I'm trying to create a DIY Co2 reactor. One of the parts is a submersible pump I found lying around my school but I can't find the part where the suction pumps are attached. Is there some easy way to add suction cups to something? Can I for example just glue them to the pump using aquarium silicone? I need a reliable way for it to remain attached to the side of the tank.

erh by suction pumps i mean suction cups LoL. sorry if that confused anyone.

 

[vanillaXtiffy]

Yes, aquarium silicone should do the job.

 

[glassbird]

There is a trick to the technique...first get good black suction cups. Fluval makes nice ones, but they are hard to find. Do not go with cheap white ones. They get stiff and nasty. Put a pea sized dap of silicone in the cup and squish it onto the aquarium glass. (The glass needs to be dry, and scraped clean of any algea or gunk.) Have a couple of pieces of masking tape cut nearby, and place at least one piece across the suction cup, holding it in the squished position. You will probably need two or three pieces of tape. Let the silicone dry for 2-3 hours. Then put a dab of silicone on your finger and go around the edge of the cup, where it meets the glass. You are basically putting on a secondary barrier that will prevent water/air from getting under the cup itself. That way, you have both suction AND adhesive working for you. Leave the masking tape in place while you do this, or replace it as soon as you are done with the secondary layer. This extra coat seems to also minimize the chance of a fish sucking or scraping one edge of a cup up enough to let water in. Strong water currents will skim over it better too.

I have had cups stay on for years this way, but only stay on for a few months if I do not use the second layer around the outer edge...

You can use a razor blade to scrape an unwanted cup off, but do not count on re-using it.

 

[kj5kb]

At the $ store,I found some ~1" suction cup hangers with J shaped platic hooks. The hook goes through a hole in the cup; if you remove the hook you can thread a cable tie thru the hole and attach things that way.