Does anyone know of a safe silicone to apply to backgrounds and inside the tank. im going to make my own background and i have had success in the past but i dont know what kind to get anymore. any opinions on that for me?
Silicone
Started by
Guest_mekaj_*
, Jun 06 2010 07:51 PM
11 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 06 June 2010 - 08:35 PM
GE I and GE II are readily available come in several colors, and have been safely used by tons of hobbyists. I refer GE I because it seems a little stickier to me. DAP also makes some aquarium safe silicones, but I couldn't list them off the top of my head.
#4
Guest_jblaylock_*
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Posted 07 June 2010 - 07:15 AM
I have used GE I and II on styrofoam backgrounds, and other aquarium uses. I used a 2 day cure time before adding water....no problems out of mine. I just recently used GE II on building my summer collecting bucket to seal a few things and waited about 12 hours between application and adding water, no problems but the water isn't long term so it's different I suppose.
#5
Guest_Newt_*
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Posted 07 June 2010 - 08:53 AM
+1. These are acetic acid cure silicones, so they give off a vinegar smell while curing. If you can no longer detect the vinegar smell, then you are probably good to go. But if you want to play it safe (or not have to fool with sniffing your tank every few hours) just wait 48 hours like JBlaylock suggested.
#7
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Posted 09 June 2010 - 08:59 AM
A good rule in general, but unfortunately the issue is clouded by marketing BS in the silicone sealant industry. As I understand it, ALL 100% silicones are mold and mildew resistant, simply because of the physical properties of silicone. GE has a thing called "Bioseal" in some of their silicones, which sounds like it should be an anti-fungal agent (which is what they want you to think it is) but is actually a drying agent and has nothing to do with fungal resistance.
#9
Guest_bulrush_*
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Posted 15 June 2010 - 06:39 AM
I have used several types of silicones over the years, including the type from the pet store, and the GE I. Just look for silicone without any mold inhibitors.
However, the problem I have found is the silicone does not hold very well while under water. After 3-6 months, while gluing piles of rocks together, or making a PVC "cray condo", or even gluing mesh to a PVC pipe to make a home made filter, the silicone has failed.
I have indoor freshwater tanks from 2.5g to 29g and I let the silicone cure for 24-48 hours, just to make sure, and it still fails on me. I'm not sure what other people have seen.
However, the problem I have found is the silicone does not hold very well while under water. After 3-6 months, while gluing piles of rocks together, or making a PVC "cray condo", or even gluing mesh to a PVC pipe to make a home made filter, the silicone has failed.
I have indoor freshwater tanks from 2.5g to 29g and I let the silicone cure for 24-48 hours, just to make sure, and it still fails on me. I'm not sure what other people have seen.
#11
Guest_AussiePeter_*
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Posted 16 June 2010 - 11:59 PM
However, the problem I have found is the silicone does not hold very well while under water. After 3-6 months, while gluing piles of rocks together, or making a PVC "cray condo", or even gluing mesh to a PVC pipe to make a home made filter, the silicone has failed.
I have indoor freshwater tanks from 2.5g to 29g and I let the silicone cure for 24-48 hours, just to make sure, and it still fails on me. I'm not sure what other people have seen.
I'm not that surprised that it fails on stuff besides glass. My understanding (which could be completely wrong as I've never fact checked it) is that silicone chemically bonds to the glass which is one of the reasons why it holds so well. I've never had any problems with tanks that I've rebuilt or repaired, but you have to be super anal about cleaning the glass both in terms of removing as much of the old silicone as possible (which is nearly impossible due to its chemical bonding) as well as any oils, dust, dirt and other crud. If you regularly have silicone bonded glass failing then you are most likely doing something significantly wrong in the cleaning process or something.
Cheers
Peter Unmack
#12
Guest_Lotsapetsgarfhts_*
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Posted 26 June 2010 - 08:18 PM
Newt is right, silicone is naturally fungus resistsnt, ther is no reason to put anything in it to prevent mould. If you were to ever look at a shower stall in a basement that is used only occasionally and see any mould it will usually wipe right off the silicone while you will have to scrub the other materials the stall is made of to get rid of it. It is a ploy by the people that manufacture it for aquarium use to keep you from using the GEI which is less money. I recently purchased some that is "food safe" after it is fully cured and rinsed, they did stress it should be well rinsed before using food on or around it. Common snese tells me that I should probably not only rinse it well before using a repaired aquarium to hold fish, but that I should also fill it up and let it sit for a few days to make sure it doesn't leak. I can not even give you a total number of how many aquariums I have repaired, and built over the years. Years ago when I worked for a tropical fish wholesaler I would have to repair a couple almost every week. Sometimes it was a simple cut out the old seal and put in a new one, but the tanks were so old that sometimes when you cut out the old seal the whole thing would come apart.
When I make PVC condos I use PVC primer and PVC cement, they are both nontoxic when cured. I have also found that there are some nontoxic 2 part epoxys that work well for building rockwork and some of them are so good that sometimes when you use them to bond 2 pieces of rock together they will break before the epoxy will.
When I make PVC condos I use PVC primer and PVC cement, they are both nontoxic when cured. I have also found that there are some nontoxic 2 part epoxys that work well for building rockwork and some of them are so good that sometimes when you use them to bond 2 pieces of rock together they will break before the epoxy will.
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