Aquarium sealant question

captmicha

captmicha

Le tired.
Dec 6, 2006
2,052
0
36
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Maryland, USA
Do you use aquarium specific rubber silicone or do you just buy the stuff you find at the hardware store? Which do you recommend I buy? Any pet stores that'll carry sealant are at least 30 minutes away and aquarium sealant online costs so much more than what I'd find at Home Depot.

I was looking at the stuff in my dad's workshop and he has 100% Rubber Silicone 1 but it says not to use in aquariums... even though it's composed of 100% rubber silicone. What's the deal?
 
GE I works like a champ
 
Industrial said:
Make sure the silicone is "Aquarium Safe".

If you just buy any silicone the chemicals in it will leech out and kill the fish.
Click to expand...

that not necasarily true actually, as Rbishop said GE I is safe to use but no where on the tube will you find aquarium safe on it. what makes it safe is that it contains no anti-fungal agents, GE II which is there other silicone does have this agent and is unsafe for aquarium use. it wont kill the fish most likely but can mess up the cycle and kill off bacteria. cant speak on the other silicone out there like DAP though but i know for a fact GE silicone I is a good one to use and have used it in alot of my tanks including planted and shrimp tanks with no ill affect.
 
GE I is perfectly aquarium safe and a lot cheaper. In fact even GE II can be used if left long enough to cure, like 2-3 weeks.
 
I think he does have GE 1. How long should I let it cure? Any longer than 48 hours?
 
Depends on how thick you lay it down. For most basic applications 24 hours for strength and for safety 48 for toxic cure. When I laid my corner inside seals on my 244 tank the center corners are 1/2 inch thick and literally took more then a week to cure (GE-I).

One test that works was if its soft in the middle or it still has a sour smell, its not finished curing. Placing it outside in fresh ventilated air helps, unless its cold which will definitely affect cure time, you want a warm ventilated environment for a good and thorough cure using GE-I. The labeling has temperature instructions, read them.
 
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i used like three bottles ge 1 silicone from home depot on my 50 gal two weeks ago and now my tank dont leak and the fishes are fine and heathy with no affects from the silicone and make sure u get the rite one because when u go to home depot and buy the ge 1 silicone the bottle doesnt says it but the price tag on the shelf says it so just make sure.
 
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