silicon

[oakes]

hi,

i thought i would use silicon to patch up some tank ornaments

and stick some ceramic together to make breeding caves.

But wondered if there is good and bad types of silicon to use

in a fish tank?

The stuff i have here is for use on gutters and downpipes and

i'm not sure if it is the same as what's used on glass etc.

Can any of it be toxic to fish?

Glenn

[teflon]

hi,

i thought i would use silicon to patch up some tank ornaments

and stick some ceramic together to make breeding caves.

But wondered if there is good and bad types of silicon to use

in a fish tank?

The stuff i have here is for use on gutters and downpipes and

i'm not sure if it is the same as what's used on glass etc.

Can any of it be toxic to fish?

Glenn

←

Dont use the one you have it will kill your fish.

The only safe silicone to use is the funnily enough "Aquarium safe" silicone ask for it at bunning

HTH

[ViS]

The most widely used product for hobbyists is the selleys window and glass silicone. For a stronger bond, try the GE 1200 (I think that's the number).

As Adam said, make sure it states that it is suitable for aquarium use

[Ash]

At bunnings there's a product called Parbury Glass & Window - same as Selley's version except about 3/5 the price and competely sets in 24hrs as apposed to the recommended week for Selleys.

Make sure you read the back & it says "For use in Aquariums" so you get the right gear.

I've mad a sandstone BN cave with it's help.

[DanceswithDingoes]

Acid based silicon like V9 is the best stuff.

[Ged]

This is the topic in the FAQ

http://ace.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=15773

Ged

[mianos]

The tank builders I know (and who built mine) used rhodorsil acetic cure. They also gave me some to finish the grill on the skimmer. I used it on a live tank. As long as you drop the water and apply after drying and cleaning the area 100% with metho you can top the tank up in a few hours. The water vapor causes the acetic based silicons to cure.

[teflon]

There are that many silicones out

I never though there were any other like acid based etc

Learn something new everyday

[trofius]

Most silicones are either neutral cure or acetic cure

acetic cure silicones are the norm for tank building, although i also have some made from neutral cure types aswell

acetic cure silicones give off a vinegar smell when drying ( acetic acid )

neautral cure silicones give of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) smelly and toxic so they should be dried outside, or in a well ventilated area, also they take much longer to fully cure and to ensure all the MEK has dispursed.

both types of silicones cure better in a humid environment, i leave tanks out side and put the lids on and have a bit of water inside.

Neutral cure silicones can be as strong as acetic cure silicones, but there are many different formulars out there.

Best types would be Rhodosil V2, dow corning 999A, and GE 1200 these will all be ample for construction type purposes, as long as the constuction methods, g;lass thickness etc is appropriate. for just a few no load bearing applications sellies window and glass , and any other aquarium safe silicone will surfice.