What is wrong with asking someone else who has specialist knowledge from working with the products?

Joze... when i say "i'll ask hubby" it is only because he is a qualified glazier, which makes Glass and Glass products his field, not mine.

So it makes sence to talk to an expert.

Maybe read the whole thread, and you'll follow what we're on about.

:roll:

If you want to pass yourself off as a twit, be my guest.

Joze if you can't say something nice, or constructive, don't say anything at all

I agree with Caryl.

As for Mystic..... No worries dance? :-?

Do I need to call the people in white coats? :roll:

And I don't mean Painters :lol:

If you want to pass yourself off as a twit, be my guest.

Such an intelligent answer....

Tell me, do you consider yourself an omniscient being, or is this just something you'd like me to believe?

Because if you are, indeed, omniscient, then i'm sure we all have questions that require answers.

Cheers

Well, after all that discussion, but does anyone have any brand names of fish-safe silicone? I'd like to be able to go into the Hardware store and ask for X silicone and know that this is safe for fish, rather than have some salesperson say "oh, yeah, that's fine"

Cheers

There is a Sallys one that says "safe for Aquariums" I know a few people that use it. Never used it myself as I don't make my own tanks.

Joins Mystic in the "No worries" dance.

Well, after all that discussion, but does anyone have any brand names of fish-safe silicone?

If you're building tanks, best to have a browse and read the packaging, if its suitable for aquariums it'll say so on the back in writing. You want an Acetic Acid curing silicone.

If its just for repairs, I got a 75gm squeeze bottle from Animates, seems to be an 'X brand' type item, but works, called 'Silicone General Purpose Sealant' (gee creative title huh) but its acetic cure, and fully cured in 24 hours (so fish safe in 24hr), and comes in a package that has aquarium safe printed all over it. Probably the easiest option for the occasional DIY'er, just visit your LFS.

There is usually more than one right way. The best way is the one that works best for you. I don't know if they are both OK, I just use the one that says OK on the label.

Don't get it from the LFS, get it at a hardware store like Mitre 10 or Bunnings. Prolly about $14 for a 300gm tube and you'll need one of those applicating guns.

But they are cheap and always handy to have around the house.

Just made another tank this arvo, and I think about two weeks ago, another 8 for Aquanut.

I used

Dow Corning

- - - 480 - - -

Glass Sealant

Acetic Cure

Alan 104

i bought a large tube of selleys glass sealeant, Aquarium safe, for $14.50 the other day. it is one of the caulking gun type ones

Its soooo handy to have silicone sitting around for all those little things it can be used for. i had a smaller tube of the same stuff before this tube but it was harder to get out because you had to squueeeeeze it to get it out and it wasnt as acurate.

Im never going to get another squeeeze type tube again. im going to use alot of it eventually anyway so its not going to wast, and probably ends up cheaper to buy it in larger amounts anyways.

HTH

Rogan

I find the big caulking gun ones are definitely a good deal, but kind of a pain since I usually only use a little squeeze at a time. I always end up having to dig out the big plug of hardened silicone each time I need to use it again.

I think part of the advantage of acid cure is it etches the glass a little bit so should hold a little better. It just looks to me like glass where I've accidentally put some silicone looks a bit cloudy even after I've cleaned it off as well as I could. Might be some residue instead of a bit of etching though.

If you leave a nob of glue on the end when you are finished you can pull it off next time and use the glue straight away.

I find the big caulking gun ones are definitely a good deal, but kind of a pain since I usually only use a little squeeze at a time. I always end up having to dig out the big plug of hardened silicone each time I need to use it again.

I think part of the advantage of acid cure is it etches the glass a little bit so should hold a little better. It just looks to me like glass where I've accidentally put some silicone looks a bit cloudy even after I've cleaned it off as well as I could. Might be some residue instead of a bit of etching though.

just push a little bit of glue out of the red tip, leave to dry. next time just pull it off and away you go.

the glue won't etch into the glass, nothing will. you will find if you give the cloudy bit a good rub or get a new sharp razor blade it will come off.

If you leave a nob of glue on the end when you are finished you can pull it off next time and use the glue straight away.

Then I end up with things like a silicone cannister firmly attached to my chainsaw...

The only thing I have to say on the subject IS

ARE YOU ALL SCIENTISTS, you are aren't you, come on now, tell the truth It amazes some of the stuff I read here, WOW!!!!!!!!!!

We are Kiwis and into DIY

Well, I'm a scientist, I'm a kiwi, I DIY and I have built a tank (which is still intact!)

I don't think it matters whether it's neutral, basic or acid cure. What counts is what else is in it. Acetic acid (no acteone) curing silicone is generally recommended for glass, neutral is used where acid cure can cause damage. Clearly you can use neutral cure, because people are doing it.

Acetic acid is no more dangerous than vinegar and evaporates away very fast. It's probably not a good idea to put large amounts of acteic-acid curing silicone into a tank with fish in it. But small repairs should be ok.

Lot's of silicones contain fungacides. These can kill fish. That's why you look for the "suitable for aquariums" words.

I use the really cheap Chinese stuff in caulking tubes. It costs about $5 (compared to Selleys at three times the price) and you could make a dozen tanks if you really felt like it. Selleys is a rip-off. I'm pretty sure they just re-label the Chinese stuff, the tubes can have an amazing resemblance!

Bob

Well said.

I rebuild a 3 foot (but large size) tank 3 times using neutral cute and it leaked every time as soon as I tested it. The first time I used acidic cute it worked. I also noticed when removing the silicon to redo the job that the neutral came off far easier. Maybe you can get away with using it on a small tank where there isn't much pressure.

Read the label. If it says 'SUITABLE FOR AQUARIUMS" it probably is. If the price says "cheap" it is probably good.