48hour+ A MUST fro silicone to be safe for Aquairum???

[pat3612]

I dont know about that, but I have used aquarium silicone to stick moss to wood. I do not think it will hurt your fish.It has never hurted mine.However it will let go if the piece is to heavy or over time if it is not cured by air it will let go. Hope this helps.

 

[Mastiffman]

is urethane caulk safe? i ask cause we is it alot at work and it is more durable than silicone.

I'm not sure.... I would look at the MSDS for it to be extra sure. It will say "yes/no" under "Marine Polutant"...

24 hours is safe. 48 is best

24 is safe.. But this is what I'm trying to get at... WHY is 48 better. If the silicone is Cured, it's cured! as long as it's been 24 hours and it feel like rubber and you cannot peel it off of the surface I think that you are good but 24 is a must for sure. Like already discussed, there are sometimes circumstances that need to be taken into account.

( i.e. Is it to humid or temp to low...)

I still don't understand WHY people think that 48 hours is better.... If the Silicone needed 48 hours to be sure that it was fully cured it would say so right on the tube. No?

I dont know about that, but I have used aquarium silicone to stick moss to wood. I do not think it will hurt your fish.It has never hurted mine.However it will let go if the piece is to heavy or over time if it is not cured by air it will let go. Hope this helps.

Moss to wood? what was on the bottom side of the moss? A bio blocking material or the "bottom of the moss"?

Question to anyone willig to answer with truth from experience of some sort...

How long does it take a fish to show Symptoms of silicone poisoning once subjected to the appropriate toxic amount?

 

[nes999]

why ask a question if you already KNOW your right? it makes people not want to help when you do not listen at all. it can be dry is 24 but not cured big difference.

Honestly do what you want. if one day is that big in your process never build a plywood tank.

 

[nes999]

I still don't understand WHY people think that 48 hours is better.... If the Silicone needed 48 hours to be sure that it was fully cured it would say so right on the tube. No?


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the problem is its not a chemical reaction. in a chemical reaction in most conditons it will cure in x amount of time. you have environmental conditions to deal with. if your building a tank id say you could get away with less time honestly. if you want to know for sure go to lowes and get a moisture meter itll be by the silcone. the silicone i have says 13% cure check yours to now for sure.

 

[Mastiffman]

I still don't understand WHY people think that 48 hours is better.... If the Silicone needed 48 hours to be sure that it was fully cured it would say so right on the tube. No?


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the problem is its not a chemical reaction. in a chemical reaction in most conditons it will cure in x amount of time. you have environmental conditions to deal with. if your building a tank id say you could get away with less time honestly. if you want to know for sure go to lowes and get a moisture meter itll be by the silcone. the silicone i have says 13% cure check yours to now for sure.

No, I just want to know HOW people come up with the idea that 48 is better if it "all depends". I understand that it depends. But if someone can give real proof and not just "oh that's what everyone does" or "that's what I was told", that it infact can be toxic OR if giving the silicone an extra 24+ hours will have an affect on the longevity of the silicone...

I have learned over the years that there are so many "practices or Rules of Thumb" that people go by and NO ONE knows why... I question everything! I don't think that there is anything wrong with that. I di have a problem with inaccurate information, hence my questioning. That's all....

I wasn't trying to get you upset or annoyed. So forgive me if that's what I did! I was just curious if anyone had some real knowledge or is it all just hearsay...
Thanks for responding though.

 

[enwelz]

Dude, the longer you wait the better, when you fill up a tank, you put stress on the joints and silicon. No one can tell you the exact second that it is ok because it depends on 50 things. However, the longer you wait the better(no rule of thumb there its fact), 48 better than 24, 72 better than 48, ect. Compounds may "cure" but they get stronger over time. Concrete continues to harden(cure) for over 50 years, but you can start building on a foundation after 24 hours if you wanted to, but if you were living in the house and 48 hours is safer for your family what whould you do? No, waiting 24 hours isn't necessary, but since no one can be sure of the exact scenario you are facing, I would wait at least 48 hrs. This tank is going to be part of your life for years (hopefully, or you may get the gallonitis like I did upgrade quickly), so what is the harm in waiting another day to be sure you did it right?

No one is going to take the time to teach you the chemistry of compounds curing here, but I can assure you(from my own experiences) that the end result of rushing things in aqurium keeping will most likely be dead fish and dissapointment.

Make your own decision on what you think is necessary Keep us posted and good luck!

 

[Mastiffman]

Dude, the longer you wait the better, when you fill up a tank, you put stress on the joints and silicon. No one can tell you the exact second that it is ok because it depends on 50 things. However, the longer you wait the better(no rule of thumb there its fact), 48 better than 24, 72 better than 48, ect. Compounds may "cure" but they get stronger over time. Concrete continues to harden(cure) for over 50 years, but you can start building on a foundation after 24 hours if you wanted to, but if you were living in the house and 48 hours is safer for your family what whould you do? No, waiting 24 hours isn't necessary, but since no one can be sure of the exact scenario you are facing, I would wait at least 48 hrs. This tank is going to be part of your life for years (hopefully, or you may get the gallonitis like I did upgrade quickly), so what is the harm in waiting another day to be sure you did it right?

No one is going to take the time to teach you the chemistry of compounds curing here, but I can assure you(from my own experiences) that the end result of rushing things in aqurium keeping will most likely be dead fish and dissapointment.

Make your own decision on what you think is necessary Keep us posted and good luck!

I understand. But like I said, it's a 3D background. Notr a tank build or Repair...

So are you saying that Silicone DOES become more reliable in the sense that if you wait only 24 hours for it to cure (considering that the parameters are the best) the silicone wil have "better" longevity IF it's left to cure Longer?

This is ecactly what I was referring to. Is this statement a fact? The longer Silicone can cure out of water the better? Or is this a practice that has been accepted whether or not it's been tested (under the proper conditions of course)?

Thanks for responding.

 

[longv]

how about u lay a bead, wait 24 hours then cut it open to see if it is fully cured. and the guy with the sump, if you didnt read the whole thread he re-did everything and found areas of uncured silicon

 

[Mastiffman]

how about u lay a bead, wait 24 hours then cut it open to see if it is fully cured. and the guy with the sump, if you didnt read the whole thread he re-did everything and found areas of uncured silicon

yeah, I realized that later. he said that he had really think joints that were cured.

Guess that's another factor.....

 

[D12DetroitD12]

I think when i did mine i waited 24 hours. i couldn't see myself waiting any longer since i just wanted to see the background done. im not an expert with building supply's or silicone but none of my fish died and it is still holding well.