GE silicone 2 for tanks?

[fishguy306]

And there were millions of students that were taught Columbus was a great person and discovered the Americas. Just because some people say it is the correct silicone to use doesn't make it the case. GE I and II were not designed to hold materials together, they only reason to use them is because you are either cheap or don't know any better.

 

[joe jaskot]

And there were millions of students that were taught Columbus was a great person and discovered the Americas. Just because some people say it is the correct silicone to use doesn't make it the case. GE I and II were not designed to hold materials together, they only reason to use them is because you are either cheap or don't know any better.

Okay, thanks.

 

[Damurph82]

Garbage? There are probably thousands of aquariums resealed with GE silicone I.

Agreed.

A quick Google search will show a lot of people swearing by ge1, this site included, with very few arguing against it. A lot of people claiming to of checked the MSDS and saying it's the exact same thing as the aquarium safe silicones. Some people even remembering when ge1 used to have" safe for aquarium use" listed on the tube. I done a lot of research before building my first big aquarium and kind of touched base on some of the technical aspects of the different silicones and decided I'd settle with ge1.

As I stated earlier, use at your own discretion. There's a lot of debate on using ge1 or ge2 vs the silicones for aquariums. I'm going on 4 months with my 125 gallon tank I built using ge1 window and door. I do 30 to 35 gallon water changes every 2 or 3 days which relieves stress and then re adds it and nothing's worked loose so far. I'm constantly checking the seams and pulling a measuring tape across it and it looks identical as it did on day one. I darn sure hope these people know what they're talking about lol.

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[Damurph82]

And there were millions of students that were taught Columbus was a great person and discovered the Americas. Just because some people say it is the correct silicone to use doesn't make it the case. GE I and II were not designed to hold materials together, they only reason to use them is because you are either cheap or don't know any better.

You got me, I'm cheap, but ain't that the main reason for going diy. Of course at the same time I don't know any better either lol. With some of the more credible guys on these forums recommending ge1 and even some of the more reputable guys on YouTube.

I've kinda tried to find what's different between let's say Marineland aquarium silicone and ge1 but didn't come up with anything definitive. Isn't 100% silicone the same as 100% silicone? If there are any special additives to make one tougher or stronger then is it still 100% silicone? We'll let the ones slide that say 100% silicone but at the same time say mold and mildew resistant (or isn't that a natural property of 100% silicone?).

Not trying to stir the pot at all, like I said, I'm genuinely interested.

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[fishguy306]

I would stay away from the repackaged silicones as well, including the Marineland branded silicone. They did not make it, they just had it packaged with their name on it and a pretty hefty markup. Also with those you aren't always sure what you will be getting from them.

There are a lot of bad practices that go on around here, it is frustrating to see some of the trends and myths continue. People get an idea in their head and they don't like to let go of it until something bad has happened. In this case, what type of silicone to use. Most people will just use what silicone is recommended without looking into it, GE I and II both being examples of this. But if you go and find the data sheets you will find their strengths are not even listed.

Then compare that to an industrial silicone such as Momentive RTV 103 or 108. These are designed to hold things together and have solid numbers listed in their data sheets. If you want to go looking, it is the shear and tensile strength you want.

As for what is in some and not others, I will be honest, that gets beyond my understanding of chemistry. While doing my own research into silicone I found many discussions about different silicones and their properties. Most of the information was (and still is) over my head. RTV 103 and 108 will have a different makeup than GE I or II, that said I am not sure how different nor what a silicone must consist of to be considered 100% silicone. I trust the data sheets, the tested numbers don't lie. While GE I or II may hold, it may even hold for years, I agree with that, there is always that chance it wont. WHy not use the best silicone you can get? Yeah, it is about double the cost per tube, about $13, but when you compare that to the hundreds we spend on fish is that really such a large amount?

Lastly, I have not been on any such tours, but from what I have been told by a couple people who have, if you tour some of the large aquarium builders, Marineland being one of them, you will find they use RTV 103 or 108 depending on if they want black or clear.

At the end of the day, people are going to do what they want to do, whether I post this information or not. I know some people I've shared info with have gone to do their own research and came to similar conclusions as me, others have not and that is fine too. I'm just trying to help everyone enjoy the hobby the best that they can. And you know what? At the end of the day, it isn't my living room getting wet lol