Silicone myths or real issues…
- Thread starter Orthopod
- Start date
Never trust anyone who uses silicone on bulkheads… debate ended ??
I resealed a tank with the wrong silicone in the late 90s and all fish died.
I know the technology is probably not the same anymore, but I’d still rather spend $ extra on aquarium grade silicone instead of spending $$$ to replace dead fish…
I know the technology is probably not the same anymore, but I’d still rather spend $ extra on aquarium grade silicone instead of spending $$$ to replace dead fish…
Noooooo! Lol… the rubber is enough ?I am not to be trusted...
I know it's enough...I am just a huge fan of overkill... 
"Sufficient"...is completely inadequate...
"Sufficient"...is completely inadequate...
My 2 cents:
Many silicones that read "mold-resistant" do not actually contain mold inhibiting chemicals. They read "mold-resistant" because 100% silicone IS mold resistant in itself. From what I've seen the 7 or 10 year guarantees fit this category.
The stuff that has lifetime guarantee and advertises that it contains mold inhibitors you should never use. They may be fine for awhile (or maybe even forever on a dice roll) but there's really no telling what kind and how much constant exposure to aquarium water or aquarium lighting could start to break down and compromise the silicone. It's just a fact that silicone deteriorates in tanks over time, hence the need to reseal a glass tank every couple of decades. So while silicones with mold inhibitors may be "safe" at first, they may become harmful over time as they start to deteriorate.
I use many sealants in my builds and take a somewhat experimental approach with them. I'm currently testing several different silicones and other sealants like flex seal and plastidip for long term durability in my tanks.
wednesday13
well what the hell are you supposed to seal the interior side of a bulkhead with if not silicone? They always just leak for me if I only use the rubber gasket....
Many silicones that read "mold-resistant" do not actually contain mold inhibiting chemicals. They read "mold-resistant" because 100% silicone IS mold resistant in itself. From what I've seen the 7 or 10 year guarantees fit this category.
The stuff that has lifetime guarantee and advertises that it contains mold inhibitors you should never use. They may be fine for awhile (or maybe even forever on a dice roll) but there's really no telling what kind and how much constant exposure to aquarium water or aquarium lighting could start to break down and compromise the silicone. It's just a fact that silicone deteriorates in tanks over time, hence the need to reseal a glass tank every couple of decades. So while silicones with mold inhibitors may be "safe" at first, they may become harmful over time as they start to deteriorate.
I use many sealants in my builds and take a somewhat experimental approach with them. I'm currently testing several different silicones and other sealants like flex seal and plastidip for long term durability in my tanks.
wednesday13
well what the hell are you supposed to seal the interior side of a bulkhead with if not silicone? They always just leak for me if I only use the rubber gasket....
My 2 cents:
Many silicones that read "mold-resistant" do not actually contain mold inhibiting chemicals. They read "mold-resistant" because 100% silicone IS mold resistant in itself. From what I've seen the 7 or 10 year guarantees fit this category.
The stuff that has lifetime guarantee and advertises that it contains mold inhibitors you should never use. They may be fine for awhile (or maybe even forever on a dice roll) but there's really no telling what kind and how much constant exposure to aquarium water or aquarium lighting could start to break down and compromise the silicone. It's just a fact that silicone deteriorates in tanks over time, hence the need to reseal a glass tank every couple of decades. So while silicones with mold inhibitors may be "safe" at first, they may become harmful over time as they start to deteriorate.
I use many sealants in my builds and take a somewhat experimental approach with them. I'm currently testing several different silicones and other sealants like flex seal and plastidip for long term durability in my tanks.
silicone just doesn’t adhere to plastic…u can scrape it off with ur finger… ticking time bomb imo and u give up the ability to tighten it down the road if needed… (knock on wood) ive honestly never had an issue with bulkheads even the cheap ones. Most if not all my fish room uses reg old $5-8 bulkheads, thin rubber gaskets and i use them on every scenario possible. Glass tanks, acrylic, 55gal plastic drums (curved surface), plastic totes and even on my pond liner tanks… i have them in the floor of a 500 gal through a sheet of plywood under the tank… half the room uses “used” bulkheads i salvaged from buying tanks and what not to boot. Prob older than myself ?… those do worry me a tad but life goes on. Ive actually cracked one of those in the tank floor working under the tank and swapped it out while the tank was full ?. Took a salty shower at the time, but u cant do that using silicone lol… whatever works for u/if it aint broke dont fix it i just never understood peoples troubles with using a bulk head. Every toilet in the world uses one for the top tank… no silicone is needed lol… the screws in the tank are also just a rubber gasket.
Yesssss....but...
The silicone is not intended to adhere to the plastic; it just creates another gasket, a custom-fit one that will absolutely be superior to the cheap mass-produced rubber one the bulkhead comes with...which, incidentally, is still in place and still doing that wondrous job that you are extolling. The silicone is just another layer of security. You assemble the thing with silicone in place, finger-tighten it, allow the silicone to cure, and then complete the tightening process. This compresses the nice uniform cured silicone into a magnificent, leak-proof, custom-fit gasket.
Many of my bulkheads are little 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch jobs, into which are screwed plain ordinary brass faucets, onto which are screwed plain ordinary garden hoses, which sit there permanently so that my far old ass has an easier time of doing water changes. Now, I don't like to screw the faucets into an already-mounted bulkhead as I need them nice and tight, so I screw in the faucet beforehand and then mount the bulkhead, orienting the faucet the way I way I want it while tightening the bulkhead. Using silicone allows me to adjust the bulkhead back and forth until it's just right; without silicone, this might drag the rubber gasket back and forth across the surface of the tank, which is usually plywood/epoxy, and this can damage the gasket. Silicone prevents that.
Rubber gasket material deteriorates over time; rubber gaskets, in my experience, don't last nearly as long as silicone. Encasing them in silicone not only lengthens their lives, but it maintains waterproof integrity even if the rubber itself fails.
I can think of other reasons to use silicone; can't really produce any reasons not to. Silicone is awesome stuff. Rubber...can't be trusted...
