New Free Tank, almost a good deal

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6967017#post6967017 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MCary
100% silcone that is "safe for food use" does not have any antifungicides and is adentical to aquarium silicone. I am convinced that the "not for aquarium use" statement is a liability issure. They don't want to get sued if the seam fails.

Thats exactly what it is. GE/etc doesnt want to spend the $$ to have some of their silicons certified for food usage.

The only difference between GE silicon I and II is cure time, and cure strength. Both are safe as long as you use Windows and Doors, and not Kitchens and Bathrooms.

 

[hllywd]

hmmm..... not sure why you'd take the chance when the cost is nearly the same if not identical, even if the we think liability is the issue I don't get it... I'd bet if you were to call GE's customer service people they would even reccomend their correct product for the application... but I could be wrong

 

[RichConley]

People ahve been using the windows and doors stuff for years. Its not an issue of it being the same price. The windows and doors tubes are about $3 at HD, to get a full caulking tube full of AGA silicone is about $17 around here. If you're gonna use multiple tubes, that adds up.

 

[hllywd]

Local LFS had All-Glass for about 6 bucks last time I looked the GE I use is $1 to $1.50 cheaper. Not gonna break the bank here Last tubes of GE I bought for work were ~$5 @ Lowes.

 

[hllywd]

I look at it just like buying black and white label bread.... aint gonna do it. But others have been doing it for years...

 

[MCary]

I bought aquarium silicone from F&S. Takes about three days to get. Cost about 6 bucks a tube. I'm not worried about the stuff you get at the hardware store for windows and doors. Either/or, whatever matches your comfort zone.

 

[hahnmeister]

The best I have seen is bigalsonline. I just dont mess around with trying to find which silicone is which. Over the years the formulas can change and problems can just be avoided by buying the stuff thats made for aquariums. C'mon guys...were talking a few extra dollars or so on a hobby that costs us hundreds a month...easily. If the aquarium suff is formulated to be the strongest bond according to companies...then I will believe them...why not? I used to use GE silicone 1 for K&B, supposedly this is good for aquariums. But why risk it I figured? You can get the clear and black silicone from Big Al's and at only a few $$$ more per 10oz. tube than regular stuff....

WHO CARES?!?!

 

[69vette]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6970883#post6970883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
Over the years the formulas can change and problems can just be avoided by buying the stuff thats made for aquariums.

It's not made specifically for aquariums. It's just repackaged.

If the aquarium suff is formulated to be the strongest bond according to companies...then I will believe them...why not?

It's not a different formula, it's the same stuff.

WHO CARES?!?!

I care, if I'm being ripped off.

 

[rutledgek]

There are a few products that are just repackaged. name brand vs generic food, OTC medication, Clothing, Sea Veggies fish food. Just make sure the silicone doesnt include any fungicides or the like. I know one of the GE silicones are often used in the DIY hobby. I built a sump but I think I used the aquarium stuff.

 

[jay24k]

I've always used regular silicone in my sumps. Some that I had to run for 5 hrs after seaming it up. I wasn't doing it for leaking issues though. Although 1100 gph gushing through there hasn't cracked it or leaked it yet.

I agree with the rest. Alot will say not to use the mold inhibitors but I've used them all and I've seen any issues. Plenty of stuff out there with the same ingredients as the name brand. Just depends if you want to get conned.

 

[rutledgek]

Look at Southdown play sand. It says right on the package not for aquarium use. Many of these manufactureres sell their stuff to be repackages for specialty use. Look at Rowaphos, granular ferric oxide hydroxide, is commonly used in large water filtration systems for cyanide removal. If you can find a place to order it from it works out to be cheaper than the rowaphos by weight. However many of these places have to sign an agreement that they will not sell it for aquarium uses.

 

[jay24k]

MEant to say I've not seen any issues.

 

[MCary]

Like I said, it all boils down to comfort zones. The person buying the stuff is assuming the risk. Its really no one elses business to tell him he's wrong. Just do us all a favor and if something does go wrong with an experiment let us know here. By anouncing that you are doing something you are encouraging others to try it and with that should come with responsibility.

Having said that, I'll try anything. I also hate getting ripped off in the name of hobby products. I know these places need to make money but... I can get a case of Mrs Wages for what Kent wants for one jar. Lets get real for a minute.

Mike

 

[hllywd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6976202#post6976202 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MCary
Like I said, it all boils down to comfort zones. The person buying the stuff is assuming the risk. Its really no one elses business to tell him he's wrong. Just do us all a favor and if something does go wrong with an experiment let us know here. By anouncing that you are doing something you are encouraging others to try it and with that should come with responsibility.

Having said that, I'll try anything. I also hate getting ripped off in the name of hobby products. I know these places need to make money but... I can get a case of Mrs Wages for what Kent wants for one jar. Lets get real for a minute.

Mike

I will reiterate... I think your idea is unreliable.... from experience!!!

Aquired a 225 gallon tank for 0 duckets. Unfortunately it has a leak in one corner. I was going to go against wisdom and remove 8 inches of the silicone bead from the x,y,z axis and rebead it. But I have removed silicone before and this stuff came off way too easy. So I've decided to do as I am told and remove the enite inside bead and re-caulk it with some new and improved silicone.

I have tried removing the entire inside seal without resetting the panels but putting a new silicone bead on each seam and ended up with a wet floor six months down the road from the same place it leaked originally. I'm just guessing that 225 gallons is a LOT of water to find on the floor after a weekend away!!! Why cut corners?

 

[MCary]

Actually the leak was a small pinhole that caused a very small drip once the tank was 3/4 full. At most I would say a couple of gallons would leak over a weekend.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I redid the seam in a 150 with no problems. Held up for a year before I sold the tank. As far as I know, it's still running.

All I did was remove the old siclicon from the inside anlong with slightly seperating the seam. I cleand out all of the old stuff and cleaned the glass with alcahol.

After it dried, I put in a bead of scilicone in the seam, removed some spreades i had and put a light clamping pressure on it to push the seam back together. I then put a small bead on the inside and smother it out. Let it cure for 24 hours and had the tank back up and running in just a few days.

Like I said, worked great for over a year before I got rid of it.

Good luck.

aAs far as the issue with name brand/non name brand, I'll give you a little insight. I did a little probing once while looking for southdown on the west coast. ALL of the arrignate sand comes from one mine in the carabian. The company that sells it as live sand for aquarium use has a exclusive agrement with the mine that they cannot sell it for aquarium use to any other company. So to make money, they dry it and sell it to another packaging company as play sand with the understanding that they must put a disclamer on the package that it's "not for aquarium use". It's how they get around the exclusive contract with the aquarium company. But it's all the SAME SAND from the SAME MINE.

So do you want to pay 30 bucks for a 20 lb bag or 10 bucks for a 50 lb bag? Your choice.

 

[Chris Pierce]

I have repaired two tanks, a 90 and a 30 which I have running in my living room right now. For the 90 I took the panel out and ran a bead for the butt joint, then I taped the side into place with slight pressure. After that I ran a bead up each inside corner of the tank. I used silicone from Home Depot, now two years later I have had no problems. On the 30g I only cut out the two inside corners without removing the panel and reapplied the silicone. After about 1 year the side that I repaired developed a very slow leak, just enough to keep the corner of the tank wet. If I had to do it over again, I would remove the panel and do it right.

 

[spykes]

how do you guys remove the silcone between the two panels. Not the triangle bead inside of the tank, but the silcone inside of the two panels. I had a very hard time using a razor blade on my test tank, it was chipping the glass everytime the razor blade was in the seam.

 

[BeanAnimal]

piano wire or guitar string

 

[gotdibz]

i have used this for my sump...i have had no problem with it ... heres a pic