silicone (used the wrong type)

[steve the plumb]

I used GE kitchen and bath silicone in my sump.I have used this brand before with out any issues.I know it has fungicide's in it with are not good for the aquarium.My set up is new 300 gal tank with 125 gal sump.I did use some silicone on the bulkheads,some threads but the bulk of it was in my sump for the partitions.Most of my live rock wasn't seeded.I bought about 70 pounds of new live rock and I waited about a month before adding any fish.I added 2 triggers at first and thne started to but more fish.I noticed some of the fish stopped eating and then would hide and then died.I asked around and some said it could be the silicone it also could be my tank was new plus I did use a bit of soap and a filter sock witch I washed 3 times in the machine.The first time using a tad of soap(very little) then the other 2 cycles just water.What i did notice that in my sump the silicone started to turn yellow and in other places discolored.Most of my fish did die.I have 3 left now my trigger in my sump is showing signs of flaking of the skin.I did remove almost all of the silicone,changed carbon and added extra carbon and did 100 gal water change.I have 2 gobys and a blenny for at least 2 weeks now(one of the gobys has been in for a month)I don't know now if the fish that I have left will live.The trigger is the only fish showing signs of flaking.Now 3 of my other fish that I had did show signs of flaking and then died.The first fish I bought that did didn't eat and died but the last few fish showed sins of discoloration and flaking and then died.Maybe I am confusing.I have a pic of my trigger

 

[steve the plumb]

 

[steve the plumb]

 

[steve the plumb]

This was my silicone in my sump

 

[steve the plumb]

you can see in this pic its yellow

 

[steve the plumb]

It was also brownish

 

[steve the plumb]

now if you want a list of the fish I lost since I started this tank 1 fox face,1 butterfly,1 bluethroat trigger1,lemon peel angel,4 clownfish,2 firefish,1clown tang,dossimer tang, 1 wrasse, the wrasse,clownfish, lemon peel and firefish died without showing any signs of discoloration.The fish just stopped eating and went into hiding and died.The other fish were still alive but they all started to have discoloration of the body witch to me looks like a disease of some kind then they died.The thing is my blenny and 2 gobys look fine.This started happening about 3 weeks after my first fish were introduced.I know I should have used a quarantine tank my fish were fine.I started my tank about 2 1/2 months ago.I did leave my live rock in there for a good month before adding fish.

 

[paulamrein]

There is so much more to the cycling than a month can do. I did the same thing and couldn't keep anything alive for 4 or 5 months. It could have something to do with it. There could be something with the silicone too, I have no experience with it. But there are articles on tank maturity, and they say nothing for a year. No one here would ever wait that long. But it does prove a point about maturity. If you have time, go to the reef fish forum look on the top for a sticky called what tang for my 30g, In that, there is a thread on tank maturity. Like I said, I waited a month and started buying fish like most. It may be an answer, not the only answer but 1 of your answers to your problem. You have a lot of money invested, take the time now to study on good acclimation procedures and QT's. It will save headache and money and disappointment.

 

[steve the plumb]

Thanks I kind of figured that out.I think it was a combo of both the silicone and not enough good live rock to seed the tank.I should have waited 3 months before adding any fish.I rushed and I see what happened.My buddy said it takes about 6 months for the tank to seed and mature to the point where you can keep a fish and not have to worry about death to to the tank being to new.I never had to many problems in my 150 but I took a year off and then I hated looking at my 300 gal tank with no fish it it.My wrong doing.Thanks for the help.I was more concerned about the silicone .I removed most of it but there is a bit left,not much.

 

[hansonfam]

I would say 99.999% of your issue is the silicone. That is deadly to your tank. Germicides and mildew resistent stuff is just not good. I would say when it started leaching out it is now absorbed by your rocks and it is just gonna keep killing things. Flaking of the skin has nothing to do with a new tank. I would say that was some kind of poison. I honestly don't know what to suggest.

Gees i dunno. Beyond getting new ock i am not sure what the answer is. But i would bet the rock absorbed it and it is leaching out. And its not like you can test for it. I still have fish that i had from the 1 month mark from when i started my tank 2 yrs ago so the theory that you can't keep anything alive untill the 5 month mark is myth.

I don't even kow who you could enquire about this with

 

[steve the plumb]

Well I took out the silicone and I hope that eventually it all goes away with water changes,carbon and time.I guess only time will tell.For now I am not planning on adding any more fish.

 

[thepudge]

Throw in some polyfilters too, couldnt hurt.

 

[steve the plumb]

Now I still have a little bit of silicone left on the bulkheads and some small pieces that were on the partitions that I couldn't get to.Will the silicone continue to leech?I am thinking that it will exhaust itself its not like mold to continue to grow.It probably did get into my rock but I wouldn't think it would just stay there.I would think with carbon running plus my skimmer and filter socks it will get out of the system(I hope)