Aquarium Safe Silicone Sealants

[captainGregor]

There are a lot of questions being raised about safety of the silicone sealants that you buy at local Home Improvement store as opposed to paying an arm and a leg for LFS "aquarium-safe" kind. I have created some great rockwork as well as caves for my new aquarium and then something bugged me about the sealant I used - "GE Kitchen and Bath 100% Silicone Sealant." I have done research, read material data sheets (MSDS), called GE Silicones, and finally learned that GE does not recommend any silicone for aquatic use even though their www.gesilicones.com website recommends their RTV108 for aquariums. The consumer version of RTV108 is apparently called "Window and Door 100% silicone Rubber Sealant." Any mildew-resistant kinds are not safe. It is a shame that I have to redo all the work I have done, but it is better than dying fish. At the same time I have read other people's letters where they have even used Silicone II and were OK. Please share your experiences and thoughts on this matter.

 

[Terry]

I always feel safer if i use a sealant that is got a little fish on the packaging ie. (aquarium use/safe for fish).
Here in the UK there are two main aquarium sealants, the first is made by Dow Corning and the second is made by there parent company Geocel.
I always stick with these and that way i can't go wrong.

 

[captainGregor]

Terry, I just called GE Silicones here in the States and the lady told me without even a moment hesitation: "We cannot recommend any of our products for aquariums." Of course they cannot, bloody bastards. If they did, and your fish died, you'd start suing them. I should have known better than to call them. I will just go to the LFS and pay $10 for damned "safe" version and redo all my work. I do not want to spend $100 on the fish and then have them poisoned. Thanks for reply. I still would like people to share their thoughts.

 

[Terry]

captainGregor,
I am sitting in my office right now with a tube of aquarium sealant made by Geocel. On the tube it says geocel aquarium sealant with a 10yr guarentee. it has a picture of a fish on the tube and it states that it is safe for fish. Well i don't know what to say, the address on the packaging is a UK one so it could be a differant geocel.

 

[loganj]

I have used the GE 100% pure clear silicone for years in aquariums and have never had a problem. Stay away from the "kitchen and bath" or "windows and doors" and just get the plain clear silicone...you'll never have a problem with it. It's the same stuff you pay through the nose for at the LFS.

 

[captainGregor]

Thank you guys for advise. I went and bought the Perfecto Aquarium-Safe version our LFS had on sale. 10 oz tube was $7 so I did OK.