What's the deal with silicone?

[ramfan]

Hi! I'm posting this under plants because we talk about aquascaping here too:

I want to use silicone to set up background cork among other pieces in the aquarium. The Silicone I just bought from the hardware store (in an attempt to avoid the overpriced fs brands which I usually buy) is "DAP" Household Adhesive 100% silicone. HOWEVER, the directions state: "Not recommended for continuous underwater use." Advice?

Thanks in advance...

(I posted this in an existing forum under glue or something, but I think it will get lost there. Sorry if I'm littering the board a tad.)

 

[electrikat]

100% silicone is supposed to be fine as far as safety for fish. It is used to seal aquarium glass and I cannot see how it could not be good for continuous underwater use. Many people on this site use it.

 

[ramfan]

OK. That's reassuring.

Thank you!

 

[Toirtis]

Best bet is to use only silicone that is listed as for aquarium use, as many have added anti-fungals, which can prove fatal to fish if they leach into the water. GE 'Silicone I' and 1700 series silicones are safe.

 

[ramfan]

Great to know, Toirtus.
Thanks

 

[czcz]

DAP has a "AQUARIUM 100% SILICONE" product. Packaging is blue. FWIW, I only used this product instead of their household 100% silicone, since I figured there's a reason it says its safe for aquariums. I've purchased it from both HD and ACE hardware for around $5 -- not much more than the household stuff and about a third of the price/oz than LFS.

 

[ramfan]

That is worth a lot, actually. I will try to find it at a local hardware store. It's just so wrong, how fs's jack up all the prices- feeding on our fear that we will harm our fish!
Thanks