Did I just make a big mistake?

[perrymedik]

Hi all,

I was just given two tanks today that leak. One is a 30g and has a leak in the coner and the other is a 29g and has a crack about 4-5 inches long running that runs this way (/|) in the corner.

On the 30g I took out the calk in the 3 angle of the corner about 4 inches each way with a straight razor. Rubbed it down, scrapped again untill I could see or remove nothing else. Then I cleaned throughly with Warm Soapy water. Then I let it air dry. I then used a product called Marine Contact Adhesive and Selant made by a company called GOOP, to re-bead all the edges.

On the 29g I used the same prduct with crack and applied a bead on both sides of the crack after cleaning and letting dry.

I am beginning to wonder if I might have done the wrong thing. Does anyone know anything about this product? It advertises itself as Clear/waterproof/paintable/flexible and stronger then glue. It comes out like silicon and is stringy and dries like silicon.

Should I let it dry and then test the tanks? or should I tear it out tomorrow and try to find the correct silicon? (btw Lowes here doesn't carry the GE Window and Door Silicon I but it does carry the Silicon II)

Any advice would be great! Thanks!!!!!

 

[dansemacabre]

The soap probably wasn't a good idea...soap + fish = bad. Make sure it's REALLY rinsed out, and that there's no residue from the soap. If you go to your LFS, you can probably find aquarium silicone. If you buy silicone elsewhere, it'll need to be _at least_ 99.9% pure silicone. You don't want anything in there. The aquarium silicone I got is from petsmart, made by an aquarium company, and it is 100% silicone. I don't know anything about the GOOP stuff, so I'll let someone more knowledgable comment on that. Just, in the future, clean it with something that leaves no residue. HTH!

 

[perrymedik]

thanks for the advise!

Anyone else have a few words of wisdome for me!!!???

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi and welcome!

I second the "no soap" advice! Rinse the tank very well! Never use household cleaners or soaps around or in the tanks or equipment. Here's an aquarium cleaner that I use to clean tanks when empty (like a QT tank) or the outside of the tank, or the hood glass: http://www.aquariumpharm.com/aqaqua.html Click on "safe and easy aquarium cleaner".

Here's another recent topic about silicone: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=14575

You can get the aquarium cleaner at your lfs (I got mine at Petco), and I also saw a tube of All-Glass Aquarium brand silicone at another lfs, Pet Supplies Plus.

 

[Smonkey15]

just a word of advice, i went to petsmart and paid $6.00 for a tube of aquarium silicone, then went to home depot immediatly after and found the exact same tube, same brand, made for aquariums, everything for like $2.50. i didn't check to see if they had the bigger ones for a caulk gun but i would recommend checking home depot first, or maybe lowes would have it.

 

[perrymedik]

so would you recomend that I restrip the corners and start again or just go over it with a good silicon?

 

[dansemacabre]

First off, we need to find out if the GOOP is harmful. I'll go research it for you, if I find anything I'll let you know. If the GOOP is not the good stuff, you need to scrape it all out. The silicone tends to not stick to stuff like that, and besides, if it is bad, you don't want it anywhere near your aquarium water! So, I'll go look for info on the GOOP you were talknig about before we do anything...if anyone out there already knows, help us out and post it. =] I'll be back!

 

[dansemacabre]

Ok, I can't find a lot of info on the GOOP you're talking about. Best I could do was a cruddy photo from the HD website. So, does it list the active ingredients? It looks very similar to the PC-11 I was recommended by someone on these forums. Your goop says it's clear, waterproof, uv resistant, etc, etc. I would think that, being waterproof (especially saltwater proof) it would not leach chemicals into your tank. If you can get us a list of ingredients, or tell what any of the descriptions say, that may help. I'm no chemicals expert, but we've got a few that are pretty familiar. I don't know that it's harmful, so just post some info and maybe someone will know.

My PC-11 is a two-part epoxy though. If your GOOP says it's an epoxy, it may be ok to use.

 

[perrymedik]

The only ingredients that it mentions are Toluene and Petroleum distillate. No other info exept for warngings of vapors so apply in well ventelated area.

 

[dansemacabre]

I'm not really sure...but when in doubt, I would scrape it all off and use the safe stuff. See if anyone else knows first, but if you come up with nothing, scrape all that stuff off and and go with the PC-11 (which is a HUGE pain, btw. It's very pastey and difficult to get where it belongs) or find some weld-on. There's another thread in the DIY forum about a refugium... [edit] http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=15194 [/edit]... go to that thread, and reffnewb recommends the proper weld-on products.

 

[perrymedik]

I put an e-mail into the company. Others have said that they used the GOOP "Plumer" in different tanks with no ill effects.

Under the questions section on the site it mentions aquariums specifically and says that they do not recomend using GOOP anywhere animals come in contact with it. I asked the to specify their reasons. If they are worried about it getting eaten then I think I will be ok as I have not heard of the fish dining on the seams.

I will make sure to post when I get their reply, IF I get a reply at all.

 

[dansemacabre]

sounds like a plan to me. =] good luck!

 

[William]

The only ingredients that it mentions are Toluene and Petroleum distillate. .

Anything that contains that word I wouldn't let in the same room with my fish tanks. 8O


Just break down and use aquarium grade silicon for christ sakes. Why even risk it or take the chance? I mean, you wouldn't feed your dog out of a plastic bowl that was sold as " Should be safe for animal life, Risk of chemical leeching not common " or something like that, right?

So why put it in your fishes home, if you wouldn't even let your dog eat out of it?

 

[perrymedik]

The following is the e-mail correspondence with the Goop product tech. Hope this helps!!!!

------------------------------------------

Hello, I was wondering if you could give me more details as to why Marine GOOP should not be used with aquariums. I have a leak in the corner of my tank and put the goop in there to seal it. Then questioned myself if that was wise.



I would appreciate all the info you could send my way.



Thank you,



Cory Perry

--------------------------------------------------
Cory,



The Goop contains Toluene, which is harmful to your scaly friends. If it is a very small amount and the volume of the tank is large, you may be ok. It probably would not hurt to flush the tank over the next few days if you have already put water in it. If it is still dry, allow at least 72hrs for the Toluene to evaporate. The longer the better.



Day Farrald

Tech Services

Eclectic Products

-------------------------------------------------------
So after the Toulene evaporates then the tank should be fine? I can let it sit for a few weeks, no rush. But if you think it would be best to tear it all out and use regular silicon please let me know. It is a 30 gallon tank and I used it to seal a bottom corner about 4-6" in all 3 directions. Most of it will be covered by gravel in the bottom leaving only 2-3" exposed. Thank you for you time and you assistance in this matter!!


Cory Perry

-------------------------------------

Cory,



In theory, it should be fine. The only problem is we can not be absolutely certain that no solvents are still present. It should be ok.



Day Farrald

Tech Services

Eclectic Products

 

[perrymedik]

By the way, I tested the tanks tonight. The one with a crack in the corner is holding up just fine. I am going to let it sit full of water all night and tomorrow as well and see if any leaking occures.

The other tank that is leaking from the seal is still leaking!
So this weekend I am going to Lowes and getting the DAP 100% Silicon and redoing all of the seams! I mean every single one of them!

So my next question is this. What would be the best way to do this. Obviously I would take out the calk and then clean the surfaces with aciton. But should I take out the all the calk at once or just do a seam at a time? I know that there is silicon between the peices of glass, but is that enough to hold them all to gether while I apply new inner seams? In my mind if I took it all out and resealed it at all one time that would make the seam a continous peace that would be a very good seal, I am just affraid that the glass will fall apart.

Looking forward to the suggestions!!!

Thanks again!

 

[dansemacabre]

I'd do it one at a time, just because in the event it were to come apart, I'd HATE having to put it back together. If you've got plenty of time, take it slow. But make sure you scrape all the old silicone out of the inside, as it does not like to stick to itself.

As far as the goop is concerned, considering the delicacy of marine life and its ecosystem, I wouldn't use it. I'd remove it, and use the 100% silicone.

As a note, when you use the acetone, after you've re-siliconed (or siliconed the one you previously GOOPed), I'd give it a good rinsing out after all the silicone has cured. I know that acetone evaporates like crazy (and I've used it in chem classes to clean droppers for HCl), but I'm paranoid, and when it comes to my fish, the safer the better. Just give it a good rinse. Keep us posted. =]

 

[perrymedik]

I'd do it one at a time, just because in the event it were to come apart, I'd HATE having to put it back together. If you've got plenty of time, take it slow. But make sure you scrape all the old silicone out of the inside, as it does not like to stick to itself.=]

So I'm a bit confused. You say to do one seam at a a time, the turn around and say to make sure I scrape out all of the old silicon since it does not like to stick to itself.

So when my seams join together from the different sides, does that mean that there will be a bad seal since the silicon won't stick to itself? Or will it still be ok since it is still a fresh seal?

Sorry to keep incesantly asking questions which I am sure the answer is very simple, I just want to make sure that I do everything correct.

Thanks!

 

[dansemacabre]

You don't have to scrape it all out at once, you just have to scrape it all out. Don't worry about the silicone actually in between the glass panels. Just go one seam at a time, scrape the old stuff off that seam on the tank's interior, and resilicone that seam. wait for it to cure a few days, then proceed to the next seam, doing this until it's done. Make sense now? No harm in asking questions, the real harm is in going in blind. Hope this helps, if I'm still not clear, ask me to clarify again.