# Bathroom sealant to fix wood to rock?



## 5678 (16 Jun 2015)

Just a check to see if I'm safe to use some clear B&Q bathroom sealant to fix some wood to rock? Will it cause issues?


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## zozo (16 Jun 2015)

You'll know when you see fish float, that's the problem. Whit aquarium safe kit or food grade kit, you're sure you're safe. 
I guess in very  small portions and fully curred whatever silicon kiit in a lot of water it's maybe not an issue. So that are numbers you have to take in consideration.

Silicone by itself isn't toxic, it's the solvend which makes it soft causing the issues.. In standaard bathroom kit or car windsheald sealant you'll never know what solvent is used. Actualy i don't realy know what sovent they use in aquarium safe kit. But i guess it's a solvent that 100% evaporates and doesn't leave any residues.

Read the directions on the back of the tube.. If it says "Keep out of reach of children", eye, skin irritation, don't swallow and avoid breathing vapors.. I would say ?????
I've used once a tine drop of windshield sealent like that to repair a tiny leak in a pump, in such tiny proportions, ok, but i would never risk it to put a lump of that in the aquarium..


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## 5678 (16 Jun 2015)

I won't risk it. Just ordered some JBL Haru.


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## DTL (16 Jun 2015)

Most bathroom silicones contain an anti fungal agent which makes them unsafe for aquarium use, so you need to check for this.


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## ian_m (16 Jun 2015)

zozo said:


> it's the solvent that makes it soft causes the issues


No solvent in silicone. Please get your facts right.

Normal acetoxy silicone sets by a condensation reaction, releasing acetic acid. This is completely non toxic to fish and is what aquarium safe silicone is. What is added to most silicone for home use is fungicide to stop it going mouldy. It is the fungicide that is toxic to aquarium life. However on saying that 30 odd years ago people made and fixed their tanks using any old silicone and their fish lived....maybe....

You need aquarium safe silicone from your aquatic shop or specialist aquarium safe glue. I glued my rocks using JBL Haru glue.


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## zozo (16 Jun 2015)

ian_m said:


> No solvent in silicone. Please get your facts right.
> 
> Normal acetoxy silicone sets by a condensation reaction, releasing acetic acid.



I've seen kits where one was thinner than the other.. I my search for the question why and can it be made even thinner i found a sheet where was explained that silicone can be made thinner with any carbon based solvend you like..

That's my fact, 

I do not know what they put in there and if it is normal or abnormal kit if you just buy kit. Till now i haven't seen any discription on kit tubes elaborating on the actual contents.

And indeed.. I forgot about the anti fungal addetives.. Good point, actualy the best point given.. 

Btw thanx for the feedback.. I do not only need to get the facts right, but also my English again. Sometimes i can't find the right words for what i want to say..  I guess i rather skip the reply if i encounter situations like that again.


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## Tim Harrison (16 Jun 2015)

zozo said:


> I do not only need to get the facts right, but also my English again. Sometimes i can't find the right words for what i want to say..  I guess i rather skip the reply if i encounter situations like that again.


No don't do that... it's an open and international forum...we all have opinions (even though they may not be totally right sometimes - mine included), and it doesn't matter if the English is a bit off at times either, or whether some things get lost in translation. 
The important thing is that we all feel able to continue to contribute without the fear of making mistakes...it's how we learn and it's the lifeblood of forums like this...


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## zozo (16 Jun 2015)

Troi said:


> No don't do that... it's an open and international forum...we all have opinions (even though they may not be totally right sometimes - mine included), and it doesn't matter if the English is a bit off at times either, or whether some things get lost in translation.
> The important thing is that we all feel able to continue to contribute without the fear of making mistakes...it's how we learn and it's the lifeblood of forums like this...



Oh i didnt mean it like that, its not that drastic. But thanks anyway... It's not that i'm getting gun shy.. lol (love that one) But i can understand that some words in meaning actualy are misleading when it comes to (half) tech facts. For example i was actualy searching for the word "addetive" and in all the haste of wanting to reply i stumbled over the word solvent instead. I know they can put solvenst in there as addetive so thought it was good to go to give an example why not to use any ordenary kit from the shelf.

I like it very much when someone is pointing out when my reply is misleading or just wrong because of mixing words. It triggers me and my learning curve to think over my reply and what i want to say. Be less hasty and more accurate.

So the thanks for the feedback was honnestly well meant from the heart.  Please give to me!
I can handle a punch and not so easily KO nor offfended.

It remebers me of a girlfriend i once had, she was from Thai origine.. Here mother was Thai and still living in Thailand. I met here one day. And to be funny a did say to  here "Dag Ma" it means "Hello Mother" in dutch.. She was offended very much.. It happens to be that "Dag Ma" sounds like "Horse Ass" in Thai..


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## ian_m (16 Jun 2015)

So in summary if you want to use silicone to stick rocks/wood together you must you aquarium safe silicone.

If you are not buying from an aquatic shop you are looking for something like this, the ZWALUW AQUA SILICONE. There are numerous other manufacturers.
http://www.siroflex.co.uk/sections/zwaluw/silicones_adhesives.html

It's ingredients are listed as only triacetoxy(propyl)silane & methylsilanetriyl triacetate, though interestingly can cause burns, I suspect from the acetic acid. There are no petroleum base additives (the solvent alluded to above) and no fungicides in this product.

However I never had 100% long term success sticking rocks and wood with silicone, it eventually came away after a year or two. No problem with JBL Haru, stick some rocks and pebbles together in 2007 and still stuck together.


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## zozo (16 Jun 2015)

Now i read the word stick!!  That James Findley i saw somewhat all videos from.. Remarcable talented scapper that guy.. Actualy one of my inspirations to start an aquarium again.
In the video Altitude he uses those hot glew sticks..  The cowboy doesn't stop glewing in this scape.. Aquaglewscape?


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## jagillham (16 Jun 2015)

I always use  HA6 RTV Marine Silicone. Last lot was £3.83 new & delivered from eBay.

No point risking it, especially with bathroom or kitchen silicone which will often have anti mould chemicals in it.


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## PARAGUAY (16 Jun 2015)

Don't use it, get Aquarium Sealant. Silicones have all kinds of properties,different for a bathroom as to Upvc windows and doors etc for example


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## Christos Ioannou (16 Jun 2015)

Bathroom sealant (silicone ) often states whether its safe for aquarium use. You can check this in the local diy shop before purchasing.


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## 5678 (16 Jun 2015)

Thanks for all the replies, i've already said that I have ordered some JBL Haru though!!


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## Jose (17 Jun 2015)

You can use any silicone that desnt say mold resistant or things like that, as long as you let it to dry long enough. Just plain silicone, you dont have to look for any special one. You are going to spend your money in special "aquarium grade" ones for nothing. Now I wouldnt use it to stick a rock and a wood. Just use a dark sewing thread or fish line etc. I've made a few small tanks now with cheap silicone and nothing bad happened.


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