Aquarium Safe Silicone - which one to use?

In this video I talk about aquarium silicone, specifically that not all silicones are created equal and can have different uses in different purposes inside the aquarium.
repair or rebuild your aquariums at your own risk I take no responsibility for any flooding, damages, or loss/death of tank inhabitants that may occur from your handiwork or from products that you may use including ones talked about in this video.
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These are all products that I personally use and recommend to you guys!
Medications:
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[@stevemiller8239]

I went with the ASI and this video was HUGE for me. I spent hours researching, but a little talk with you got me straight!! Thank you!!

[@xxSuperShadowxx510]

I'm new to the vivarium hobby, and you finally answered my silicone questions! thank you!

[@MyThirdUserAccount]

Perfect! Clear, simple, and USEFUL information! Thanks!!

[@krazorspoon]

Thank you for making such a user-friendly, detailed, and comprehensive video! I'm brand new to the hobby and want to focus on paludariums, and you covered all bases so thoroughly! I really appreciate it!

[@danielamspaugh7519]

Feels like I just went to school in silicone. Thanks for the video.

[@i8dpie]

Excellent review of the silicones available for the hobbyist. Thanks so much!

[@TrafishAquatics]

You're welcome

[@ryans.3367]

Thanks for making this video, it was a big help! Well done!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@devin5381]

Excellent video. Thank you!

[@dasledogg64]

Thanks for the breakdown, really appreciate this information.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome

[@markfranklin8831]

Great video love the information that you provide.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@hamedzamankhan2258]

Awesome video as always! thanks for the info

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@faedoyle4147]

Great information!!! Got my shirt ordered!!!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Glad you enjoyed, Thank you!

[@dobermanguy9437]

My hundred gallon reef got up in the morning and there was a small puddle in front of the tank I had a feeling it was going to leak because the front of the trim always had like a little bit of dampness I ordered on Amazon two tubes of the ASI I've heard a lot of good things about the silicone and the price is not bad my tank is all stripped and cleaned of silicone and ready to reseal I had to put all my saltwater fish and Coral in a smaller tank until I get this big tank back going I'm going to wait a whole week for it to dry with the new silicone just to be safe they say that's pretty good stuff anyway great video enjoy all the different silicones you showed good explanation

[@rogerpackham15]

Love the video. Getting ready to reseal my 100g I purchased used a couple days ago. Wanted to use something better than the GE.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Good luck with the reseal

[@dajavu71]

thanks for the info i have a 6ft tank to rebuild and ur info on strengths and products helped me a great deal and i got the rtv108 ,,lukily i found it in australia on ebay

[@TrafishAquatics]

Glad to hear this video was helpful to you!

[@igotsnacks13]

Good stuff. Thank You for sharing,

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome

[@Redneckrino]

Great video man !!!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Thank you

[@stevemcdermott8263]

Thanks for the information

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome

[@pennyanderson6863]

Great DIY information thank you I have a 75 hexagon tank ready to start.with your help I will suceed

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome

[@bernarddjbjsison4990]

Thanks great info👍

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@kingteetv1074]

Thanks best one I found

[@TrafishAquatics]

You're welcome!

[@radhew516]

Thank you

[@frankarenas1551]

Great information on the silicone. I just had a 150 gallon tank leak. I am researching this topic to begin the work.

[@TrafishAquatics]

I have a full video on resealing a tank, personally I used ge1 on my 150 but if you haven't done it before I would use the rtv108 or stronger to help with any possible workmanship defects

[@frankarenas1551]

I was thinking of the aquarium ASI sealant you mentioned on the video. It will be my first reseal of a tank. Any thoughts on this idea? I am going to watch the reseal video again. I am hesitant about doing this myself.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Asi is a good choice, it's not hard to do a reseal, pretty easy

[@jonbennett4159]

Great informative video. Thanks for explaining. 👍🐡🇬🇧

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@jj28west]

If there was a paypal tip jar I would send you one. Watched several of the big youtube aquarium guys who now charge a monthly subscription and they all gave pretty much the same advice as did redditt. Then I see yours and bravo...you gave me great lead to source where it was apples to apples but almost half the price even with toays shipping. Thanks for this

[@doghows]

Great info... im binge watching all your videos lol....i personally use the ge1 ... I have used the aqueon with good success on 2 55gals... but since have changed to ge1 cuz of prices...

[@TrafishAquatics]

Thanks, I've used GE1 up to 150 gal for resealing but any larger I would use something else

[@yanjijay6752]

Thnx thisnis very helpful I'm trying to make some myself but glass isn't cheap to get here.

[@TrafishAquatics]

I'm glad it was helpful! Best of luck building!

[@mikegoritz1010]

You made my day!!!!!!

[@jeffklockowskisr8377]

Nice video . I thought by law because I use to work in the construction industry for a major company that if you request the MSDS sheet ( material safety data sheet ) the company has to send it to you .

[@TrafishAquatics]

They did send the MSDS but that doesn't contain the Technical Data like tensile strength and elasticity, only had the chemical composition and cleanup specs

[@michaelsherron5750]

Thanks for explaining the reason why the co. says not aquarium safe for the GE 1. I want to use the silicone sealantt anyway TO BUILD an olla system, so the GE 1 should be safe for my soil, right?

[@anaroca7158]

Im new to this hobby 😅 I would like to build an acrylic terrarium for plants and eventually add dart frogs down the line. Will the GE be best or should i go stronger just in case?

[@scottrobert2724]

what do you think about the gorilla 100 percent silicon heard that is really good

[@AHLive215]

i know this video is old, i need to resael a tank but i have noticed one the new ge1 silicone tubes it now says 7 year mold free product protection. I was wondering if its still the same product

[@edward_grabczewski]

I contacted Aqueon and the R&D department gave me this information: Shear 150 psi, Tensile 300 psi, Peel 37 psi Hope that helps

[@TrafishAquatics]

Awesome thank you!

[@chrispixx]

Good knowledgeable video, I went on eBay and typed in aquarium silicone the first thing that came up was ASI available in clear or black $12.99, also the SCI 1200 was available. I'm going to reseal my twenty-year-old 55-gallon with ASI black, because I've had aquariums with clear silicone all my life so why not.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Excellent choice!

[@sirnamelaw]

Thank you for this valuable information Trafish. Just a recommendation for you. You mentioned GE1 is "perfectly fine" for aquarium building for smaller tanks, resealing, etc. There is a reason why GE had their lawyers add a disclaimer on their product. I feel you should do the same and at a minimum add a disclaimer in your video description to cover yourself. You know there are some freaks out there. No good deed goes unpunished.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Sounds fair Thank you!

[@MichaelRobinson-vw4jg]

I've used GE1 since the 80s, never had any issues 😂

[@scotty2salty327]

I wish the prices were what they were when you made this video!! Lol 37 gallon frag tank, 24"x30"x12" sounds like GE1 will be sufficient to build it.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yes ge1 will work

[@Goldenstriker13]

Hey bro, I have a MarineLife big filter but somehow lost the O Ring Rubber Band. I thought of sealing the lid with the silicone then pushing down on the bottom. Would that work and be safe for the fish? Thanks

[@themurphys31]

This is fantastic information. I was thinking of using the ASI to reseal a 150 gallon tank that last held water 1 year ago and has been used as a reptile tank until I got it from him. My question is, when you reseal, is it adding the silicon (one corner at a time) and using your finger to rub the silicon in over the old sealant ? I’m still new to the new resealing process. Your input is greatly valued!

[@TrafishAquatics]

New silicone won't adhere to old silicone I have a video on how to do a full tank reseal that is pretty thorough on how to do it for beginners kzbin.info/www/bejne/aobWfKqBp8yjpcU

[@themurphys31]

@@TrafishAquatics I legit just found it too lol. Does it matter what kind of acetone to use ?

[@TrafishAquatics]

As long as it's 100% you should be good to go, I honestly get mine from the dollar store 😆

[@themurphys31]

@@TrafishAquatics lol that will work then, I’ll follow the instruction you have for resealing!

[@dballentine100]

Hi I ordered the wrong scs silicone I purchased the 1000 ...will that work for my 90 gallon aquarium or should I get the 1200??????? Thanks in advance

[@travisrose3361]

Stupid question. What about ge1 tub and tile? Says it resists mold, but i cant find any i fo indicating an inhinitor

[@EireFirst2024]

Heya buddy, it's 12:25 here in Ireland & I've like a pin hole leak 3 quarters of the way down, I've drained it down.. Luckily enough we were here, any advice on fixing it 2moro.. Please & thanks in advance Kev 👍

[@TrafishAquatics]

Youll have to do a full reseal as new silicone doesnt adhere to old silicone, i have a full walk through on how to do it kzbin.info/www/bejne/aobWfKqBp8yjpcU

[@loveit59]

Thanks very good info. What do u recommend for a 120 gal tank?

[@TrafishAquatics]

If the tank is a leaker I would reccomend rtv108, ge scs1200 or the asi, if the silicone just looks rough and you just want to reseal it I would just use GE1, I used GE1 on my 150 with no issues

[@TrafishAquatics]

If the tank is a leaker I would reccomend rtv108, ge scs1200 or the asi, if the silicone just looks rough and you just want to reseal it I would just use GE1, I used GE1 on my 150 with no issues

[@nathandaniels1117]

Thanks for the info. You answered so many questions I was seeking the answers for.

[@TrafishAquatics]

You're welcome

[@joanneliggett3255]

Thanks for the video. Was thinking about buying a used 40 gallon hex acrylic tank. It’s 7 years old and wanted to reinforce the seal with GE 1. Is that OK with an acrylic tank and is reinforcing the inner rim a wise decision putting new silicon on whatever they use to bond the tank together? Thanks

[@TrafishAquatics]

Acrylic tanks don't use silicone to seal or hold the tank together, acrylic tanks have a chemical used in between the panes of acrylic to essentially melt the pieces together creating a chemical bond. It's physically impossible for this seal to come apart unless it cracks.

[@joanneliggett3255]

@@TrafishAquatics Cool. Thanks so much!!

[@Gtag_thagoat]

ASI 520psi is what I’m going with.. I resealed my 125 7 months ago with GE1 and just lastnight I woke up to 125 gallons of water on my finished basement floor. I let it cure for 7 days before adding water, couple months went by thought I was good. Idk what happened, but I found asi for 6$ a tube! I think I’ll need 2 tubes

[@Gtag_thagoat]

Just ordered 2 tubes, after shipping it came out to 23$ couldn’t beat that!

[@TrafishAquatics]

Nice

[@AQUARIUMFREAK123]

i need to use BLACK COLOR SILICONE that must be AQUARIUM SAFE... can black silicone be used ?

[@sirnamelaw]

I need your help with a repair on Fluvo 13.5 gallon rimless tank. This is a new tank that I received with 1 broken back panel. Can I remove just this one panel, scrap off all the silicon, leaving a U-shaped glass edge, and replace this panel with one of your recommended silicon? I'm getting advise that I need to disassemble the entire tank and silicon all 5-panels together again because old and new silicon doesn't seal/stick together. I'm thinking the only bit of old and new silicon touch is on the bottom right and left corners. Can you give me advise if I can glue just one panel without doing the entire tank? Also, this is a rimless tank, so will GE1 still good for the job? Thanks

[@TrafishAquatics]

Unfortunately in this situation the information that you have been getting is correct, If you have to remove one of the glass panels your best bet is to just rebuild the tank as you will risk not having the silicone properly bond in the corners, for a tank that says GE1 should still be okay

[@plantsandfish5512]

ASI makes excellent silicone

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep i used ASI to rebuild my 300 gallon

[@carvedwood1953]

Where do you get glass to build an aquarium?

[@TrafishAquatics]

You can sometimes find glass on Facebook marketplace or you can call a glass manufacturer and get glass from them.

[@Gtag_thagoat]

So that ASI will be fine for a 280 reseal?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep that should work well

[@michaellacaria910]

I liked your video, went out and bought a couple of tubes of the scs1200, looks exactly like yours, and it says on it that it’s not for underwater. Uhmmm. What’s going on here? Does yours say the same thing? Makes me weary to use it, but if you and others have used it, the question is for how long?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yes, its just to cover the company against poor customer craftsmanship

[@ricbrunner3880]

I use GE 1 to build up to 40 gallon breeders. In the seventies when I started building my own aquariums there was not much of a choice. I don’t understand why you order all this stuff on line when most of it can be bought locally. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for call them directly. Anything on that container that describes anything must be true and the public must be able to access the information. Unless you are wanting a tank that’s not a typical size or shape the cost of glass makes building an aquarium theses days a wast of money. I have been restoring older antique metal framed aquariums. They resale for a nice price.

[@TrafishAquatics]

It all depends where you live for what is available locally, Ive talked to people where ge1 is not an off the shelf product where they live. I agree in this day and age larger aquariums are usually cheaper when made of acrylic as opposed to glass but some people still prefer glass over the acrylic. I'll give aqueon a call and see if they can provide and info for thier silicone, thanks!

[@josedellava548]

Can I ask if a silicone sealant is fungicide resistant it is safe for our fish?

[@TrafishAquatics]

The tricky part to this is knowing if they're talking about an additive that they added into the silicone to make it resistant or if they're talking about the silicones natural ability to be resistant to such things, an example would be GE1 silicone doesn't have any additives for that and is naturally resistant where GE2 to silicone has fungus and mold inhibitors added to it to extend its life.

[@juanwilson2390]

Last night my tank started leaking bad. Good thing I was woke it sounded like a waterfall from the in the back room. I immediately grab some buckets and placed them underneath my tank. I also hooked up my water changer to help with removing the water as the water got lower the leak started to slow down. I'm not sure what cause the leak maybe it was the fact I brought it for 60 bucks and didn't reseal it. I found out today that the tank has been kept outside for the entire winter. I apologize for the story but my question is should I reseal it or remove the panel tohan reseal it?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Story is fine, it gives lots of details and makes it easier to help! When tanks are stored outside in the winter it can cause shrinkage and expansion on the silicone seams and seals, which could result in the failure of the tank. The method of fixing it depends on the ammount of silicone that has let go. I have done a simple reseal on tanks that were known leakers and have since held water perfectly fine for years. How much water was leaking out and how quickly? Also from where, corner/side/front or rear panel? Depending on this will determine if a simple reseal with a quality silicone will be the fix or if a rebuild is at hand. It's likley that a reseal would be able to fix it though with a tank that size.

[@juanwilson2390]

@@TrafishAquatics the tank in question is a 55 gallon and it had to have lost about 10-15 gallons before I could get the buckets and water changer connected. The water was coming out pretty fast mainly from the rear/bottom and pouring out the black brace in the back. I let it dry out and the silicone is kind of loose but it's only noticeable if you push it with your finger. Do you think i should remove the whole bottom panel and seal it that way or just go the normal route?

[@TrafishAquatics]

For a 55-gallon tank you would probably be able to get away with just a reseal with a good strong silicone, in this situation I would probably use the ASI silicone. However it all depends on how much of the seam was damaged, and how good you can lay a bead of silicone. Surface preparation is key!

[@650RepzOFC]

Can you buy ASI in a hardware store? Looking it up online it costs $13 not $9 I guess inflation 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@alexendreleveque7220]

Is it ok whit the ge1 white?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep

[@nowhearthisyoutube]

Is the multipurpose silicone clear sealant made by "151" safe for fish. I bought it in Poundland. On the back it says acetic acid on curing. Whether that means during curing or After, l dont know. Once it's dry on an empty tank to seal two sides together, would it be safe for fish l wonder.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Ge1 also uses acetic acid to cure so I would imagine it would work and be ok though I have no personal experience with it, the stinky smell you get while the silicone cures is from the acid. Give it a good week to cure just in case.

[@nowhearthisyoutube]

@@TrafishAquatics thank you very much for such a quick reply! I actually foned 151 up to ask them and they foned back to say it wasn't, but l wonder if it's because they dont want to commit themselves justin case? Hmm

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yea ge1 says that you shouldn't either, it's more than likely just to cover themselves if you use it and it fails you can't go back after them for their product

[@samuellamont3533]

What's the best silicone for a background for snakes

[@TrafishAquatics]

Ge1 will work

[@samuellamont3533]

Do you have any snakes and what's the best background should I get for a corn snake and what best background for king snakes

[@phackqu]

I just got a new 75 gallon tank and was wondering, since the reviews were about leakage, would i be able to just throw a large bead of silicone with the existing seal?

[@6speed818]

I was wondering the same thing lol. Did you do it?

[@phackqu]

@@6speed818 lol no. Everyone said to completely scrape off the old materials on the sides so the new bead of silicone can adhere.

[@6speed818]

@@phackqu dam that sucks thanks

[@KILL3RKENNY]

It's a great video but where's the links for all of it

[@TrafishAquatics]

Good point, I'll get all the links and update the video!

[@KILL3RKENNY]

Thanks man between you and Joey from DIY really save me from jumping of a bridge lol I bought a 250 gallon leaky lemon to my surprise so I had to dismantle it I'm so glad you made this video been in the hobby over 20 years and have never been so stressed out do thanks again

[@TrafishAquatics]

Your welcome!

[@KILL3RKENNY]

have one more question you have any Idea how to get the silicone residue off I've thrown everything at it and the stain is still there some lady suggesting to use this stuff call xenit any Idea's and does that matter

[@TrafishAquatics]

Depending on the residue that remains I'll use a brand new razor blade followed by 220 grit sandpaper followed by acetone, this gets it right down to the bare glass. You want to make sure you get all of it off otherwise it's a new silicone may not adhere properly.

[@beekaybk]

Hi can I use ge 1 on my 95 wave front to reseal

[@TrafishAquatics]

For a tank of that design as well as size I would suggest something a little bit stronger, personally I would use ASI aquarium sealant or GE SCS1200.

[@beekaybk]

@@TrafishAquatics do u have an email i can reach u at if anything els

[@TrafishAquatics]

[e-mail]

[@beekaybk]

Thanks

[@OilFuturesTrader]

You know the silicone 1 now is marked not for aquarium use. I bought one today to seal my tank and it says not for aquarium use. I rolled the dice on this one and used it anyways.

[@OilFuturesTrader]

Nevermind - you mentioned it on the video...

[@TrafishAquatics]

Yep it's just to cover thier butt incase you do a poor job and flood your house, then you can't go after them for thier product, I've used it on resealing tanks up to 150 gals with no issue

[@josephg8818]

Asi is cheap on Amazon, question, im building a terrarium with acrylic and wood, it should be strong enough to bond them together right?

[@TrafishAquatics]

For a terrarium it should be ok

[@josephg8818]

@@TrafishAquatics I was thinking maybe using a bit of gorilla clear construction in spots not exposed to the animals an go over the inside with the Asi or am I over doing it lol

[@TrafishAquatics]

Personally I would test it with smaller pieces to make sure the adhesion is going to be what you want, are you doing wood base with acrylic walls on top?

[@josephg8818]

@@TrafishAquatics honestly don't know yet getting some ideas together. May do like most acrylic with a wood border/frame and back wall wood .

[@TrafishAquatics]

Are you planning on having high humidity? If so I would plan on using an epoxy on the wood to seal it, if you do that it will definitely get good adhesion

[@MichaelRobinson-vw4jg]

They don't make black GE1

[@ethanboos515]

RIP the days GE 1 only cost $5 and not $10 like today.

[@chefl6681]

Well let me just add something to the chat room I’ve used ge 2 by accident and my fish are fine 3 years and counting so there you are

[@TrafishAquatics]

Ge2 is possible to be used but you have to make sure it's 100% cured, ge2 cures by ammonia and takes much longer than the acetic acid in ge1 to cure, if it's not completely cured when the tank is filled it will constantly leech high levels of ammonia. This is why most people just recommend ge1.

[@plushpossum]

I cannot tell you how close I came to killing ALL my fish!!!!!! I made decorations using "100% silicone" because I was told it was SAFE. BY A FISH GUY!!!!! THANK GOD I haven't put it in my tank yet!!!!!!! I was actually planning to do it THIS WEEKEND!!!!!! You just saved ALL my fish. THANK YOU. I cannot express how grateful I am. I honestly don't know why I even thought to triple check before I did it. Whew! Close call.

[@TrafishAquatics]

You're welcome! Good thing you double checked!

[@philhare7851]

anybody use ge advanced?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Generally this is refered to as ge2, it can be used but requires a much longer cure time (7-10 days) because of the ammonia it uses as a curing agent, if its not 100% cufed the ammonia can leech into the water and hurt your fish, ge1 uses acetic acid and cures in about 48-72 hours.

[@philhare7851]

@@TrafishAquatics thanks for taking the time to answer

[@philhare7851]

@@TrafishAquatics thanks

[@alfredsmith9738]

I went on Amazon and found A.S.I SILICONE with ease. I ordered 6 tubes. I am re sealing 180 fish tank. Again, AMAZON

[@TrafishAquatics]

Good spot to look for almost anything lol

[@alfredsmith9738]

@@TrafishAquatics if it wasn't for you I would have been lost. I never had to re seal a tank. By the grace of God I watch your video on how to re seal. You're the only one that kept it simple. Thank you for your help. Great video amazing information

[@TrafishAquatics]

You're very welcome! I'm glad it was helpful

[@seraltimadriver]

Old information. GE1 changed. Not aquarium safe anymore. Home Depot didn't have a large size. Amazon did.

[@TrafishAquatics]

Check my other silicone video on ge1 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gae1mJ5-jZyte68

[@user-ki1ys5wz1q]

Selsil

[@AlameenConstructionltd]

You need to get Mike

[@mammawombwomb]

Why does it take so long to explain something so simple?

[@TrafishAquatics]

Because not everyone is looking for the quick answer, some people want a more in depth analysis between products that can be used.

[@ericnegron8331]

@cichlidbros

[@oriondriscoll3516]

Thank you