# Aquarium sealant to glue rocks together...?



## Zoomy

I picked up some purple slate and green quartz for my new tank. Planning to make some sorts of arches with them. But I'm wondering if it's a good idea to glue them together using aquarium sealant...or perhaps some other adhesive. I fear that otherwise they'd be too easy to knock over onto tank occupants during maintenance/water changes. Would it still be relatively easy to pull them apart and remove the sealant if I decided to change the arrangement at some point?

Suggestions?


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## Jaxfisher

Yes, aquarium silicone will work. I've glued slate and river rocks with it. Just be sure to let it dry at least 24 hrs before putting it in the tank.


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## Zoomy

Jaxfisher said:


> Yes, aquarium silicone will work. I've glued slate and river rocks with it. Just be sure to let it dry at least 24 hrs before putting it in the tank.


Excellent. Since it will probably be another 3-4 weeks before I'm ready for water, that should work just fine.


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## PhysicsDude55

GE II silicone from home depot works too... its about $6 a tube and comes in black, brown, white and clear.

I used about 4 tubes of the stuff on my tank... no issues so far.


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## Okedokey

You can also use the marine epoxy - its branded Kneed-It in Australia.


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## Raymond S.

I used regular GE silicone to do this. Clean rocks first. Water and old tooth brush ?
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=14289&pictureid=43385


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## Zoomy

Okedokey said:


> You can also use the marine epoxy - its branded Kneed-It in Australia.


We probably have some around...if not we're not far from a West Marine. DH used to be into sailing and spent entirely too much time there.


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## GraphicGr8s

PhysicsDude55 said:


> GE II silicone from home depot works too... its about $6 a tube and comes in black, brown, white and clear.
> 
> I used about 4 tubes of the stuff on my tank... no issues so far.


Don't you mean GE I? Doesn't II contain mildewcides?

Regular silicone is not suppose to stick to slate. That's one reason the old Metaframe tanks were so difficult to reseal. I used the DC 795 and although I've not filled it yet it has a better grip on the slate than the GEI and the regular aquarium sealant.


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## Diana

I have not had much luck sticking rocks together with silicon caulking. There are aquarium putty sorts of stuff that is supposed to be much better.


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## Zoomy

Diana said:


> I have not had much luck sticking rocks together with silicon caulking. There are aquarium putty sorts of stuff that is supposed to be much better.


Ahhh...any idea who makes that? I'll have to look at my LFS next time I'm in. wish they weren't 30 minutes away -- but it's probably good that they are.


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## kep

Zoomy said:


> Ahhh...any idea who makes that? I'll have to look at my LFS next time I'm in. wish they weren't 30 minutes away -- but it's probably good that they are.



I bought this at the LFS recommendation to attach wood to slate. I think it could have worked but I'm just not good at that stuff and probably did it wrong. Didn't work out too well for me but I probably should have sanded the wood so it would sit flat. It did work when I attached wood to wood though. 




















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## PhysicsDude55

GraphicGr8s said:


> Don't you mean GE I? Doesn't II contain mildewcides?
> 
> Regular silicone is not suppose to stick to slate. That's one reason the old Metaframe tanks were so difficult to reseal. I used the DC 795 and although I've not filled it yet it has a better grip on the slate than the GEI and the regular aquarium sealant.


I believe some GE silicones have mold inhibitors and some don't. The bath and tile ones seem to have it. I bought the ones that said 100% silicone with no 5 or 7 year no mold guarantee on it.

Yes I have read that GE I and GE II silicones are not good for resealing aquariums, but they work fine for lighter duty stuff.


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## TaylorDaughtry

I've had great results with this:
Amazon.com: Aqueon Silicone Clear 10.3oz: Pet Supplies

It's a little hard to get the flow started, but that's helped me pay attention to the amount of silicone I'm placing. (Helps hide edges if you do it right against glass.)


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## GraphicGr8s

PhysicsDude55 said:


> I believe some GE silicones have mold inhibitors and some don't. The bath and tile ones seem to have it. I bought the ones that said 100% silicone with no 5 or 7 year no mold guarantee on it.
> 
> Yes I have read that GE I and GE II silicones are not good for resealing aquariums, but they work fine for lighter duty stuff.


GE 1 is fine for a reseal. Something to think about here. Even with mold inhibitors/mildewcides it will still say 100% silicone. Why? Because it is less than 1/2 of 1%. But still enough to kill livestock. The actual killer is an organotin that is also a catalyst to cure the silicone. The smell of the II is not as bad as the acetic acid smell of I. 
You want the GE1. And personally I am liking the D-C 795 which is used by Disney on their tanks. Better yet it sticks to slate and I am resealing 4 Metaframes.


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## PhysicsDude55

GraphicGr8s said:


> GE 1 is fine for a reseal. Something to think about here. Even with mold inhibitors/mildewcides it will still say 100% silicone. Why? Because it is less than 1/2 of 1%. But still enough to kill livestock. The actual killer is an organotin that is also a catalyst to cure the silicone. The smell of the II is not as bad as the acetic acid smell of I.
> You want the GE1. And personally I am liking the D-C 795 which is used by Disney on their tanks. Better yet it sticks to slate and I am resealing 4 Metaframes.


I used 4 tubes of GE II on my tank to secure my background with no issues, its certainly aquarium safe. They sell it in both forms. The door and window stuff does not have mold inhibitors but the bath and tile does is my understanding.

In either case, it takes several hours to dry and is very messy while sticky, so its probably cumbersome to use to glue rocks together. The putty stuff that other people linked to is what I would use.


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## GraphicGr8s

PhysicsDude55 said:


> I used 4 tubes of GE II on my tank to secure my background with no issues, its certainly aquarium safe. They sell it in both forms. The door and window stuff does not have mold inhibitors but the bath and tile does is my understanding.
> 
> In either case, it takes several hours to dry and is very messy while sticky, so its probably cumbersome to use to glue rocks together. The putty stuff that other people linked to is what I would use.


Supposedly it's not an actual mold inhibitor that is the problem but the catalyst. 

Personally I am not willing to chance it. They are about the same price so why take the chance? We know without a doubt the 1 is safe. It's not strong enough to build a tank (theoretically) but is fine for a reseal. I bought a 4 pack of the 1 to reseal a few tanks I have that are most assuredly leakers. And the 795 I know for a fact is safe since Disney uses it.


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