Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The 100% black silicone on black jungle's website is for windows and doors. That I can find at home depot but I also found some black aquarium silicone at a local pet shop so I bought it instead. I figured it would be safer but then again if black jungle uses the windows and doors silicone (without the anti-mold) then its got to be good right? I just want the silocone to be dark and cover up the sides and I'm afraid the aquarium silicone won't. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

was the aquarium silicone silicone or sealant? i did the same thing because i was worried, but it doesn't really stick well at all. i now use GE silicone II (black or brown) and it works really well and none of the animals have had problems with it. good luck!

Yeah it turned out to be a disaster. The coco doesn't stick to it and it won't scrape off the glass worth a damn. Too bad it was a $12 tube! Thanks for the reply, even though I had to learn the hard way!

uh, that really sucks. sorry that had to happen. do you know how to do it now?

The GE II, as Otis07 said, works great for attaching things to the glass or sealing. You just have to let it cure for 72 or more hours before it's safe. The aquarium silicone is about the same thing, but without the toxins that require the curing period apparently, and it's far more expensive. If you want to press in cocoanut fiber or stick in epiphytic plants, try some "Great Stuff." It too, has to cure for a while, but it's easier to stick substrate against, and does a good job of holding up cork backgrounds and filling spaces, as well. Use it carefully, because it really puffs up and expands. After it's dry, it's easy to trim off, however.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
6 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
7 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
6 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
6 P. terribilis mint and organe
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus
2 P. lugubris

Yeah I think I got it figured out. I used DAP silicone from ACE instead of GEII because I couldn't find any without the bioseal stuff. I wasn't aware of the 72 hour curing being required though. I can't find anywhere on the DAP where it says how long for it to cure, but it does say its safe for contact with food. I'll wait a few days before I run water through it now.

By "cure" which isn't the correct term, because it goes through a different process--can't remember the details, I meant until all of the fumes are dispersed and it would be safe for animals.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
6 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
7 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
6 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
6 P. terribilis mint and organe
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus
2 P. lugubris

Ok well there still is a faint silicone smell. What about for just running water through it? Will that "trap" the fumes and be a problem for later? I'm not going to add any frogs for at least a month. Just plants for now (when they get here).

By the time you add your plants and frogs, everything will be perfectly safe and the odor will be gone. In the meantime, you can certainly mist heavily and drain off the excess water a few times, or if you have a waterway, change the water a few times to clear out debris and make it lighter in color. (It will tend to be quite brown for awhile, as tannins and such leach out.) But this is not essential, and it won't affect the silicone either way.

By the way, I've used the DAP on occasion, too. I just like the GEII because it has a better, somewhat runnier, texture to work with. The only silicone products to avoid are those meant for bathrooms that contain fungicides.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
6 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
7 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
6 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
6 P. terribilis mint and organe
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus
2 P. lugubris