curing aquarium sealant

[Psychotic]

Ok so I know to let the stuff cure for 48 hours or more. However I can not find any info on where I should use this stuff. Are the fumes toxic before it is fully cured? If so does that mean I have to lug my tank outside to use the sealant and leave it out there while it cures? Or can I use aquarium sealant indoors? Not only do I not want to kill my animals; I don't want to kill me either.

I bought a big tube of Marineland aquarium sealant for $5 to attach my cork bark background to my frog tank.

If I have to do it outside; what temp should it be? Its going to be in the 30s and 40s F this week and next.

[flybyferns]

Hi Ashley,
It's good that you take this seriously !
I have used this brand of sealant many times in the past in areas that would be constantly exposed to water.
I have used in indoors. It dose have more of an odor than the other 100% silicone that would be found at ie Home Depot.I used a fan and ventilated the area. I also closed the tank up ( not air tight); but closed it to help keep the odor down.I used this on my three most recent enclosures- I covered the top with a sheet , closed the doors. I cracked the window and put a fan on near the window. I was building in the same vicinity as my other - tree frog - enclosures this past Oct. After 48 hours you will be able to put the fan directly on the enclosure to facilitate further curing. A good -curing test- after several days get up real close to it to be sure the odor is completed gone.

When in doubt....wait before adding the frogs !!!!!! These chemicals are absorbed right through their skin. I think I waited 2 weeks !
Lynn

[J Teezy]

use a respirator if you have one and full eye sealing googles, you'll thank me later. Silicones fumes are brutal and will give you a major headache and can burn your eyes, lungs, etc

[Psychotic]

Well if it's that bad, I'm not using it in my house. Which really sucks. I'll have to wait for the snow to melt so I can take it out on the back porch. Might as well put everything back because it's not gonna melt any time soon.

[UncleChester]

I've only ever had a problem with the fumes in very enclosed spaces. I just gooped a bunch into a tank the other day to hold some eggcrate on the background, if I stuck my head in the tank it was really nasty. At arms length it was not problem, just the noticeable vinegary odour. A few feet away and I can't even smell it. Why did I stick my head in the tank? I don't have a good answer for that, but I probably won't be doing it again with that much freshly laid silicone.

I think 40F is getting to the lower limit of where it will cure properly (does it say on the side of your tube?), so if you are set on doing this outside you should probably wait. But honestly unless you live in a closet, I wouldn't worry. I think some people are more sensitive to the fumes than others. I've siliconed tons of things and never had any burning issues or headaches or any other discomfort (not brought on by incredible stupidity that is).

[Psychotic]

I think I'll wait a little bit so that I can at least open the windows. I've done put the tank back up on it's shelf. It's an 18x18x24 exo terra. However I am a weakling and have to have someone help me lift it. Well no matter if I do it inside or outside I will have to be a bit warmer. I can't open the windows or everyone here will throw a fit because it's "cold".

[deranged chipmunk]

i do all my siliconing in my basement. and, like Brian, have stuck my head in the tank. why? probably the same reason Brian did, I dunno....LOL i'm kind of used to the fumes. i work with silicone everyday, and my lung feels great....LOL but if you are more comfortable waiting, then that is exactly what you should do.

[deranged chipmunk]

i just saw you were attaching cork panels. that won;t take long at all and you won't need much silicone. it shouldn't be that offensive, but i would do it where it won't really creep to other where it will bother other people,