How To Stick My New Background?

[mark1980]

I have bought a new background for my new tank, it is made of foamboard and i'm wondering what is the best way to stick it to the back of my tank. I need some kind of double sided tape or glue but something that wont mark the tank? I would be really gratefull of any ideas, thanks Mark

 

[HappyGeorge]

I have bought a new background for my new tank, it is made of foamboard and i'm wondering what is the best way to stick it to the back of my tank. I need some kind of double sided tape or glue but something that wont mark the tank? I would be really gratefull of any ideas, thanks Mark

Aquarium safe silicone is the answer, fairly easy to obtain in the US, harder in the uk. I bought mine from ebay, just google it and check it carefully, waterproof does not equal aquarium safe, you must get one without any fungicides, which are put in most sealents to inhibit mould growth. I am not aware of any glue that is safe and as for marking the tank, you can just peel silicone off at a later date should you need to.

 

[bitteraspects]

you dont need to buy the silicon from the pet store. there are many commercial silicon's available at your local hardware store that once cured, are 100% fish save.
just make sure it is 100% silicon, and that it contains no additional anti-fungus/mold/mildew chemicals. (it should say on the package if it contains these things. usually its in the bathroom silicon formulas, so stick with the window and door formulas)

 

[pirate monkey]

Maidenhead Aquatics sell a silicone that you can use underwater so you can fill tank straight away so you don't need to wait for it to cure

looks like this

 

[HappyGeorge]

you dont need to buy the silicon from the pet store. there are many commercial silicon's available at your local hardware store that once cured, are 100% fish save.
just make sure it is 100% silicon, and that it contains no additional anti-fungus/mold/mildew chemicals. (it should say on the package if it contains these things. usually its in the bathroom silicon formulas, so stick with the window and door formulas)

I assume you are in the US bitteraspects?, here in the UK we don't have the same availability off the shelf except small quantities from LFS at massively inflated prices, even Screwfix who sell over 30 different silicone sealants don't do one that is safe, even the one they sell as 100% silicone says on the back not safe for aquarium use? Yes I was confused too, at what extra they could squeeze in the tube if it's 100% silicone.

I started looking at spec sheets and found this info on another site from a guy building aquariums.

"I called GE and asked why, and why wasn't that much better explained up front. The lady said during curing, it lets off Acetic acid. I said ok it will be very cured before I add it to the tank. She then said, well its still a long term effect. We dont recommend it. Great. She couldn't explail why the tube says 100 % silicon, but then has toxic ingredients not listed."


I decided to play safe and for the extra £2.50 it cost me for 2 tubes with aquarium silicone written on I wasn't taking chances. Figured with each fish being worth at least £10 it was money well spent.

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[bitteraspects]

the GE explained in the post above is the exact same stuff used to build aquariums.
"aquarium silicon" is the EXACT same product, but re-packaged and infalted. they mark it up sometimes up to 10x the price just by changing the label.
same with "aquaroum sand" that the lfs buys from wholesalers who supply sandblasting companies with their sand.
ALL 100% silicon, as lon as it doesnt contain the additives mentioned in my last post, is aquarium safe after the cure period.even the "aquarium silicon" needs to cure.
the package will not say "for use on aquariums" in the hardware store, because tthat is not what that packaged product was for. just like the "aquarium" product, does not give you instructions on how to seal a window frame.

i dont know what brands you have in the UK available at your hardware store, but i can GUARANTEE that there are a number of options of the 10oz tubes available. youd have to contact a local aquarium builder for the list though.

 

[HappyGeorge]

the GE explained in the post above is the exact same stuff used to build aquariums.
"aquarium silicon" is the EXACT same product, but re-packaged and infalted. they mark it up sometimes up to 10x the price just by changing the label.
same with "aquaroum sand" that the lfs buys from wholesalers who supply sandblasting companies with their sand.
ALL 100% silicon, as lon as it doesnt contain the additives mentioned in my last post, is aquarium safe after the cure period.even the "aquarium silicon" needs to cure.
the package will not say "for use on aquariums" in the hardware store, because tthat is not what that packaged product was for. just like the "aquarium" product, does not give you instructions on how to seal a window frame.

i dont know what brands you have in the UK available at your hardware store, but i can GUARANTEE that there are a number of options of the 10oz tubes available. youd have to contact a local aquarium builder for the list though.

Cool ok I must bow to your greater knowledge, just thought the guy who asked should have all the relevant info to make the best educated decision.

Still don't understand why it would go out of its way to say "Not suitable for aquariums" on the tube? After all it doesn't say "not for use on window frames" on the aquarium stuff.

 

[bitteraspects]

It all comes down to liability. GE is not directly affiliated with aquarium building, so they don't market their product for that purpose. Also, with different fish being sensitive to different things, and so many different species out there, they will not even suggest the product for that purpose. All it will take is one person to do it wrong and file a lawsuit.
And as they're business is not in aquarium building, its not feasible to set up a research and development team to test its compatibility in aquarium use. But I personally have built and revealed aquariums with the hardware stuff, and to great success at that.


Aftermarket car parts made for racing often are labeled "not for street use". Not to say the arts only work on the track, but rather, when you get caught on the street being stupid, they are not liable.