Silicone Curing

[LbulletM]

Soooo, how long until my GE Silicone I is reef safe? I throw a large bag of carbon in for the first few days anyways - just in case.

Last time I went a week, but I want to get my sump back online ASAP. Siliconed last night.

 

[JoshH]

Happen to have a picture of the tube of silicone? As with most adhesives, the longer the better some wait 48 hours but most wait a week or two.

 

[LbulletM]

It's the GE Silicone I (or II - whichever one doesn't have the mold inhibitors)

 

[JoshH]

I know it sucks but I would stick with the week atleast.

 

[LbulletM]

Blahhh, poor tank lol

 

[LbulletM]

PS.

 

[cracker]

wait as long as you can. I speak from experience !

 

[Fritzhamer]

For sump baffles I wait about eight hours if it was kept in a low humidity environment. 12 if higher humidity.

 

[LbulletM]

wait as long as you can. I speak from experience !

That's not saying a whole lot when you're as impatient as I!

For sump baffles I wait about eight hours if it was kept in a low humidity environment. 12 if higher humidity.

For reef safe curing, or just until they're solid?

 

[tgp4274]

when i rebuilt my sump (popped a seam) i redid mine and let sit 24hrs and then put it back online with no ill effects..

 

[LbulletM]

Hmmm, thinking I'm going to split the difference and do my original 72 hours. That should have me putting it back online tomorrow night.

 

[cilyjr]

Ge silicone I is an acetoxy cure silicone. They suggest 24 hrs for an 1/8 inch bead to fully cure.
We all use a much larger bead so it will take longer to fully cure.

 

[Fritzhamer]

For reef safe curing, or just until they're solid?

It should be solid in a couple hours. The strong smell IIRC is an acid that is given off as it cures. I’m really just waiting for the smell to subside. Once it’s not very strong I add water.

Again that’s for baffles. When silicone is doing something structural I wait a full seven days.

 

[LbulletM]

Ge silicone I is an acetoxy cure silicone. They suggest 24 hrs for an 1/8 inch bead to fully cure.
We all use a much larger bead so it will take longer to fully cure.

Mmmmm, the engineer in me appreciates the facts. Thank you! My bead shouldn't be much thicker than 1/8" anywhere (I was a lot cleaner this time than my first attempt), and assuming it dries outside in at a logarithmic rate, I should be fine tomorrow.

.... I totally made that up, but it makes sense lol.

It should be solid in a couple hours. The strong smell IIRC is an acid that is given off as it cures. I’m really just waiting for the smell to subside. Once it’s not very strong I add water.

Again that’s for baffles. When silicone is doing something structural I wait a full seven days.

Yup, just baffles. Sounds like I should be good to go with a bag of carbon in the bubble trap as insurance. I'll probably put it in place tonight and make sure I have enough salt water to go online tomorrow.

 

[Sleepydoc]

In General, I recommend 1-2 weeks. Like others have said, the beads we use are generally much thicker than ⅛”, even when we think they’re not. For sump baffles, it frequently oozes under the edge of the glass pane, so add that to the thickness.

The good news is acetoxy cure silicones are more forgiving of impatience than neutral cure silicones in terms of reef toxicity.

 

[LbulletM]

Too late. Set it up last night.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

I've always heard 2 weeks is what is needed for full cure. That comes from tank manufacturers. When it's sandwiched between the glass panes, it takes longer to cure fully as the surface skins and holds in the uncured silicone, basically. So for anyone else wanting an answer to this question, 2 weeks cure time is a safe bet.

 

[LbulletM]

I don't disagree, but this is just three 1/4" baffles. Nothing as consequential as a tank failure.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Wait if you can

 

[LbulletM]

Nah. 72+ hours of curing, put it online Wednesday afternoon. Going on two days with no ill-effects.

My silicon beads were on point, though. Small and tidy. Thanks, Dad, for all of those bathroom remodels! (and it helps to have practiced a short week prior on the tank that cracked)