General Care Discussion :: removing aquarium silicone?

[kikicool]

So I tried to make this stupid nice basking area for my turts and it failed miserably. I had glued rocks with aquarium silicone. Anyone know hwo to remove said aquarium silicone? Argh.

[steve]

Silicone from the rocks? Thats a lot of work. There are some solvents but I wouldn't recommend that if its going back into the tank. For flat, smooth surfaces (like glass), a razor works well.

[flutterby]

you can use a razor blade that worked for me.

[marisa]

How did it fail? I've seen pics of ramps and basking areas with rocks stuck on with aquarium silicone, and it looked nice.

[kikicool]

Well, I had taken a corner dock and covered it with small river rocks. Then I bought a plastic paint holder--like for watercolors? a little rectangular thing? And I covered that with rocks. I glued it to the dock at an angle. It worked great, but it also needed a little extra support, so I had this little gargoyle thing under it. When I got the new tank, it was too deep. I had nothing under it to support it. The ramp broke off. The dock was now too heavy to hang with the rocks on it. *sigh* it looked VERY pretty. But it didn't work. I was afraid one of the little ones would jump up on it, and then it would fall and scare them. Or worse, sink and hit one of them. So I took it out.

Of course, it's NOT flat. It's all ripply like fake land. So yes. I'm insane. I spent several hours (too many) with a WOOD WHITTLING KIT!! getting it off. The different shapes of the razors made it a bit easier. But I am NOT crafty. As I type, my fingers are killing from all the little cuts. But it's back in now, and no solvents were put on. I was afraid of that too. Right now, I am going to UPLOAD SOME PICTURES! Fo the LOVE!

[Muirner]

That sounds pretty cool, i like the idea of that... Do you think the silicone would stick to a Zoomeds dock? If so i'll get a few plants and let them bask in "privacy"

[kikicool]

THat's a great idea! I do think it would work! I may do that, too! Once my fingers heal

[grey goose]

A few tips for working with silicone:

Surfaces must be perfectly clean and dry...clean both surfaces w/denatured alcohol and let dry completely.
Silicone has a stepped cure rate.....it will set up in 5 mins, but can take up to two days to fully cure!
Dry fit everything first, and practice your "approach" a few times! Make sure both surfaces fit squarely. Once you make a contact joint, don't move it around, or try to adjust it. You'll stretch it and it wont hold as well. Just set it in place, gaff it down or hold it for a minute or two, then leave it alone! Let it cure for at least 24 hours, 48 would be better.
Of course, never use this stuff around your turts, the fumes can be pretty strong....
Once cured, take a razor blade and carefully trim away all excess (be careful not to cut into the joint itself). Take your time and get it all. You don't want your turt ingesting this stuff.....Good luck.

[Hoooneylynn]

Does anyone notice that stuff peels off the zoomed dock from underneath? Really thin pieces of plastic (or whatever its made out of) peel off and I find them when I clean, or they come off when I am cleaning. At first I didnt know what they were, light brown thin pieces, but then I matched them to the bottom of the zoo med dock.. I think my turt ate one and pooped it because I found the same shape/size piece and it was DARK.

[Muirner]

i have two of those pieces comming off my zoo meds dock... It cannot be good if the turtles would eat it i'd think. I'll cut mine. It's odd this happens though huh?

[steve]

One more thing to add to GG's tips...have good ventilation where you work I think they're just removing silicone, in which case you just need to be very careful with the razor.

[kikicool]

Hooneylynn, my guys scratch the bottom of their dock quite often. I wonder if they're trying to scratch some off to eat now....

Thanks for the good tips. I scratched it all off (and put up pics in the picture forum, under Herman and Lily!). I may use some more though. I have a giant driftwood floating around. Do you think silicone glue would hold it in place? I know the turts would LOVE to have that, too, to float around on. It's large, but floats. Suggestions?

[grey goose]

I wouldn't try silicone on wood, or any porous surface for that matter. It just won't hold. I have an epoxy that I'm playing with right now, called "JB Weld" that will hold anything to anything (within reason, of course) even underwater. But it's a little difficult to work with, plus once you apply it, YOU WILL NOT GET IT OFF! I'm trying to confirm that this stuff is aquarium safe....

[grey goose]

Also, although I don't have any experience with them myself, I believe those basking docks have calcium in them....are your guys getting cuttlebone? Maybe clip a large piece of it nearby...they may go after that instead of the ramp.

[steve]

I tried the 2 little fishies aquarium epoxy on my ceramic tiles and it didn't hold well. If you find out more about that JB Weld stuff, let us know