# Will Great Stuff kill my fish?



## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Well, easy question. Will it, (when cured) kill my fish. ? 


(Example: I have a wall of great stuff as my background. Above water is covered in brown 100% silicone, and then it has coco fiber stuck to it, below water level has aquarium gravel stuck to it using 100% silicone. It's 99.9% covered, probably. Maybe even 100% i'm just guessing 99.9 because all 5 of my testing feeder fish died. ((I had these fish for 3 months in a different tank))).


Any ideas? It was dryed, and cured about 3-4 weeks before water was put in.


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## johnnymo (Jul 20, 2007)

fully cured great stuff should not kill your fish. ive had a betta living in a pond with great stuff walls for a while now.


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Shouldn't be a problem:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_aquarium_background.php


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Blah. I have no idea what it is!


The things water touches, are the walls (Glass, gravel, 100% silicone) , the tubing (Clear, flexible tubing, Not sure what it is.. Size 3/4's though) and the filter. 


I'm so lost.


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## Kentanner11 (Sep 30, 2007)

hmm great stuff itself isnt toxic, but what kind of silicone did you use? The only silicone that I know (from saltwater reef tank experience, where it is put through extreme situations) is GE I & II anything with a mold inhibitor is definitely toxic. Smart idea to test with feeders first!


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## Jayson745 (Dec 13, 2006)

Thats crazy. I just went looking for a Paludarium thread to ask you if thats what you had because I didn't know how to spell it, and it was your thread. weird.

I didn't know if you just made a background for a fish tank or what. Although I wouldn't mind doing that some day.



Anyway, by the date on that other thread, I would say that your filter isn't near cycled, and thats what killed your fish. Once its been up and running for a month or so it should hold fish just fine


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## housevibe7 (Sep 24, 2006)

I agree with the cycling. Because I have silicone (no great stuff) in one of my ponds, and when I had fish in it, they did just fine. My tank had been up and running for a couple of months by then though.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

I'll keep it running, the water seems to be doing a little better, getting a lot more clear. Hopefully that means less toxins!


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## MonopolyBag (Jun 3, 2007)

You can also (when cycling a tank) add cheapo depot fish (ex. Guppies, feederfish, neon tetra) to the tank to introduce fish to test water and produce some waste to aid in bacteria growth and stuff.

Only problem with feeder fish is that they may bring in unwanted disease.


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## johnnymo (Jul 20, 2007)

adding live fish to cycle a tank isn't necessary... I believe you can achieve the same effect by adding fish flakes to the aquarium and letting them decompose in the tank.


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## andrew__ (Sep 23, 2007)

johnnymo said:


> adding live fish to cycle a tank isn't necessary... I believe you can achieve the same effect by adding fish flakes to the aquarium and letting them decompose in the tank.


I agree. Many ways to do a fishless cycle - I would never do one any other way. Just a quick search and you'll find tons of info, though CF has some good articles which might be a good starting point.


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## NickBoudin (Nov 3, 2007)

Well, I think that introducing some plants may help it out a bit. I need my water test kit first. I'm picking it up tomorrow.


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