# Danger, Danger....sealing Great Stuff



## Guest (Dec 2, 2004)

I heard that you had to seal Great Stuff with silicone or it would break down in water releasing toxic chemicals in your viv. Can you use anything else to seal it (Elmer's Pro-bond)?


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

I have never heard this and I have a hard time believeing it, but hopefully some one in the know can share 100%


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

No. Great stuff is nontoxic when cured. It will discolor if left unsealed in a tank, and maybe deform a little, but it wont kill your frogs.


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2004)

Yes, once Great Stuff is fully cured it is harmless and unaffected by water.


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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

Well, that's good to know since she just did a tank that way! :shock:


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## Guest (Dec 3, 2004)

*d*

I had a tank running with a waterfall down the great stuff and no breakdown or any noticeable changes happened within a year that its been running. 

I havent noticed any problems with it.


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## DaFrogMan (Oct 8, 2004)

N - I'm sorry, I think I was the one who told you that great stuff was toxic. I could swear that there was a thread a while back about how great stuff released chemicals into the viv. I guess they were just speculating that it could, not actually saying that it did. I tried to search for the thread that I saw, but couldn't find it. Again, I'm sorry I gave you a scare. So how is the viv working out so far?


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2004)

The biggest issue with using the Great Stuff foam is what you are sealing it with. Most people I know use Weldbond, not Elmers probond. 
You have to let the glues and concrete binders dry very well before any moisture is added to the tanks. Min. of 2 weeks. If you don't they will soften and leach into the water. I have made a few tanks like this, but going back to silicone. I just don't like the way the other products dry.

Hope this helps,


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## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

That helps, thanks. I just hate how messy silicone is! It stinks too.


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2004)

how do you seal it with silicone? im picturing a huge mess, me squeezing silicone out of a tube and trying to spread it like butter. 

what do you cover it with below the water line? or do you just leave the silicone exposed?

Landon


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2004)

BlackJungle.com has the best "How To" on building a tank with foam and silicone. http://www.blackjungle.com/gallery/talltank/page1.html

You do squeeze it out and spead it with a putty knife. And yes it is a little messy. I like using black silicone below the waterlineand leaving it bare, or adding small pea gravel, by tossing it on the surface. Above the water line, I use differnt things for differnt textures, like ground coco, or peat,
jungle mix, ect.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2004)

thank ben


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

What are the differences with using weldbond or quickcrete?


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2004)

Quickcrete is a concrete, is this what you are talking about?

Weldbond is more of a glue. You mix another material in it like; coco, rock, clay, tree fern, etc. and the welbond hold them together.


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

So you just make a sticky mass witht he weldbond and coco and smear it on?


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2004)

Darks!de said:


> So you just make a sticky mass witht he weldbond and coco and smear it on?


You got it. I can't remember the ratio anymore, but I think it was 4 to 1
Coco to weldbond. A search might reveal the ratio, but I just guessed anyway


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

And what exactly is weldbond anyway?

Also, which would you recommend? Weldbond or silicon?


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## Guest (Dec 8, 2004)

This is Weldbond: http://www.franktross.com/weldbond.asp
I like the silicone method better, at this time  
I like the results a little better, plus I know the silicone won't soften over time.


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