# General Topics > Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion >  aguarium sealant vs silicone

## Lynn

How log does aquarium sealant and silicone really take to dry COMPLETELY ??
I would be spreading a thin layer in several areas to hold foam to glass.
It would not be needed to hold water.
It will be needed to hold  the weight of suspended foam and a  4" potted plant.
I have only used aquarium sealant in divides.
I've always thought if it's safe for aquatics it would be safer for frogs.
I'm wonder if aquarium sealant will be strong enough for this application as well ?

Any thoughts-????? appreciated it --- Thanks 

Sorry lots of questions
Lynn

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## Brian

Aquarium sealant is just 100% silicone. It will be strong enough to attach your pots to the glass. It should be dry to the touch within an hour or so, and after 24-48 hours it's cured enough to test water fastness of a tank so it has most of it's strength by now, and the acetic acid smell is usually completely gone after 48-72 hours depending on ventilation. I'd wait an extra couple days after the smell is gone before putting frogs in, or even a week in total and you should be good.

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## Lynn

> Aquarium sealant is just 100% silicone. It will be strong enough to attach your pots to the glass. It should be dry to the touch within an hour or so, and after 24-48 hours it's cured enough to test water fastness of a tank so it has most of it's strength by now, and the acetic acid smell is usually completely gone after 48-72 hours depending on ventilation. I'd wait an extra couple days after the smell is gone before putting frogs in, or even a week in total and you should be good.


Thanks,
Sounds like a good plan. 
The aquarium sealant "says 72 hours".
It just dose not seem like nearly enough time to me.
That smell does takes a long time to dissipate. 
Thanks for the experienced details, especially regarding the strength. 
Lynn

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## ApxWingman

When I did my tank, I used GE Silicone II and let it sit for 3 days just to make sure. I have had no issues with it.

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## Johnny O. Farnen

The only thing that makes aquarium silicone different than other silicone products is it is formulated to have a higher tensile strength, which is required to withstand the mass of water and tempered glass.


As for cure times, the wise hobbyist doubles the suggested time on the lable. Cure time varies based on ambient temperature and ambient relative humidity. Product lables are calculated at 70F @ 50% humidity.

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## Brian

> I would be spreading a thin layer in several areas to hold *foam* to glass.


Sorry I may have read this too quickly the first time! I was envisioning a plastic pot cut in half and attached to the glass like I've seen before. Silicone can have trouble sticking to smooth kinds of foam, what kinds of pots are you dealing with here?

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## Lynn

Hi Johnny and Brian,

This is what I am going to be applying it to. ( there is brown sealant on them already holding the magnets in)

Planter Ledge - Earth - Small

photo below- the back of one I have hand - showing the manufactures sealant over the magnets. 
 I think they are styrofoam? I have used clear silicone to add magnets to some of them - an it held well. But I have not tried to stick them to the glass?



Good point  Brian, ( about sticking )  I better experiment with one first !!

Thanks for posting. This would be a big job requiring moving my red eyes to a temporary enclosure . 
An enclosure of which I am building anyway for a pair of Amazon Milk frogs ( I think)? 
So, I have to be well prepared if I do this.

I have several of these light weight planters (with potted plants) hanging on the back and sides of my current red eye enclosure creating a background. I have a
set -up album if you want to take a peak.

They attach to the glass with magnets. They work really well, as your able to suspend a plant from just about anywhere w/in the enclosure. I am considering attaching them to the glass with the sealant therefore, in a permanent position. They have been up more than a year, the plants are well established, I now know where I want them, and what type of plant does well in each position regarding the light source. 

And thanks Johnny- I’m a skeptic. I doubted that 72 hrs would not be long enough for the smell of the sealant to dissipate. 

Thanks again
Lynn

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## Brian

> photo below- the back of one I have hand - showing the manufactures sealant over the magnets. 
>  I think they are styrofoam? I have used clear silicone to add magnets to some of them - an it held well. But I have not tried to stick them to the glass?


If you've attached magnets to the foam with silicone and then suspended them from the magnets, there should be no problems at all. Silicone will bond exceptionally well to the glass side (for best results make sure it's as clean as you can get it), my concern was the silicone coming free from the foam but you've already had it stick to this kind of foam so you should be good.

But a test is still a good idea as this will require removing your frogs for awhile :Smile: . Assuming all goes well though you might have some difficulty cleaning the silicone off your test piece of foam (if you plan to use it elsewhere), you can clean silicone off glass with a razor fairly easily.

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## Lynn

> If you've attached magnets to the foam with silicone and then suspended them from the magnets, there should be no problems at all. Silicone will bond exceptionally well to the glass side (for best results make sure it's as clean as you can get it), my concern was the silicone coming free from the foam but you've already had it stick to this kind of foam so you should be good.
> 
> But a test is still a good idea as this will require removing your frogs for awhile. Assuming all goes well though you might have some difficulty cleaning the silicone off your test piece of foam (if you plan to use it elsewhere), you can clean silicone off glass with a razor fairly easily.


Brian -thanks very much. 

These plant holders are an odd material. ( I am planning on calling PetTech as well )The plant holders  are not like foam background material. It feels and looks more dense. 
I called once before about additional magnets. They were very supportive. 

Sigh . I'm thinking, the red eyes will most definitively need to come out for, at the very least ,5 days if not a week!
I am thinking of getting a pair of Amazon Milk frogs.  So, I could house the red eyes in that enclosure once it's done , temporarily.
( before the others arrive , of course ) I have just started to make the  enclosure .
Can't rush these things. 

Lynn

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