ohaverd November 10, 2012 Share November 10, 2012 uh... so I've had a 55gal set up for about a year and have just recently upgraded to a 125. Right now I am cycling it with live rock and am breaking in my skimmer at the same time. I have been running the cycle and skimmer for about 10 days now and have had to empty the cup 3 times. On the 3rd time I have noticed a bright green adhesive like substance growing on the inside of the collection cup... And when I say adhesive, I mean this crap does not come off, even with a green scrub pad. I literally would have to scrape it off. What is this? I have an idea of what it is... but first want to know if anyone else has seen this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 10, 2012 Share November 10, 2012 I've not heard of anything like this. When you find out let us know. Can you post a picture of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd November 10, 2012 Author Share November 10, 2012 Well... I used some silicon adhesive (clear stuff) to attach the faux rock walls (walls made of egg crate/great stuff pond and foam) to the sides of the tank. My theory is that this is getting in the water and getting pulled out by the skimmer... If thats it than it will be some time before this tank is ready for any inhabitants. DOH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 10, 2012 Share November 10, 2012 That tells me it's breaking down and possibly not safe for your inhabitants. Did the product say it was safe for marine tanks? Well... I used some silicon adhesive (clear stuff) to attach the faux rock walls (walls made of egg crate/great stuff pond and foam) to the sides of the tank. My theory is that this is getting in the water and getting pulled out by the skimmer... If thats it than it will be some time before this tank is ready for any inhabitants. DOH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd November 10, 2012 Author Share November 10, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd November 10, 2012 Author Share November 10, 2012 as you can see in the post above... it was alot of adhesive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt LeBaron November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 How long did you let it dry before adding water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 You say "adhesive" but what is it really? You also say this green stuff is "growing" - is it really growing, or just accumulating? Can you scratch it off with a finger nail? Is it only in the collection cup or is it also in the neck and/or body of the skimmer? What does the impeller on your skimmer look like now? Are you seeing any more of this green stuff elsewhere (like at the water line in the sump or in the tank)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 What are your phosphate, nitrate and other numbers so far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd November 11, 2012 Author Share November 11, 2012 the green stuff is not growing... It is just inside the collection cup... on the inner wall of the main chamber. I can see the adhesive through the glass and it does not appear to be breaking down. I am still in the ammonia spike of my cycle... no nitrite or nitrates yet... havent checked phosphates yet because I am just cycling the tank. I'll check them tomorrow. the only place I see it is in the inside of the collection cup where you would normally get the fish poo. I don't see it anywhere else. Its hard to describe the texture of this stuff. It will scrape off with my finger nail, but it would take some doing to get it all... Also the silicone I used was GE Type I... which I think is safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 (edited) That sounds to me like maybe chemicals breaking down. You really should know that it's safe and that whatever is breaking down/leaching isn't toxic to your inhabitants or you. Is there an odor, a chemical odor to this substance as well? I dunno, I'm thinking this isn't good. the green stuff is not growing... It is just inside the collection cup... on the inner wall of the main chamber. I can see the adhesive through the glass and it does not appear to be breaking down. I am still in the ammonia spike of my cycle... no nitrite or nitrates yet... havent checked phosphates yet because I am just cycling the tank. I'll check them tomorrow. the only place I see it is in the inside of the collection cup where you would normally get the fish poo. I don't see it anywhere else. Its hard to describe the texture of this stuff. It will scrape off with my finger nail, but it would take some doing to get it all... Also the silicone I used was GE Type I... which I think is safe. Edited November 11, 2012 by Jan's Reef Foods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBVette November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 So you still have not told us what the adhesive is that you used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 what's all the stuff covering the walls and sides of the tank? I noticed you put it all the way to the front glass- how are you going to clean the algae that grows at the edges of the stuff and glass? Looks kinda cool, but also looks like it could be a cleaning nightmare. I sure hope that snails will crawl across it and keep algae down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt LeBaron November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 The stuff on the wall is "Great Stuff Pond and Stone Foam" I am assuming. People have used it before in Reef tanks in the same way that ohaverd has. http://www.saltcorner.com/Articles/Showarticle.php?articleID=43 is a good short article on it. My only thought right now might be that enough time was not allowed for it to entirely dry and when water was added some of it that was not entirely dry entered the water column. Unfortunately I am unsure if the foam will "dry" over time when wet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd November 11, 2012 Author Share November 11, 2012 (edited) MBvette, the "adhesive" was not the best word when I described it... I said later that is is GE type I silicone. like in a tube with a caulk gun. I allowed the foam and silicone 24 hours to cure btw. The only thing I can think of is if one of the tubes of silicone I used was accidentally not the right kind. Unfortunately I threw them away and cant check... zygote2k - as soon as I get off my butt I am going to add trim to the sides of the tank where you will not see where the black foam meets the front of the tank. theoretically after a couple of years or so this tank should look like one big rock. that's what I'm going for anyways. Hopefully it will be the opposite of a cleaning nightmare, as the only coraline I'll have to keep off is the front glass. I'll just have to rely on a large CUC for everything else. Edited November 11, 2012 by ohaverd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt LeBaron November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 GE Type I silicone usually fully cures within 24 hours but the information on their page does say that it can take longer under cool and/or moist conditions. Did you use black silicone? I wouldn't expect to see a green buildup from white but it's a possibility from black. The foam is also suppose cure within the amount of time you waited so not sure what the stuff you are finding in the skimmer could be. It's a bit hard to tell from your picture but it kind of looks like you may have a couple of corals in the tank. They'll likely be a basic test as to whether you've got a serious problem on your hands or not; if they stay alive you may not be totally in trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS November 11, 2012 Share November 11, 2012 Eh, let it run and throw in a few Mollies. If they live, you should be good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind November 12, 2012 Share November 12, 2012 I would do a large if not a complete water change. What is your pH and alk levels at? Using a lot of silicone if not fully cured can cause the tank to have a low pH, especially type 1 silicone which has the bio-seal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd November 15, 2012 Author Share November 15, 2012 a quick update on this... there doesnt seem to be rubbery bright green stuff in the skimmer anymore. Now it is a little darker green and comes off easily. To answer your questions, it is clear silicone. There was two corals on my live rock that I thought would live through the move... but they didnt. And they are hardy so that means there is or was something really bad in the tank. The PH is 8.4, and alk is 150ppm. I did a 50% water change last night, and have no choice but to add the 25% of my CUC thats comes in today (forgot to cancel order)... its all snails... we'll see how they do I guess and I'll go from there. My plan is just to take it extremely slow. I've gone way to far to start over now. I'll just keep doing water changes until whatever is in there is gone. thanks for the help and I'll keep yall updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der ABT November 15, 2012 Share November 15, 2012 i thought GE Silicone I kills fish....especially if it was a a newer bottle, i think the really old bottles were 100% silocon with no additives but im pretty sure there was a thread not to long ago where it killed a bunch of fish and thats with just a little used for the sump baffles. Hopefully thats not the case as that would be a PAIN to start over with al you have done to that. take a pic of the green stuff and it might just be skimmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami November 15, 2012 Share November 15, 2012 GE Silicone I (window/door), I think, is still 100% acetic acid-curing food-contact rated silicone. GE Silicone II is the stuff you don't want to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohaverd November 15, 2012 Author Share November 15, 2012 Well... does anyone know if you use the wrong silicone that eventually goes away after time and water changes? Or if that is the case am I SOL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella November 15, 2012 Share November 15, 2012 Well... does anyone know if you use the wrong silicone that eventually goes away after time and water changes? Or if that is the case am I SOL? If that IS the case, your SOL. It will leach out for an eternity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan November 15, 2012 Share November 15, 2012 Why don't you just set up a small tank for you CUC? Get some sand for seeding from a member or LFS, add mix, powerhead and heater until you can figure this out. Use something like Stabilitiy and Amquel to get the bacteria going and ammonia no too toxic. Why take the chance of possibly losing the CUC? If you can't get it straight in time you can save money by selling them. You may be able to add one as a tester. Would hate to see you lose money and for any critters to die because of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k November 15, 2012 Share November 15, 2012 I have a huge Blue Velvet Damsel that I can donate to you as a starter fish. It has lived in a toilet in the past and can handle something like silicone easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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