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re: silicone cement temperature limits
The red caulk is known as firestop, and is a fire rated sealant for use
around wall penetrations in fire-rated walls. It's usually used where
electrical conduit goes through masonry walls.
The important thing for aquariums about it (the red silicone) is that it
contains more than just silicone -- there are fire retardants in the stuff
to keep it from burning. I would definitely ***NOT*** use the stuff in an
aquarium for fear of what it might leach into the water. Some of the
materials used to make flammable stuff not support flame are pretty nasty.
Regular silicones should be good up to plenty high enough temperatures for
normal aquarium uses. There are some made for the electronics industry that
are good up to at least about 600 F or so that are used for potting
high-temp wire and the like if you really need a high-temp compound.
-Bill
>Steve Pushak <teban at powersonic_bc.ca> wrote:
>
>Does anyone know the temperature at which silicone cement begins to
>break down? Could we use an autoclave to kill ostracod eggs in
>aquariums?
>
>I reply:
>
>I am not sure about regular silicone but there is a high temperature
>silicone that is probably your best bet. It is used by the heating and
>cooling trade to seal joints in gas radiant heaters or in metal flues. I
>guess it must be good for something like 500 degrees F. Regular silicone
>will take a pretty high temperature too but I assume it must be less than
>the high temperature stuff or they wouldn't bother to make a different type.
>The high temperature silicone I have seen is always red.
>
>Wayne