# Did I Silicone Wrong?



## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

HEllo, my dad has re siliconed my fishtank by beading it but does it matter if you run your finger over the silicone after you apply all of it on the tank or after you apply to let's say a seam?


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

It's better to use the back of a spoon to avoid the possibility of getting skin oils on the silicone or intruding into it. It makes sense to do all this fiddling after all seams have been laid. If your nozzle is cut right and held correctly, you may not need to touch it at all. Some types of silicone begin to cure or "skin" very quickly. In an very large tank, you might have to spoon over one bead at a time. I have used a silicone that dries totally clear. It skins over in only seconds, so what you bead is what you get. My first tank with this was a learning experience. I retouched it and made it look worse. Fortunately when filled with water you don't notice where I messed up. Until algae grows....


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## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

Looks dont matter but hopefully it holds. I'll be testing in a week, thanks for the advice


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

If the tank is properly built, it won't leak even without the inner fillet seam. The idea of smoothing the bead is probably as much to feather the edges as it is to try an remove any air trapped beneath the bead. In my opinion, the actual application of the bead will determine the quality of the job. If you don't introduce air beneath the bead it should seal, smoothed or not.


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## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

Ok thanks just gotta keep my fingers cross ed for when i fill it up,125 gallons of water on the ground would not be good.


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