Black silicone turning yellow - 300G Marineland tank

mike660r · 07/27/2009, 05:20 AM

Yesterday I spent the afternoon cleaning my tank. I noticed along the bottom front panel that the black silicone appears to be turning yellow. The tank has been setup since November of 2008. The silicone has been covered with sand since I set the tank up. I am a little concerned with what this could mean. Has anyone else seen black silicone change color?

Lightsluvr · 07/27/2009, 06:04 AM

Maybe just the surface is covered with stubborn diatom or alage?

LL

mike660r · 07/27/2009, 06:06 AM

Thats not it. I can see the yellow from the outside of the tank. Black silicone should be black thoughout.

sedor · 07/27/2009, 06:17 AM

I wouldn't be worried about it unless the silicone seems brittle orrotting away.

mike660r · 07/27/2009, 07:11 AM

This picture isn't the best but it's something.

TRITON1 · 07/27/2009, 10:37 AM

I thought Marineland used clear silicone along the bottom of their tanks and black on the sides. Maybe it is just dirty clear silicone.

mike660r · 07/27/2009, 11:06 AM

Its black on both sides of the yellow area.

Jflip2002 · 07/27/2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TRITON1
I thought Marineland used clear silicone along the bottom of their tanks and black on the sides. Maybe it is just dirty clear silicone.

I think Triton has it... My 225g Leemar with "black silicone" was black silicone all around... except for the bottom! Clear silicone is supposed to be stronger, and tanks will typically not be warrantied without clear silicone on the bottom. I think thats your problem... Clear silicone on the bottom.

ranran · 07/28/2009, 04:05 PM

my 200 gallon marineland starfire has black silicone on the bottom

mx36 · 07/28/2009, 07:18 PM

Have you emailed marineland to see what they say about it?

serpentman · 07/29/2009, 07:00 AM

Mine bottom seam is black as well. No way dirty clear silicone could ever be mistaken for it, its jet black.

Mike, I think your best bet would be to contact Marineland and see what they say. I checked mine thoroughly and can't find any areas (yet). However most of the bottom bead is covered by the trim.

mike660r · 07/29/2009, 11:57 AM

I sent a customer contact request to them but I haven't heard back yet.

drummereef · 07/29/2009, 10:42 PM

I custom ordered a 180g Starfire front glass from Marineland. I had them put black silicone throughout, but they used clear on the bottom and top rim for structural reasons. They only used black around the sides. Are you sure you remember it being black on the bottom pane for sure?

mike660r · 07/30/2009, 05:16 AM

I'm 99% sure it was black. The picture I posted is of the front panel on the bottom of the right side of the tank. You can make out that the silicone is black going toward the right corner. The silicone is also black for 5 feet to the left of the area that turned yellow.

cayenne · 07/30/2009, 10:18 AM

The Marineland Deep Dimension tanks come with black silicone all the way around. The only clear I have on mine is at the top where the braces are tied to the trim.

The bottom is 100% black. I will be keeping an eye on it though. Let us know what Marineland says!

cougaran · 08/01/2009, 05:22 AM

I'm kinda curoius about this black silicone being weaker than clear thing....If thats the case I want a tank that lasts. My current 90 is the old 1/2" glass and has lasted forever...

tewkes · 08/01/2009, 09:39 AM

What is the basis of the black being weaker than the clear? I think it's racial profiling. The black is newer and more sleek looking so all the guys with clear are jealous and talking junk about it being all weak and stuff, lol.

But seriously, I've yet to hear a reason why the black is no good. I have a 150g deep dimension tank, had it setup almost a year, and I've never noticed any yellowing or flaws.

Is it possible to put a decorative layer of black over the clear? I tried it once on a sump and it came out pretty good, except I put to much on.

mx36 · 08/05/2009, 06:44 PM

Any word back from marineland?

Jflip2002 · 08/05/2009, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tewkes
What is the basis of the black being weaker than the clear? I think it's racial profiling. The black is newer and more sleek looking so all the guys with clear are jealous and talking junk about it being all weak and stuff, lol.

But seriously, I've yet to hear a reason why the black is no good. I have a 150g deep dimension tank, had it setup almost a year, and I've never noticed any yellowing or flaws.

Is it possible to put a decorative layer of black over the clear? I tried it once on a sump and it came out pretty good, except I put to much on.

Im honestly not sure if its a legitimate claim, or why it is, if so. But I know on my 225g Leemar, "black silicone" was the option that won me over. When I went to pick it up, I starting complaining up a storm because the silicone was clear on the bottom. After long talks, I was informed that Lee Mar would not warranty a tank unless the bottom was siliconed in with clear silicone. I was not informed why, though. Also, when I was getting quotes, I talked to charlie at the fish tank factory, and he said black silicone was not recommended on a larger tank, since its not as strong.

mike660r · 08/05/2009, 08:17 PM

Still no reply from Marineland. I doubt anyone is going to be willing to answer for this oddity. The silicone around the bottom was completely black at one time. I went back through and looked at some previous pictures I have from October 24th 2008. I don't know what else to say folks.

shaginwagon13 · 08/05/2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mike660r
Yesterday I spent the afternoon cleaning my tank. I noticed along the bottom front panel that the black silicone appears to be turning yellow. The tank has been setup since November of 2008. The silicone has been covered with sand since I set the tank up. I am a little concerned with what this could mean. Has anyone else seen black silicone change color?

One of my old tanks had this happen to it but it was not along the bottom of the tank is was on one of the sides. I had black silicon and when I noticed it it was around 3-4 inches long and it was yellowish in color as well. I really have no idea what caused it....

cougaran · 08/05/2009, 11:34 PM

I'm willing to bet that this happens with tanks with clear silicone, but you just cant notice it like you can with black.

mike660r · 08/06/2009, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shaginwagon13
One of my old tanks had this happen to it but it was not along the bottom of the tank is was on one of the sides. I had black silicon and when I noticed it it was around 3-4 inches long and it was yellowish in color as well. I really have no idea what caused it....

Thanks Shagin,

You are the first person to respond that has seen this happen before. Do you still have the tank? If so, is the seam still solid? I am going to contact my LFS today and see if they can forward on my concern to Marineland. The bad part is I bought this tank brand new from someone else. I doubt I have any warranty rights. However, it would be nice if I could be told if I should add more coverage to my homeowners insurance. I already have the tank covered. It never hurts to make sure everything is up to date though with this type of risk sitting in the house.

Mike

mike660r · 08/06/2009, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cougaran
I'm willing to bet that this happens with tanks with clear silicone, but you just cant notice it like you can with black.

You would notice this for sure. It may just be from the UV exposure. I keep a shallow sand bed. The sand could have blown away from these areas and the UV from my Reeflux 250 12K's could have contributed. I haven't had the balls to press on it to see if it is any softer than the rest. I guess I better give that a shot this evening.

shaginwagon13 · 08/06/2009, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Thanks Shagin,

You are the first person to respond that has seen this happen before. Do you still have the tank? If so, is the seam still solid? I am going to contact my LFS today and see if they can forward on my concern to Marineland. The bad part is I bought this tank brand new from someone else. I doubt I have any warranty rights. However, it would be nice if I could be told if I should add more coverage to my homeowners insurance. I already have the tank covered. It never hurts to make sure everything is up to date though with this type of risk sitting in the house.

Mike

Hey Mike,
No I do not have the tank anymore I got rid of it but the seal never actually leaked or broke, I simply upgraded to a larger one. I purchased the tank used and I didn't notice it when I purchased it however the tank was pretty dirty so I'm not sure if it was like that before or after I bought it.

Originally I thought that the 'yellowish' line was caused when I cleaned the inside of the tank after purchasing it. I washed it was diluted bleach and vinegar. I thought that maybe some bleach stayed on a little too long and that's what caused it however I really have no way of knowing for certain.

The tank never leaked or failed while I was using it however to be honest I only had it up and running for maybe 6 months before I upgraded so that's really not a long period of time before I decided to upgrade.

Also, my 'yellow' line was located on one of the sides of the tank...maybe 12 inches below the top of the tank. The water pressure there is way less then the pressure the bottom seals have to go through (especially since mine was only a 130 gallon and yours is a lot larger) so if the yellowish mark means the silicon will fail I would say your tank would leak a lot sooner then mine would have.

Its always good to have the insurance regardless though...and make sure in your policy the insurance will cover everything! I had a friend who thought he was fully covered and when his tank leaked and killed everything the insurance company would not cover anything that was living, or the tank. So make sure your policy covers fish, LR, corals, clams, etc. They will most likely not cover the tank if it fails because that's what caused the damage however as long as the majority of your investment is covered you should be alright.

Hope this helps....and try to get in contact with whoever you bought the tank from. Even if they tell you it won't fail tell them you want it fixed or a new tank made. If the 'yellowish' lines were a normal thing on an aquarium then everyone would have them.

07/27/2009, 05:20 AM	#1
mike660r Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 2,038	Black silicone turning yellow - 300G Marineland tank Yesterday I spent the afternoon cleaning my tank. I noticed along the bottom front panel that the black silicone appears to be turning yellow. The tank has been setup since November of 2008. The silicone has been covered with sand since I set the tank up. I am a little concerned with what this could mean. Has anyone else seen black silicone change color?

07/27/2009, 06:04 AM	#2
Lightsluvr Tangaroa to 500 gallons Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Edmond, OK Posts: 5,855	Maybe just the surface is covered with stubborn diatom or alage? LL __________________ Click on my username and select "Lightsluvr's Home Page" for a recap of our build thread - AGE Hybrid Tank in a 500G system with dedicated fish room. (Takes a few minutes for photos to load) Leave a note if you stop by... Current Tank Info: 350G AGE Hybrid reef tank. 500G+ total water volume. Three sumps for filtration. Barracuda Gold return and Hammerhead Gold closed loop pumps. DIY T5 light system on rails. MP40W x3 to supplement closed loop. 130G Water management system.

07/27/2009, 06:17 AM	#4
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,689	I wouldn't be worried about it unless the silicone seems brittle orrotting away. __________________ Ryan

07/27/2009, 10:37 AM	#6
TRITON1 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 250	I thought Marineland used clear silicone along the bottom of their tanks and black on the sides. Maybe it is just dirty clear silicone. __________________ ~John Current Tank Info: Working on that

07/28/2009, 04:05 PM	#9
ranran Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: vanc wa Posts: 765	my 200 gallon marineland starfire has black silicone on the bottom __________________ Randy Current Tank Info: down sized to a 200 gal starfire!

07/27/2009, 06:06 AM	#3
mike660r Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 2,038	Thats not it. I can see the yellow from the outside of the tank. Black silicone should be black thoughout.

07/27/2009, 07:11 AM	#5
mike660r Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 2,038	This picture isn't the best but it's something.

07/27/2009, 11:06 AM	#7
mike660r Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 2,038	Its black on both sides of the yellow area.

07/28/2009, 07:18 PM	#10
mx36 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 242	Have you emailed marineland to see what they say about it?

07/29/2009, 07:00 AM	#11
serpentman part time superhero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Deep in the Heart of the Snowbelt (NE OHIO) Posts: 5,698	Mine bottom seam is black as well. No way dirty clear silicone could ever be mistaken for it, its jet black. Mike, I think your best bet would be to contact Marineland and see what they say. I checked mine thoroughly and can't find any areas (yet). However most of the bottom bead is covered by the trim. __________________ BS in Marine Bio ('96), First SW tank in 1992. Current Tank(s) 300g SPS with 90g frag tank and 40 anemone tank - decommissioned 46g LPS/Softy Cube 300g FOWLR under construction - decommissioned

07/29/2009, 11:57 AM	#12
mike660r Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 2,038	I sent a customer contact request to them but I haven't heard back yet.

07/29/2009, 10:42 PM	#13
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I custom ordered a 180g Starfire front glass from Marineland. I had them put black silicone throughout, but they used clear on the bottom and top rim for structural reasons. They only used black around the sides. Are you sure you remember it being black on the bottom pane for sure? __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

07/30/2009, 05:16 AM	#14
mike660r Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 2,038	I'm 99% sure it was black. The picture I posted is of the front panel on the bottom of the right side of the tank. You can make out that the silicone is black going toward the right corner. The silicone is also black for 5 feet to the left of the area that turned yellow.

07/30/2009, 10:18 AM	#15
cayenne Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Lynchburg, Virginia Posts: 472	The Marineland Deep Dimension tanks come with black silicone all the way around. The only clear I have on mine is at the top where the braces are tied to the trim. The bottom is 100% black. I will be keeping an eye on it though. Let us know what Marineland says! __________________ Landen Current Tank Info: 300G, Bubble King SMII, Tunze 6101's, 250W MH's, Teco SeaChill Chiller, ACIII, MRC CR6 Calcium Reactor, 120 Watt Aqua UV

08/01/2009, 05:22 AM	#16
cougaran Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Western Mass Posts: 666	I'm kinda curoius about this black silicone being weaker than clear thing....If thats the case I want a tank that lasts. My current 90 is the old 1/2" glass and has lasted forever... __________________ Countless years exp SW & FW(in other words I've given up a few times over 30 years, but always come back for more punishment) Current Tank Info: 90 Gal w/ 20 Gal Refugium(setup since 2005), 38 & 29 QT. 300 Gal marineland setup in progress.

08/01/2009, 09:39 AM	#17
tewkes Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 334	What is the basis of the black being weaker than the clear? I think it's racial profiling. The black is newer and more sleek looking so all the guys with clear are jealous and talking junk about it being all weak and stuff, lol. But seriously, I've yet to hear a reason why the black is no good. I have a 150g deep dimension tank, had it setup almost a year, and I've never noticed any yellowing or flaws. Is it possible to put a decorative layer of black over the clear? I tried it once on a sump and it came out pretty good, except I put to much on.

08/05/2009, 06:44 PM	#18
mx36 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 242	Any word back from marineland?

08/05/2009, 08:17 PM	#20
mike660r Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 2,038	Still no reply from Marineland. I doubt anyone is going to be willing to answer for this oddity. The silicone around the bottom was completely black at one time. I went back through and looked at some previous pictures I have from October 24th 2008. I don't know what else to say folks.

08/05/2009, 11:34 PM	#22
cougaran Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Western Mass Posts: 666	I'm willing to bet that this happens with tanks with clear silicone, but you just cant notice it like you can with black. __________________ Countless years exp SW & FW(in other words I've given up a few times over 30 years, but always come back for more punishment) Current Tank Info: 90 Gal w/ 20 Gal Refugium(setup since 2005), 38 & 29 QT. 300 Gal marineland setup in progress.