Please help with regards to products I can use to varnish wood for my stand cover

Hi Everyone,

So I am keen to get started on making the cover for my new tank stand, but need to know about 'fish safe' products... the store I went to, thought I was crazy because I said I need aquatic safe varnish and glue ... they didnt have what I asked for, and gave me the following:

<---------- please advise on the varnish and the glue... (I am sure there are a lot of posts but have not had a chance to read through them yet)

Thanks,
Candice

 

oh and I will be leaving the first coat to cure for 24hrs and then the 2nd for another 24 hours and then glue for 24hrs too, and the tank still has to cycle, so that will be a period of about 3 weeks that the fumes can dissipate before I will even have fish in the tank...

 

My opinion is the only part that will affect your fish is fumes and anything touching the water. Remember that when drying, leave it far from your tank as the some fumes can dissolve into the water and adsorb onto your filter media while cycling. A friend of mine used normal glue/varnish on two canopies, and both his and his fiance's tanks are running great, and they are breeding corries and bristlenoses in there, so it should be fine.

 

This has always been an interesting (silent) debate with people going to the expense of buying "non-toxic" products. They feel that the 30% markup on the price is justified by the "non-toxic" sticker that is stuck on.

Silicon has anti fungal additives added to it. This is known, and advertised. This is dangerous, so going Marine is the correct step. But with paint, glue and varnish, they are all pretty much non-toxic in their dry state. Varnish is suppose to repel water, so unless you your hood is going to be completely submerged and exposed directly to the water (which we know it isn't) then you are pretty safe.

Rule of thumb I always use as my yard stick:
If it is NEAR the water (i.e NOT IN THE WATER) then most good paint/varnish completely DRY is safe. By dry I mean not when YOU think it's dry. It's dry according to the product specifications. If the varnish tells you on the tin it takes 27 days to reach complete curing... then please don't put the hood on until 27 days is passed.
If the product is IN the water, then make sure you pay the 30% extra and buy the "non-toxic" / "Aquarium safe" product.

Please note that according to SABS, all paint manufacturers are required by LAW not to have any Lead in the paint. (And this has been law for over a decade now by the way...)

 

So what paint can you use in the water? I want to paint the pipe of my overflow black and do not know what to use. An aerosol spray would be magic!

 

Hi TomK,
There is a safe can of spray available, The product is called "Spray-On" I've used this in the past with no ill effect! It's usually available at Midas Spares or some of the good auto spray paint shops.
I usually use the satin black can.
First, wipe the pipes with a clean lint free cloth and surgical spirits. This will get rid of any fat or oil and will not damage the pipes or "eat" the plastic. Then you will have to "wet" sand the pipes with 800 grit water paper, just until they have no shine on them. This is to give the paint a purchase or hold. the first paint coat, will basically eat into the plastic tubing, etching into it very slightly. You want this!
Your first coat should also be thin, just enough to give an even coat. It doesn't matter if you end up with a translucent coat for your first or second coat, the idea is to get an even hold all over the pipes. Allow at least 15 min for the paint to dry in between each coat. You will need at least four to five relatively thin coats to completely cover the pipes. Each coating you give will eat into the previous coat, bonding itself more firmly as it dries.
Note. It's better to spray a couple of thin coats than a few thick coats. The thinner coating dries more evenly and as a result is stronger and less prone to pealing off later. Conversely, the thicker coat doesn't adhere evenly and ends up with small pockets that will peal off relatively quickly.

I've used the Spray-on cans extensively and have never had a problem with them, I know that azurekoi has used Spraymate in his paludarium also with no ill effect, but I haven't had any experience with it. If you can't get the Spray on, then PM him and ask his advice. I'm sure he will be more than willing to help!
Regards
Barry

Oh, I usually wait until I can't smell any fumes from the dried spray before handling and then leave what ever I've painted for about 5 to 6 hours to cure before putting it into the tank.

 

Thanks @barryM I am going to give it a try. @barryM !

WTF @Barry.M