There is silicone, and there is silicone. With much of it, of the hardware store variety, "S" stands for s .. t. But if anyone thinks silicone can't fail, they don't begin to understand the topic. One problem with silicone is that it doesn't get along with certain substrates over time, so will fail in that repect unless correct surface preparation is done first. Another problem is that it leaves a residue which must be thoroughly scoured off if you want to use something else later. Where silicone does tend to last in a plumbing aspect is when it acts merely like a gasket, permanently squeezed inside a fitting. Argue if you must; but I sold over a million dollars of tube sealant per year for all kinds of applications, including marine, industrial, and military. Many of them were pro products not found in home centers.
Don't buy anything called "siliconized acrylic". In caulking tube style, it's fairly easy to find GE Bathroom grade 100% silicone. Check the expiration date; it matters. Let it fully cure before use. There are also siliconized plumber's putties more durable than the common variety. Go to a true plumbing supply house and see what they have.
Now as per plumbing epoxy putties. That's the nuclear solution. Unless these crack through embrittlement and joint movement, their problem is that they're hell to remove it you have to do that. I personally keep on hand a variety of darkroom maintenance sealants; but some of them are specialized and not commonly encountered.