Aquarium silicone sealant comparisons

[Ulu]

I only live 1 mile from the Lowe’s and a half a mile from the Ace and 2 miles from Home Depot and 3 miles from Tractor Supply company, so I can usually get what I want without ordering. I guess I’ve gotten spoiled.

 

[Backfromthedead]

I only live 1 mile from the Lowe’s and a half a mile from the Ace and 2 miles from Home Depot and 3 miles from Tractor Supply company, so I can usually get what I want without ordering. I guess I’ve gotten spoiled.

I meant to ask. Do you think the 7-year mold guarantee is just underlining the natural resistance to mold that 100% silicone possesses, kinda like a selling point? After all, the other silicones with mold additives would usually say something like 30 years mold free.

 

[Rocksor]

I meant to ask. Do you think the 7-year mold guarantee is just underlining the natural resistance to mold that 100% silicone possesses, kinda like a selling point? After all, the other silicones with mold additives would usually say something like 30 years mold free.

You could compare the ingredients and MSDS of GE Silicone 1 and SCS 1200 to see if there are any differences to determine this. That's where I would start.

 

[BIG-G]

My go to is RTV108.
Really strong,with excellent holding power.
I’ve found that any silicone product that is stated to be an adhesive has better holding strength than one that is stated to be a sealant.
GE 1 is a sealant. I’ve used it many time to build smaller tanks for any tank over 55 I use RTV.


It also states on Amazon add for GE1 it’s the same old formula as before.

 

[Rocksor]

My go to is RTV108.
Really strong,with excellent holding power.
I’ve found that any silicone product that is stated to be an adhesive has better holding strength than one that is stated to be a sealant.
GE 1 is a sealant. I’ve used it many time to build smaller tanks for any tank over 55 I use RTV.

View attachment 1453460
It also states on Amazon add for GE1 it’s the same old formula as before.
View attachment 1453459

I would like to see if anyone has the old MSDS information rather than relying on Amazon.

 

[BIG-G]

I would like to see if anyone has the old MSDS information rather than relying on Amazon.

I get that. I’m not stating that it’s not changed
I’ve used it since the 7 year mold thing was printed on it without issue.

It’s common practice for product labeling to change like this though.
Thus the “new look same formula “
It happens a lot.

 

[Rocksor]

I’ve used it since the 7 year mold thing was printed on it without issue.

Ok good, I haven't seen anyone use it yet.

 

[BIG-G]

Ok good, I haven't seen anyone use it yet.

I should clarify a bit.
I’ve not used it to build or seal any fish any aquarium.
I have used it to attach rocks and wood together to make hides for plecos and fish in the tank without issue.

 

[Ulu]

Well sounds like An opportunity for an experiment

 

[Backfromthedead]

Well sounds like An opportunity for an experiment

I did not read this entire thread but I do have a few comments, having designed with silicone for many years.

I designed systems in which cut stone was applied over steel frames using silicone adhesive and sealant.

I worked as an engineer for a company which manufacturers glass and aluminum glazing, storefronts and aluminum doors. I designed glazing systems which relied on silicone, and there are many high-rise buildings using such systems.

One of the projects I did an engineering study for was the infamous Biosphere habitat. There was a Biosphere-1 and a Biosphere-2 design, and you can look them up online.

It was initially determined that biosphere one was too small and it was enlarged about 25% to create the Biosphere-2 plan. If they had enlarged it by 2000% the project might have been successful.

Like an overstocked aquarium the Biosphere crashed without completing a full cycle. In other words it could never be self-sustaining because too much methane was created inside and not enough oxygen.

Ultimately our company did not take that contract because the client demanded a 100-year guarantee on what is essentially a glass, silicone and aluminum dome, applied over a welded steel frame.

You will find that the project failed and was closed out long before the 100-year guarantee, not because the silicone leaked, but because it was so tight there was Zero air exchange and the people inside were suffocating.

To be honest, it was supposed to replicate a habitat on the surface of Mars, so the entire thing was glass but you could not open a single window.

They were trying to test a totally sealed dome environment with people, animals and crops inside.

But just like an aquarium, it was the bacteria to be the downfall! As they broke down organic matter and wastes, gases were created that could not be contained or dealt with, and certainly not breathed.

ANYHOW . . .

GE Silicone-1 was specified and normally this came with a 20 year guarantee, though over the years that guarantee was increased to 25 and then 30 years. But this client demanded a 100-year guarantee and General Electric signed that, with provisions including that there was a full-time on site continuous inspection of the cleaning and sealing.

Accelerated aging tests had been done in the past, which convinced General Electric that they could offer this to a particular client under a particular situation.

Of course every engineer involved in the project knew that it would not run anywhere close to 100 years. For the University to get funding for just a two-year program was nearly impossible.

Cleaning is a vitally important in this business if you want a seal that lasts a long time. It is in fact the most important part of the entire business.

I have one new tank sealed with GE SCS and one I resealed with GE Silicone-1. It was only done one year ago so no guess on the long-term durability of my repairs. The SES tank was done at the same time.

Anyhow GE Silicone-1 is the thing to use in my mind. I'm sure you can spend more money but I don't think you can buy better as it is pure 100% silicone.

While I dont doubt that ge-1 is adequate, I'm just not sure that applying the biodome example to aquarium building is relevant. After all, the seals on the biodome were being subjected to only atmospheric pressure and gases, while aquarium seals are under constant water pressure as well as constant exposure to varying concentrations of NaCl and other trace elements. I do suppose temperature is less variable with aquariums vs the biodome though.