Aquarium silicone sealant comparisons
- Thread starter Buckdog
- Start date
What is the favorite silicone similar to the GE silicone 1 number 312a (black) ? 312a is getting hard to find.
RTV 108 black is a favorite among aquarists. I've noticed it's kinda hard to find these days too.
I use dow corning 795 black.
I use dow corning 795 black.
Let us know how that works. I've been wondering if it's the same ultra-quick cure like scs1200 is.
Know how that goes. I'm just now catching up on some stuff that should've started months ago. I'm still using dc795 from a bulk pack I bought 3 years ago.
I'm very lukewarm on scs1200. I love how strong it is, but it is one hell of a fast set, tough for me to work with. That being said I've had good results with 2/2 tanks using it. If I ever go for another XL rimless build I may try that black scs1200.
That's why I'm looking for similar to GE1 number 312A, because it's slow set, and moldable/smoothable for a while.
Would not use after use by dates. A tube will fail in patches - sections so even a test on each tube is not a guarantee. Make sure it's stored well as poor storage will ruin the tube within use by dates.
The silicon never cures.
Having to cut apart a tank and spotlessly clean off uncured silicon is a lot of work.
The silicon never cures.
Having to cut apart a tank and spotlessly clean off uncured silicon is a lot of work.
Scs1200-fast set, cures 5-7 days, highest strength. Pricy.
Dow 795-slow set, cures 7-21 days, not as strong. Not so pricy.
Rtv 108-somewhere in the middle of the other 2 in all qualities. Some say it's the "ideal" choice. Also pricy.
The technical specifications for each of these adhesives can be found via quick Google search if you'd like to look over the data yourself. The key is finding what you can build with the best. I started with Dow 795 since it was so workable but have branched out to other quicker sets as I improved my building skills. Even though it doesn't spec out as strong as the others it is still quite strong. Here is a 200g rimless with dow795 that has ran continuously for 2 years with turbulent flow and minimal safety factor (5/8" side and bottom seams).
And here's a 100g sump I built out of scrap glass this past weekend for a new setup.
If I had it to do over (and i might), I would use a higher strength silicone for the big rimless tank and use perfectly cut and polished glass. The dow795 is perfectly fine for smaller projects like the sump that I cut up in my backyard.
I've never worked with rtv108 but a lot of people swear by it. Seems like a perfect medium of qualities just by reading the spec sheet though.
What size tank(s) are you building?