best silicone to bond acrylic to glass for AIO tank?

johnfallon135 · 11/10/2016, 08:03 PM

want to build a AIO tank with my glass tank and a acrylic overflow however i was wondering is there silicone that can bond them well? how do the tank manufactuers build their glass aio systems so strong with their acrylic overflows?

skiingfast · 11/10/2016, 11:13 PM

Because there is water in front and behind the partition, at almost the same level. There is almost equal force on each side of the partition. It really doesn't want to move. This is unlike in a sump where water cascades to different levels.

So you could use regular silicone for simplicity. Or you could carefully inject superglue but that will be very hard.

In the end it more for aesthetics. If it leaks here and there, little harm it doesn't leak anywhere except into another part of the tank.

tom obrecht · 11/11/2016, 09:26 AM

I always look for 100% silicone that is food safe.

mcgyvr · 11/11/2016, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom obrecht

I always look for 100% silicone that is food safe.

because you plan to eat it?

johnfallon135 · 11/11/2016, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skiingfast

Because there is water in front and behind the partition, at almost the same level. There is almost equal force on each side of the partition. It really doesn't want to move. This is unlike in a sump where water cascades to different levels.

So you could use regular silicone for simplicity. Or you could carefully inject superglue but that will be very hard.

In the end it more for aesthetics. If it leaks here and there, little harm it doesn't leak anywhere except into another part of the tank.

you be watching diy king eh? :P heh heh lol still i'm wondering how is it that aio tank manufacturers or overflow tank manufacturers are able to silicone their acrylic so tightly on glass? is there a commercial silicone that us regular hobbiest can't get our hands on? lol

skiingfast · 11/11/2016, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnfallon135

you be watching diy king eh? :P heh heh lol still i'm wondering how is it that aio tank manufacturers or overflow tank manufacturers are able to silicone their acrylic so tightly on glass? is there a commercial silicone that us regular hobbiest can't get our hands on? lol

I've watched a few of his things but not about glueing. Does he have a video on it?

I think some AIO tanks use a glue rather than silicone. Because of the tight fit I'm curious how the do it when it's a glass tank. I suspect they build the glass around the insert, but biocubes with the U shaped piece may not be easy to do that way.

Timfish · 11/11/2016, 07:29 PM

Generic clear silicone tensile strength of roughly 200 psi. You can find RTV 108 at some specialty adhesive places or online and it has a tensile strength of roughly 400 psi. RTV 167 has a tensile srength of about 800 psi. They will stick to sheet PVC better than acrylic.

cougareyes · 11/11/2016, 07:33 PM

This stuff: http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-2-8-oz...E-57/202038072
I just did a sump in a glass tank with acrylic baffles.

johnfallon135 · 11/12/2016, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cougareyes

This stuff: http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-2-8-oz...E-57/202038072
I just did a sump in a glass tank with acrylic baffles.

How strong is the hold?

Ou8me2 · 11/12/2016, 05:37 AM

I had a friend who bought a modular marine overflow and sump kit. They recommended GE SCS1200 and they sell it and also sell Dow Corning 795.

I know the GE SCS1200 Has I believe the highest tensile strength at 480psi. It also has a tear strength of 45.2ppi and shear strength of 110.8psi. Used it on a glass tank for the acrylic overflow and sump baffles in a glass sump. It's been almost a year and both are still holding strong. I will say if you use this, do so in a very, very well ventilated area. I about passed out as I didn't realize it would be so bad, it has a very heavy vinegar smell.

It starts curing fairly fast though so you can't poke around applying it. We did let it cure for 2 whole weeks though before we added water as we applied a generous bead of silicone.

People think I'm crazy cause I won't water test till I smell the silicone and no vinegar smell is present.

https://www.amazon.com/GE-1200-Const.../dp/B001G0YLXA

http://modularmarine.com/collections/silicone

11/10/2016, 08:03 PM	#1
johnfallon135 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 442	best silicone to bond acrylic to glass for AIO tank? want to build a AIO tank with my glass tank and a acrylic overflow however i was wondering is there silicone that can bond them well? how do the tank manufactuers build their glass aio systems so strong with their acrylic overflows? Last edited by johnfallon135; 11/10/2016 at 08:19 PM.

11/11/2016, 09:26 AM	#3
tom obrecht Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: WI Posts: 3,014	I always look for 100% silicone that is food safe. __________________ Reef keeping is where Murphy's Law and your bank account collide!! TOTM May 2006

11/11/2016, 07:29 PM	#7
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	Generic clear silicone tensile strength of roughly 200 psi. You can find RTV 108 at some specialty adhesive places or online and it has a tensile strength of roughly 400 psi. RTV 167 has a tensile srength of about 800 psi. They will stick to sheet PVC better than acrylic. __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

11/11/2016, 07:33 PM	#8
cougareyes Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 713	This stuff: http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-2-8-oz...E-57/202038072 I just did a sump in a glass tank with acrylic baffles. __________________ 30g wartskin angler with living color corals::: 125g juvi tank with blueline, clown, niger triggers; passer angel, and jeweled moray eel Current Tank Info: 210g fowlr: yellow belly dogface puffer, harlequin tusk, pinktail and pair of bluejaw triggers, majestic angel, orange shoulder and scopus tangs. one spot fox: 90g lps reef with an antennata , zebra and fuzzy dwarf, fu manchu lions, yellow mimic tang

11/12/2016, 05:37 AM	#10
Ou8me2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 743	I had a friend who bought a modular marine overflow and sump kit. They recommended GE SCS1200 and they sell it and also sell Dow Corning 795. I know the GE SCS1200 Has I believe the highest tensile strength at 480psi. It also has a tear strength of 45.2ppi and shear strength of 110.8psi. Used it on a glass tank for the acrylic overflow and sump baffles in a glass sump. It's been almost a year and both are still holding strong. I will say if you use this, do so in a very, very well ventilated area. I about passed out as I didn't realize it would be so bad, it has a very heavy vinegar smell. It starts curing fairly fast though so you can't poke around applying it. We did let it cure for 2 whole weeks though before we added water as we applied a generous bead of silicone. People think I'm crazy cause I won't water test till I smell the silicone and no vinegar smell is present. https://www.amazon.com/GE-1200-Const.../dp/B001G0YLXA http://modularmarine.com/collections/silicone Last edited by Ou8me2; 11/12/2016 at 05:43 AM.

11/10/2016, 11:13 PM	#2
skiingfast Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 217	Because there is water in front and behind the partition, at almost the same level. There is almost equal force on each side of the partition. It really doesn't want to move. This is unlike in a sump where water cascades to different levels. So you could use regular silicone for simplicity. Or you could carefully inject superglue but that will be very hard. In the end it more for aesthetics. If it leaks here and there, little harm it doesn't leak anywhere except into another part of the tank.