what type of dow corning is used to build a 78"x32"x23" tank?

[tg31]

hi friends....

I newbie here......im going to make a 78"x32"x23" tank.
Im using 12mm glass.

my question is: what is the strongest type of dow corning to make this tank?

thank you.

 

[scrombussquared]

Dow Corning is a manufacturer of hundreds, if not thousands of products. Please elaborate further. I'm in the planning stages of a similar tank, so I'm following this thread.

 

[MSU Fan]

I assume you mean silicone - and 100% silicone is all you need. Although there are stronger silicones out there, which some aquarium mfg's use, I don't know the name of them.

 

[coralnut99]

I went through a similar question in a thread with someone who was actually a Dow chemical engineer. The Dow website is actually very helpful. The two strongest that come to mind is Dow 994 and Dow 995.

If I don't find a used 180G real soon for a good price, I'll be building almost the exact tank tg31 is building.

I have to throw a question out here though: Anybody know where to get Dow 994 & Dow 995? McMAster?

 

[coralnut99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13699345#post13699345 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MSU Fan
I assume you mean silicone - and 100% silicone is all you need. Although there are stronger silicones out there, which some aquarium mfg's use, I don't know the name of them.

If it were a more "standard" dimension, I would certainly agree with MSU that anything more than 100% silicone might be overkill. But there isn't a whole lot of data out there on this stuff. So I'm just going with a VERY non-scientific train of though that tells me to go the overkill route when the tank width exceeds 24". Mine will be a bit shallower than tg's but if the cost for Dow995 isn't ridiculous, I don't think I can justify not using it.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

You can get down 795 or 995 by the case from www.kenseal.com .

I have a case of 995 in black. If anyone wants, I'd be willing to sell some, I dont need all 12 tubes!

 

[coralnut99]

Thanks for the info fiziks, and I would've taken you up on it if it wasn't black.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

What color are you looking for? I don't believe either Dow 795 or 995 come in clear. 995 is black, grey or white, 795 comes in a bunch of colors.

 

[coralnut99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13701400#post13701400 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fiziksgeek
What color are you looking for? I don't believe either Dow 795 or 995 come in clear. 995 is black, grey or white, 795 comes in a bunch of colors.

Thanksm, just found that one out myself. Clear was what I was looking for. Black just doesn't work for me aesthetically.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Well, here are other brands of silicone out there that will work, and do come in clear! Good luck.

 

[tg31]

im stay i indonesia, unfortunately the shop here dont sell 995.
the guy offered me to use 732 instead. he said it can handle 73"x32"x23" size tank and many people've been using it.
what do you think guys?

 

[faded1004]

if you can, look into GE1200, i heard that one is good also? it is a pure silicone high strength adhesive...

 

[Acrylics]

While I love the Dow Corning products, you might want to look at the GE 1200 as noted above, it does come in clear.

HTH,
James

 

[amehel0]

i build fish tanks myself. we use ge silicones exclusively for durability and strength even though it is more expensive then DOW. scs1200 is what i would recommend. not the 1201(same glue different packing methods result in lota air bubbles in 1201). also the 1200 is a contruction grade glue it is by far stronger then any of dows silicones.

btw unless that person has built many tanks before chances are they dont know what there talking about. building tanks isnt exactly easy, and there are many tricks to doing it. although a silicone may be rated to a certain strength there are many different strengths like tensile, shear, grip, tear etc.

 

[faded1004]

as amehel0 said, that is why i picked up some from ebay, i think ge1200 is acutally scs1200?

i ordered it from ebay, ge1200... and the scs1200 came in like a green ish tube. but i looked it up and it seems like the same name? may be a new labeling?

i heard the biggest mistake in new builds are the silicone thinknesses? i know that to be strong, the thickness has to be pretty right on, so that it isn't easily torn, but gives alittle, and bonds to glass well...

just read up on all the glass builds, there are quite a few here.