Aquarium sealant: types, selection and application

The desire to be closer to nature forces city dwellers to have pets, birds and houseplants, as well as to install artificial reservoirs in the premises. In order for this design to bring only positive emotions and delight its owners, it is necessary not only to choose it correctly, but also to assemble it, and also to fill it with living inhabitants and artificial decor items. An indispensable assistant in this event is a sealant, which allows you to process all joints as reliably as possible and attach decorative elements to the bottom and walls of the container. The main thing is that the selected composition is as safe as possible for aquatic inhabitants and for the owners themselves.

A sealant for artificial reservoirs is an indispensable aquarium composition that allows you to restore the tightness of the container and glue all glass parts. Functional purpose of adhesives:

• assembly of a new design;
• current repairs;
• installation of decorative elements.

In order for the repair of a home reservoir to be as durable as possible and not lead to the death of its inhabitants due to the ingress of toxic substances into the water, these compositions must have the following characteristics:

• environmental Safety;
• high rates of elasticity;
• permissible temperature range - from + 200 to - 70 degrees;
• the ability to withstand temperature fluctuations and various loads;
• moisture resistance and moisture resistance.

For gluing glass or repairing a pond, you can use a wide range of sealants, which should only be of high quality.

Modern manufacturers produce two types of sealants:

• one-component - ready-made compositions;
• two-component - solutions, for the preparation of which it is necessary to mix an activator and a waterproof adhesive-sealant.

Ready-made sealants are more practical and in demand.

Depending on the composition, sealants are divided into the following types:

• polyurethane;
• polysulfide;
• bituminous;
• acrylic;
• thiokol;
• silicone.

The first three types of sealants have a high level of toxicity and are not used for artificial reservoirs.

Professional aquarists recommend using silicone based adhesives, which are completely safe and non-toxic for both the aquarium owner and all aquatic life.

• lack of an unpleasant chemical odor;
• high fixing rates;
• elasticity;
• heat resistance;
• high level of resistance to ultraviolet radiation;
• moisture resistance;
• short drying time.

On the shelves of specialty stores, you can see several types of silicone sealants:

• black;
• White;
• transparent.

Changing the shade of the adhesive is only aesthetic in nature and does not in any way affect its strength and durability.

Under the influence of water, algae and fish waste products, a transparent adhesive solution acquires a greenish tint over time, which negatively affects the aesthetic appearance of the reservoir and is not liked by all aquarists.

The silicone glue contains synthetic rubber, plasticizers, strength enhancers, non-toxic colorants, adhesives and vulcanizing components. Due to the absence of oil, solvent, antifungal and antibacterial drugs in the composition, silicone is absolutely safe.

Aquarium sealing silicone is produced by many brands, but experts recommend that you pay attention to the following.

A popular Polish food sealant produced by the Selena trademark for sealing large aquarium tanks. Advantages - high quality, moisture resistance, increased level of sealing and adhesive properties. The main properties of the joints obtained are elasticity, durability, the ability to withstand constant contact with water and a high level of stress. The disadvantage is the high price range.

Belgian products that have the highest level of fixation and are in demand among professional builders.

Turkish brand that has been in demand for the past 20 years. This product has the best quality-price ratio. The processed joints have a high level of strength, durability and reliability.

Good Polish product in the middle price range. Has a wide range of applications - from small aquariums to glass display cases. Elastic, waterproof, does not emit toxic substances.

Russian product with a high level of strength and safety. It is even used for salt water aquariums.

Products that have increased adhesion and do not contain toxic solvents.

The most common brand, the products of which can be purchased at any construction department. This sealant can be used for both aquariums and terrariums. A distinctive feature of the composition is the ability to withstand small fluctuations without destroying the integrity of the joints.

The following products received the largest number of positive reviews.

A popular and demanded sealant that has maximum environmental safety, it contains only the most purified silicone. Advantages - high adhesion rate, long storage period, ease of application, high level of moisture resistance and elasticity.

A one-component compound that has a high adhesion rate and an acidic vulcanizing compound. The sealant can be used to repair aquariums up to 3000 liters in volume. Due to the improved composition, manufacturers allow the storage of open containers.

One-component transparent composition with moderate elasticity and firmness. It is absolutely odorless.

fast-drying silicone sealant, used not only for the repair and construction of aquariums, but also for sealing joints in swimming pools, water parks. Absolutely safe for aquatic residents.

If it is impossible to purchase sealants from these manufacturers, experts allow the use of adhesives for dishes that do not contain antifungal and antimicrobial components.

In recent years, the quality of domestic adhesives has improved significantly, but they continue to have a short period of operation, which cannot be said about imported goods, which retain their fixing properties for many years. The disadvantage of European brands is their high price range and frequent absence in retail chains.

In order for the glued glass frame to have the longest possible period of operation and not have aesthetic flaws, it is necessary to choose only neutral compositions and abandon acidic ones. All acidic sealants are marked with the letter A on the label and are much cheaper than neutral fixing compounds. Also, the manufacturer must indicate whether the composition is safe for fish. This information can simply be written in Russian or in English, but more often a picture of a fish is painted on the package.

Of no small importance is the safety of dyes, the index of which must also be checked for toxicity. Despite the presence of sealants of various colors, it is still better to give preference to transparent products.

After the necessary product has been selected, it is imperative to demand from the seller permits and quality certificates, which will confirm the safety of the product. One of the most significant parameters that affects the quality of work is the shelf life.

Only fresh sealants have the maximum level of fixation, but expired ones may not connect the parts at all.

Manufacturers pack these formulations in tubes, cartridges, file packets, cans and buckets, but for work with a medium-sized aquarium, it is enough to buy a 300 ml cartridge. This volume will allow you to immediately use up the entire composition and not overpay for unnecessary material. Also, material packaged in small tubes is suitable for work.

Before choosing a particular product, experts recommend visiting several outlets and comparing the price in them. A low price should definitely alert you due to the fact that a quality product cannot be cheap.

Despite the seeming simplicity of repairing an aquarium, this process is not only lengthy, but also painstaking.For the correct implementation of all stages, it is necessary to carefully study the technology of applying sealants, as well as follow the recommendations of specialists. In order to glue, glue or connect the necessary parts, it is better to watch video tutorials, where the masters will show all the subtleties of the process.

The main stages of the work:

• resettlement of all aquatic inhabitants;
• removal of water, soil and all decorative elements;
• careful removal of old materials with a blade;
• removing the acidic environment with an acetic solution;
• degreasing the working area;
• attaching masking tape;
• applying a supporting screed;
• fixing the glass cover on the upper sections of the aquarium;
• applying sealant and joining parts;
• checking the strength of adhesion, during which there should be no smudges and drops of water.

It is necessary to cut off the cartridge cap at an angle, the width of which must match the size of the working seam. Once the cartridge has been inserted into the gun, you can begin to apply the adhesive from the bottom up for maximum hold.

If the check revealed the presence of defects and flaws, then it is necessary to complete or redo all the work performed.

It is permissible to fill the container with water only after the silicone is completely dry. The minimum amount of time for drying should be 24 hours, but it is better when the product dries for more than a day.

The following recommendations of the masters can improve the quality of the work performed:

• quick removal of glue from all metal surfaces that will be painted;
• applying the composition in only one layer;
• mandatory alignment of the applied composition;
• quick cleaning of all surplus;
• removing the masking tape immediately after leveling the joints.

The service life of a repaired aquarium directly depends on adherence to all the rules and recommendations during its repair.

A suspicious agent can not only harm aquatic inhabitants, but also be dangerous to the health of the owner himself. Depressurization of large reservoirs with subsequent flooding of neighboring apartments can also become an unpleasant moment.

Sometimes at home it is very difficult to achieve a positive result of work, then it is better to turn to specialists for help. In the presence of a large amount of damage, professional aquarists recommend purchasing new containers and not spending time, effort and financial resources on eliminating the defects that have appeared.

The tightness of the seams in the aquarium is a guarantee of the safety of not only aquatic inhabitants, but also the owners, which should check the container for leaks, not only at the time of purchase, but also throughout the entire period of operation. If even the smallest drips appear, you must immediately begin to eliminate the leak. Ignoring this problem can lead to a loss of water by the aquarium, and if we are talking about huge containers, then tens of liters of liquid can damage not only its own premises, but also spoil the repair of neighbors. When purchasing sealants, experts recommend paying attention only to proven brands and in no case taking cheap compounds of dubious quality. In some cases, it is better to entrust this event to masters who use professional devices and compositions, and also have practical skills in working with glass products.

An overview of silicone sealant for aquariums in the video below.