Zero Bead Aquariums ?

[albertthiel]

Really ?

http://www.nanoreefblog.com/nano-reef-news/new-zero-bead-seams-look-even-better-than-ada-seams

Ablert

[Stussi613]

Those seams are insane. 

I have a CADLights 15g Zen tank and you can barely see the seams, this is even smaller seams and I can't believe that the tank holds together!!

[albertthiel]

Those seams are insane. 

I have a CADLights 15g Zen tank and you can barely see the seams, this is even smaller seams and I can't believe that the tank holds together!!

Yes I was wondering about that too until I remembered that there are stronger silicones with more RTV in it on the market that make a stronger bond, but I would not think that this would work on large aquariums  ... but on the ones up to say 40 gals or so I think it should be OK

In fact when I built an Aquarium for the Hyatt in Atlanta downtown, I used a special silicone to bond aluminum and glass and the bond held and held and is still holding after all those years  ... so using special silicones one can do some interesting things indeed

Albert

[Stussi613]

I was ordering some glass for the Eurobrace for my tank and the glass shop was telling me that they have a new product that they use to bond glass that is cured by UV light and leaves a very small seam and is incredibly strong...I was tempted to look at it for my top bracing, but they couldn't tell me what was in it and if it leaches anything into the water.  I have a feeling that same type of technology is being employed here.

[albertthiel]

I was ordering some glass for the Eurobrace for my tank and the glass shop was telling me that they have a new product that they use to bond glass that is cured by UV light and leaves a very small seam and is incredibly strong...I was tempted to look at it for my top bracing, but they couldn't tell me what was in it and if it leaches anything into the water.  I have a feeling that same type of technology is being employed here.

That could very well be indeed ... some silicones get cured fast using different methods ... and that is indeed one of them.

As far as I know it is safe for aquariums.

Albert

[Stussi613]

They weren't convinced it was actually a silicone.  I suspect it was an epoxy of some sort that is cured by uv light...

For my money SCS-1200 Silicone by GE is the only thing to seal an aquarium with.  By far one of the strongest and safest sealants for aquarium use and it's used by most major manufacturers on commercial tanks.

[albertthiel]

They weren't convinced it was actually a silicone.  I suspect it was an epoxy of some sort that is cured by uv light...

For my money SCS-1200 Silicone by GE is the only thing to seal an aquarium with.  By far one of the strongest and safest sealants for aquarium use and it's used by most major manufacturers on commercial tanks.

Indeed besides silicone there are other compounds used such as special epoxies or bonding agents ... you are right about that.

And where it comes to finding a balance between strength and price (cost) the GE or Rhone Poulenc ones from France are probably indeed the ones that are most used.

Albert