AAP American Sealants (10.2oz) Clear & Black
• Available in Clear & Black
• Made in USA for AAP/"American Aquarium Products", Premier Construction Grade Silicone meeting the highest standards we at AAP require based on professionally trained aquarium building and design experience dating back to 1978.
• Safe for all Aquarium/Pond use and aquatic life
• High Performance sealant adhesive, versatile, long life, weather resistant
• Remains flexible from -80F to 400F; will not crumble, crack or dry out
• Used by many Aquarium Manufacturers
• A Quality Silicone without the brand name price of Silicones such as the "All Glass Silicone" we also sell.
A ONE year warranty from the day of shipping, when stored in original, unopened container at or below 32°C/90°F (actual product lifespan when properly stored is years as per professional use)
• Meets the following specifications; Agricultre Canada, USDA, FDA regulation #21 CFR 175.105, Mil Spec mil-46106 Type 1 and US Fed. Specs. TT-S-001543A Class B and TT-S-00230C Type 2 ClassB. UL File #E209770
Why use a hardware store brand or purchase on eBay/Amazon for silicone that is not certified as safe for human construction to place your important delicate aquatic pets into an aquarium constructed with or that is not guaranteed fresh while being backed by decades of professional aquarium building experience??
"Too fast a cure will not allow proper surface adhesion especially in important seams.
It is also hard to work with in building aquariums and the person needs to work very quickly (usually too quickly) for proper aquarium construction.
Not all silicone formulas are the same, as stated earlier, Dow Corning, AAP, and GE produce a RTV silicone that cures at an even and slow rate necessary for aquariums. It is also noteworthy that most silicones labeled as 100% RTV, are still not food grade.
As an example, the popular silicone sold in hardware stores is GE012A (aka GE 1) which contains Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (aka D4). GE 1 or GE012A has D4 at 1-5% by weight.
Ever have one tank that nothing survives in? It probably had that 5% or worse of D4.
AAP Silicone has D4 @ .2% or less by weight.
Studies on D4 have shown extremely low quantities (we are talking µg / liter) can limit growth, reproduction, and decrease health in fish and it isn't good for us either. It also bioaccumulates. Once these silicones cure the risk is lessened, but D4 DOES still leach into water and even fatty tissues.
These hardware store 100% silicone contain D4 that is bad for your fish at low doses, although not immediately fatal at the levels leached into your aquarium. Just like you can drink water with high levels of lead or even arsenic for years and have no trouble, but eventually.
Yes there are many studies that show D4 leaches from silicone. None that we know of that involve aquariums though. Most studies are medical devices, implants, IV tubing, baby bottle nipples, water storage, etc. Guess aquariums aren't that much of a priority for toxicologists? But then you got to follow the money."
1. If a repair is being made, make sure to remove ALL of the damaged sealant use a clean/new Single-Edge Razor Blade, clean area to be repaired with a clean cloth.
2. Apply Silicone with an appropriate bead size for the size of aquarium or other job being constructed. In other words; 1/4" bead for 1/4" glass width.
3. Allow 48 hours for silicone to cure (24 hours for minor repairs)