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- Aug 8, 2019
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Can anyone advise on some genuinely clear silicone sealant that's Aquarium safe? Most sealant marketed as "Clear" is milky translucent at best.
Looking to make a submersible fuge light using a waterproof LED strip, in a 3D printed holder. Think of a long "U" shaped channel, with the strip embedded. The 3D printed part will be coated in and out with a thick waterproof sealant to prevent any water seeping into the layers lines. The LED strip goes in the channel and the channel is filled with a thick layer of clear silicone. Between the water-proof sealant, the silicone and the LED Strip itself being waterproof, along with care that the wiring and solder joints are properly sealed and out of the tank, it should be fine to stay submerged in the fuge.
Basically a DIY version of the Tunze ECO-CHic fuge light, built smaller for a PICO reef.
I have one of the official Tunze ones for my 20 Gal, but it;s much too large to comfortably fit in a 4 gal Pico. It basically uses teh same theory - the LED's are emedded in a soft, clear silicone
I've previously assembled and built a 3D printed fuge light for another PICO tank which has worked well, but it's not submersed. All the seams and joints are selaed with silicone to keep the water out but its by no means waterproof.
For the next tank, the fuge will be in a small AIO chamber in the tank and I find the light in the water with the Chaeto helps a lot.
If I can't get the silicone to work, the next idea would be use clear epoxy resin to fill the channel, because once cured thats completely inert and aquarium safe.
I prefer something with a bit of flex and give though and Epoxy has a tendedncy to yellow over time.
Current front runners are "Loctite Clear Silicone Waterproof Sealant" or "CRL Water Clear Silicone Sealant". I'm not sure how clear the Loctite is and while the CRL is stated to be perfectly clear, I'm not 100% on its durability in an aquarium environment.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Looking to make a submersible fuge light using a waterproof LED strip, in a 3D printed holder. Think of a long "U" shaped channel, with the strip embedded. The 3D printed part will be coated in and out with a thick waterproof sealant to prevent any water seeping into the layers lines. The LED strip goes in the channel and the channel is filled with a thick layer of clear silicone. Between the water-proof sealant, the silicone and the LED Strip itself being waterproof, along with care that the wiring and solder joints are properly sealed and out of the tank, it should be fine to stay submerged in the fuge.
Basically a DIY version of the Tunze ECO-CHic fuge light, built smaller for a PICO reef.
I have one of the official Tunze ones for my 20 Gal, but it;s much too large to comfortably fit in a 4 gal Pico. It basically uses teh same theory - the LED's are emedded in a soft, clear silicone
I've previously assembled and built a 3D printed fuge light for another PICO tank which has worked well, but it's not submersed. All the seams and joints are selaed with silicone to keep the water out but its by no means waterproof.
For the next tank, the fuge will be in a small AIO chamber in the tank and I find the light in the water with the Chaeto helps a lot.
If I can't get the silicone to work, the next idea would be use clear epoxy resin to fill the channel, because once cured thats completely inert and aquarium safe.
I prefer something with a bit of flex and give though and Epoxy has a tendedncy to yellow over time.
Current front runners are "Loctite Clear Silicone Waterproof Sealant" or "CRL Water Clear Silicone Sealant". I'm not sure how clear the Loctite is and while the CRL is stated to be perfectly clear, I'm not 100% on its durability in an aquarium environment.
Any thoughts or suggestions?