Red Sea Sump divider adhesive help

[ScissortailGobi]

I got a Red Sea sump awhile back and its only issue was the center divider drain cover was broken from the glass panel. I've tried using Acrylic weldon 16 and 3 but both just flaked off and didn't stick. I may have applied it wrong but ive never had this experience while using the stuff for other projects. I assume the texture difference from plastic drain cover and glass panel is causing the issue but im unsure.

Any other suggestions on what aquarium safe adhesive to use?
I can't get my sump running until I solve this.

 

[UncommonSense]

I got a Red Sea sump awhile back and its only issue was the center divider drain cover was broken from the glass panel. I've tried using Acrylic weldon 16 and 3 but both just flaked off and didn't stick. I may have applied it wrong but ive never had this experience while using the stuff for other projects. I assume the texture difference from plastic drain cover and glass panel is causing the issue but im unsure.

Any other suggestions on what aquarium safe adhesive to use?
I can't get my sump running until I solve this.

The weir grate is made from ABS plastic on Red Sea tanks if I recall correctly….

Weldon solvents are specifically for plastic : plastic welds, which are in-themselves VERY different from gluing things together!

Weldon products are not suited for this application; I recommend aquarium silicone sealant!

I use ASI 502 clear A aquarium silicone sealant any time I want to bond anything to glass!

You can also use any silicone sealant which is “100% silicone”, with no added ingredients; available at your local hardware store in a more appropriately sized tube for your project! — you don’t need high performance specialty sealant for this application; just something aquarium safe!

Edit: make sure the glass is extremely clean using a razor blade and specifically 99% isopropyl alcohol; clean the ABS plastic weir grate surface where you intend to apply adhesives very well too for a strong bond!

 

[Rocks reef]

Are you trying to attach it to glass?

 

[ScissortailGobi]

The weir grate is made from ABS plastic on Red Sea tanks if I recall correctly….

Weldon solvents are specifically for plastic : plastic welds, which are in-themselves VERY different from gluing things together!

Weldon products are not suited for this application; I recommend aquarium silicone sealant!

I use ASI 502 clear A aquarium silicone sealant any time I want to bond anything to glass!

You can also use any silicone sealant which is “100% silicone”, with no added ingredients; available at your local hardware store in a more appropriately sized tube for your project! — you don’t need high performance specialty sealant for this application; just something aquarium safe!

Thank you so much!! I'll try it out with ASI 502. I was worried about using silicone based on how reef safe it was.

 

[ScissortailGobi]

Are you trying to attach it to glass?

Yes, the center panel is glass but the divider itself is plastic.

 

[UncommonSense]

Thank you so much!! I'll try it out with ASI 502. I was worried about using silicone based on how reef safe it was.

ASI 502 clear A is overkill for the job, but totally fine to use!

You’ll only need around 5-10ml tops! — I recommend using a cheap 10ml syringe you have laying around or get from a local pharmacy (use one with double seal rings on the plunger)…

Edit: squirt all the silicone possible out of the syringe when finished working, then remove the plunger let what’s left on the syringe cure… this is the only hope of reusing the syringe for later silicone application work!

You get 10 minutes work time once the silicone is exposed to air, before it forms a skin! (@77F, 55% humidity… high humidity speeds up curing!)

remove plunger from syringe, fill syringe with desired amount of silicone from caulking gun tube, then use syringe of silicone to lay a bead of silicone around the weir grate : glass mating surface!

Squish the weir grate into place on the glass, have a alcohol soaked rag handy to clean your finger after carefully wiping excess silicone that squished out of the seam…

Try to set and forget; don’t mess with it once you’ve got it placed and aligned… the silicone won’t “slump” and drip in this situation!

Don’t forget to put a screw in the applicator tip of the ASI silicone caulking tube (or a piece of tape thoroughly sealing the tip) To prevent the silicone sealant from hardening in the applicator tip after you’ve used it! — you want to save the rest of the silicone for future projects!

 

[ScissortailGobi]

ASI 502 clear A is overkill for the job, but totally fine to use!

You’ll only need around 5-10ml tops! — I recommend using a cheap 10ml syringe you have laying around or get from a local pharmacy (use one with double seal rings on the plunger)…

You get 10 minutes work time once the silicone is exposed to air, before it forms a skin! (@77F, 55% humidity… high humidity speeds up curing!)

remove plunger from syringe, fill syringe with desired amount of silicone from caulking gun tube, then use syringe of silicone to lay a bead of silicone around the weir grate : glass mating surface!

Squish the weir grate into place on the glass, have a alcohol soaked rag handy to clean your finger after carefully wiping excess silicone that squished out of the seam…

Try to set and forget; don’t mess with it once you’ve got it placed and aligned… the silicone won’t “slump” and drip in this situation!

Don’t forget to put a screw in the applicator tip of the ASI silicone caulking tube (or a piece of tape thoroughly sealing the tip) To prevent the silicone sealant from hardening in the applicator tip after you’ve used it! — you want to save the rest of the silicone for future projects!

Youre a life saver, thank you!

 

[UncommonSense]

Youre a life saver, thank you!

It’s a good skill to have!! I’ve been playing around with all sorts of all glass construction lately!

 

[UncommonSense]

If you accidentally drip or smear any silicone on the glass around your work area; leave it untouched and let it cure overnight… you can just razor blade it off once it’s a solid! — trying to wipe off gelatinous silicone (aside from carefully wiping the squished out bead at your working joint) will just smear it everywhere and make things an utter mess!

Edit; consider masking with tape around your work area, it can be pulled off while the silicone is still “wet” to make a clean line!

(Also consider going over the factory silicone seams in that Red Sea product with another film of silicone which contacts glass on both sides,all the way around the factory silicone! — Red Sea has an ugly history with bad silicone….)