aquarium silicone - what colour do you prefer?

[12 Volt Man]

The entire appeal of black silicon is all about aesthetics and not much substance

true. although I have heard some claim that some brands of black silicone have a longer guarentee from the manufacturer in terms of lifetime, but I don't know if this is true. I doubt it. tanks with either clear and black if well made can last for 20+ years without resealing.

By the way, I like the OP's tank. I would like it if it were made of clear silicon, also. Either way, it's a very nice tank.

thanks very much

John Q. Public doesn't notice it. The hobbyist does

I agree. to the average person walking into a pet store and buying a tank, they don't pay attention to it.

 

[phillydog1958]

true. although I have heard some claim that some brands of black silicone have a longer guarentee from the manufacturer in terms of lifetime, but I don't know if this is true. I doubt it. tanks with either clear and black if well made can last for 20+ years without resealing.



thanks very much




I agree. to the average person walking into a pet store and buying a tank, they don't pay attention to it.

I think it's a marketing ploy to allow for additional charges to us, the hobbyist. if anything, tank manufacturers should do away with clear and allow black to be the new and improved standard. it reminds me of how auto tire manufacturers made consumers pay more for a strip of white rubber on the tire. they called them "white walls." they were a big hit. i have not seen a pair of white wall tires in a long time. they're historical . . . the power of marketing . . . and brilliant, at that.

 

[12 Volt Man]

if anything, tank manufacturers should do away with clear and allow black to be the new and improved standard.

the way things are going, this might happen.

the major domestic tank maker in eastern Canada (Miracles Aquariums) only uses black.

All Aqueon bowfront tanks are only offered in black now.
I believe the whole Oceanic Line of tanks now only comes with black
and the Marineland "deep dimension" tanks (the 3 foot wide ones) are only available in black..

when you look at it this way, it might already be happening..

not sure what the actual numbers are, but lots and lots of tanks out there from all different manufacturers are starting to be only offered with black seams..

 

[phillydog1958]

the way things are going, this might happen.

the major domestic tank maker in eastern Canada (Miracles Aquariums) only uses black.

All Aqueon bowfront tanks are only offered in black now.
I believe the whole Oceanic Line of tanks now only comes with black
and the Marineland "deep dimension" tanks (the 3 foot wide ones) are only available in black..

when you look at it this way, it might already be happening..

not sure what the actual numbers are, but lots and lots of tanks out there from all different manufacturers are starting to be only offered with black seams..

That's good news . . .

 

[12 Volt Man]

what I don't know is how much more expensive is black silicone than clear? I know it depends on the specific brand, but if Marineland goes through the trouble of switching silicone from the side seams in black to the bottom in clear, it must be significant.

Aqueon charged me $40 more to build my tank in black, which relative to the cost of the tank ($440+tax) was not much..

so I don't know.

if it is a lot more expensive per ounze of silicone used, that might be a major barrier to the trend going widespread.

see, the oceanic line of tanks, the aqueon bowfront tanks and the marieland deep dimension tanks are already expensive anyway, so the fact that they use black that might be more expensive to begin with is no surprise..

 

[sikoko]

its even

 

[SteveR]

I think black is better. Most people would surely choose it, it's just most tanks seem to have the rubbish clear silicone.

 

[12 Volt Man]

Steve, do you see many black silicone tank over there?

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

I like em both depending on the tank itself

black's way better when it comes to hiding dirt- alage that one can't clean off clear without destroying it.

I have seen blue tinged clear seams before on specific model tanks-

I wouldn't be surprised when they start coming out with neon pink silcone.

 

[12 Volt Man]

I have seen blue tinged clear seams before on specific model tanks-

really? the only blue silicone tanks I have seen were ones that were stained that way via the addition of ich medications like quick cure.

turns your silicone blue..permanently.