Flex tape for blinking coop EL light. Is it safe? Will it work?

[Guppysnail]

Both of my fishrooms now look like a discotheque.  Many heaters are hard to hide with plants and hardscape. 
 

I saw a commercial for Flex tape that works underwater and is opaque black. I use inkbirds so have no need to see the display on a daily basis. 
 

I was going to cut a square and hide the blinking EL light. 
 

?1-Are there any chemicals that would be harmful to my critters?  

?2- some chemicals become harmful heated up. Are there any of those in it?

?3- do you think it will hold once the heater kicks on?

?4-any problems I have not thought of?

@Sarina  @dasaltemelosguy @Odd Duck

@anyone who knows this stuff 🤣

Thanks 🤗
 

SDS https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/e1/e1ff6d75-d883-438f-b0e2-2a4c35a10794.pdf

 

[JChristophersAdventures]

@Guppysnail I did some research on the flex tape when I was looking at using Seachem Tidal filters and looking to use it as a quick and slick looking way to mod them by closing all the annoying places where I didn't want the water by-passing. A company rep told me no way... not safe for direct exposure for potable water purposes. Now that doesn't specifically cover aquariums, but if the chemicals that can leach from the adhesive aren't safe for humans/pets to drink from, then for me that tells the whole story. That sent me down the path of getting AquaClear filters.

The short answer is no. I would look for a different solution. Thanks.

Edited September 7, 2023 by JChristophersAdventures

[Sarina]

@Guppysnail the solution I was mulling around was to dye some clear epoxy with a transparent tint and put a thin layer of that on the screen to dim, but not cover, the lights. I don’t think there’s any adhesive tape that would hold up or be safe for this. 

[JChristophersAdventures]

@Guppysnail I was thinking on some alternatives, which caused me to pull up the ACO heater in the on-line store. I will be using several of these, but hadn't ordered them yet, but looking at the general design a little closer, I came up with several ideas.

(1) Similar to @Sarina but using a small square of tinted acetate (to my knowledge it is safe to use, although best to check with the specific source for confirmation as they may vary between suppliers) then just a dot or two of super glue.

(2) There are wide black rubber bands available all over Amazon. If it were looped over the ends, instead of the sides (with a notch cut to allow the cord to pass through), it would cover the front without blocking the heating vents on the side. The read-out would be completely covered, although the rubber band could be notched there as well, and acetate slipped behind as a sort of picture window (less permanent than epoxy or super glue).

(3) Simply get a black suction cup the right size and slap the "sucker" on to the front of the heater! lol

Hope that helps.

[Sarina]

On 9/7/2023 at 8:35 AM, JChristophersAdventures said:

There are wide black rubber bands available all over Amazon.

Most rubber bands are made with latex so if you’re allergic be aware that it could make you allergic to your tank water.

[Guppysnail]

On 9/7/2023 at 9:35 AM, JChristophersAdventures said:

I will be using several of these, but hadn't ordered them yet,

My understanding was it was only the first run heaters that blinked and that’s why they were sold at a discounted price. I knew it was a blinking light but kind of wrongly assumed it would be a tiny round dot blinking not the entire screen. My bad but truth be told I was so excited for these I would have bought them anyway figuring to find a solution when the time came. I really do love these. Instead of needing two heaters to keep even stable temps these do twice the job and are sleek low profile instead of in your face. Last I heard when they came out Cory was working with the manufacturer to eliminate that blinking. @Sarina  is that so? 
 

I really like the rubber band idea. Unless anyone finds an easier alternative this is my route. I can’t even competently use super glue without gluing myself together or to something 🤪 So epoxy is a no go for my own safety 🤣

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Doesn't Dean use that krylon paint on the fry boxes?  Can you get that in black and paint that over the display?

On 9/7/2023 at 9:35 AM, JChristophersAdventures said:

There are wide black rubber bands available all over Amazon

I have heard if you get marine-grade rubberbands, they last longer. A little more expensive though.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Guppysnail]

On 9/7/2023 at 11:07 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Doesn't Dean use that krylon paint on the fry boxes?  Can you get that in black and paint that over the display?

I love this idea!!!!  
 

Is it safe when heated? Will it hold up to heat. What is cure time?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/7/2023 at 11:11 AM, Guppysnail said:

I love this idea!!!!  
 

Is it safe when heated? Will it hold up to heat. 

No idea. Also not sure if the digital readout part gets hot. Never touched it lol

Oh also, if you take your heaters out of the water, expect there to be shrimps inside. 🤣

Also! I've taken to putting my heaters on the SIDE of the tank, not the back wall.  Guess it would depend on tank size though, where it would be efficient.  If it is a smaller tank, it's ok on the side. Then you won't notice the light. Best to have it by the filter for flow.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[MattyM]

The tape is almost half the price of a new heater. Why not buy a new heater and save the blinking one as a backup? 

[Guppysnail]

On 9/7/2023 at 11:44 AM, MattyM said:

The tape is almost half the price of a new heater. Why not buy a new heater and save the blinking one as a backup? 

Because I have something like 15-17 heaters. A roll of tape is considerably cheaper. 

[dasaltemelosguy]

@Guppysnail, 

I use plumbers fusing tape. It’s an inert rubber-like tape with no glue. It's very soft so when it touches itself, it fuses into one contiguous whole. Plumbers wrap it around pipes, squeeze it by hand and it fuses into itself, becoming one and then looks like a big, tight rubber band. It will seal a pipe water-tight with no chemicals, not even glue. It will be safe for freezing and boiling temperatures, and it can resist sulfuric acid and lye and even handles typical home water pressure. 

It's chemically & thermally inert. I use it in both of my tanks. The back of one tank is black and the white Fluval outputs stick out garishly. I wrap this around them and hand-squeeze it tightly and it covers the white and anchors the outputs so those damn dojos can't knock it off anymore!🤣

Once you squeeze it, it becomes one and can never be unraveled so if you need to remove it, you have to cut it off. But if you're concerned about chemical leaching, "self-fusing plumbers' tape" is as inert as it gets:

Amazon.com : Plumbing Hose Repair Tape

Edited September 7, 2023 by dasaltemelosguy

[MattyM]

On 9/7/2023 at 10:46 AM, Guppysnail said:

Because I have something like 15-17 heaters. A roll of tape is considerably cheaper. 

Maybe use one of those heaters then? 

[Guppysnail]

On 9/7/2023 at 11:54 AM, dasaltemelosguy said:

@Guppysnail, 

I use plumbers fusing tape. It’s an inert rubber-like tape with no glue. It's very soft so when it touches itself, it fuses into one contiguous whole. Plumbers wrap it around pipes, squeeze it by hand and it fuses into itself, becoming one and then looks like a big, tight rubber band. It will seal a pipe water-tight with no chemicals, not even glue. It will be safe for freezing and boiling temperatures, and it can resist sulfuric acid and lye and even handles typical home water pressure. 

It's chemically & thermally inert. I use it in both of my tanks. The back of one tank is black and the white Fluval outputs stick out garishly. I wrap this around them and hand-squeeze it tightly and it covers the white and anchors the outputs so those damn dojos can't knock it off anymore!🤣

Once you squeeze it, it becomes one and can never be unraveled so if you need to remove it, you have to cut it off. But if you're concerned about chemical leaching, "self-fusing plumbers' tape" is as inert as it gets:

Amazon.com : Plumbing Hose Repair Tape

SOLD!  Thank you for this unique solution. I was concerned about any solution that needed drying time which would require replacement heaters while it dried. That would have made this a daily month long project. 
 

This is the perfect solution for me. Thank you so much!🤗

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/7/2023 at 11:54 AM, dasaltemelosguy said:

@Guppysnail, 

I use plumbers fusing tape. It’s an inert rubber-like tape with no glue. It's very soft so when it touches itself, it fuses into one contiguous whole. Plumbers wrap it around pipes, squeeze it by hand and it fuses into itself, becoming one and then looks like a big, tight rubber band. It will seal a pipe water-tight with no chemicals, not even glue. It will be safe for freezing and boiling temperatures, and it can resist sulfuric acid and lye and even handles typical home water pressure. 

It's chemically & thermally inert. I use it in both of my tanks. The back of one tank is black and the white Fluval outputs stick out garishly. I wrap this around them and hand-squeeze it tightly and it covers the white and anchors the outputs so those damn dojos can't knock it off anymore!🤣

Once you squeeze it, it becomes one and can never be unraveled so if you need to remove it, you have to cut it off. But if you're concerned about chemical leaching, "self-fusing plumbers' tape" is as inert as it gets:

Amazon.com : Plumbing Hose Repair Tape

Interesting!  I've seen it sold as thread seal tape as well.  It is very thin.  I always have to waste some because of the sticking to itself feature.  LOL!!!  I'm not "proficient" in this tape usage. Awesome to know it comes in black too.  Mostly I see the white one in the hardware stores. But Gup, if you wrap tape around the heater, it will be harder to get all the shrimps out later. They will get in those nooks!  I've seen them camping out in there, hehe #tinyterroristsheaterinvasion

I just noticed the yellow light feature on the new ones.  I don't think I have any of the new ones. I guess I will have the discoteq later, ha!

Edited September 7, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Guppysnail]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea I plan to wrap it too to bottom and cut the holes appropriate to where they should be. I’m not wrapping the entire thing. Just enough to hold a square patch covering the display in place. A good shake and the shrimplettes evacuate without being harmed. 
 

All the ones I have are the original version. No cute tiny yellow light. The entire display blinks. 

 

[Guppysnail]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea the tape you are thinking of I think is Teflon plumbers tape for pipe threads. I don’t think this is the same or at least it is not thin like that. This is to seal leaks not in threads I believe. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/7/2023 at 3:18 PM, Guppysnail said:

The entire display blinks. 

I always kinda wondered if digital display devices disrupted the sleep cycle of fish. (?). The control to my hygger lights blinks at night too. It’s external to the tank but I wonder if they notice it. Seems they are pretty still at night so I guess not.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea