Dieses Madchen 55G Tank Journal

[Dieses Madchen]

So I bought a 55g tank today. This is what it looks like now. Got it for $30 at a yard sale. Don't know what the stocking plan is yet, but we have a list of possibilities. Hopefully I will have this tank cycled and stocked by Xmas, as this is a gift to my husband. Any suggestions, advice, etc would be awesome.
***I WILL NOW BE USING A 75G TANK FOR THIS SETUP***

 

[CrazyAirborne]

looks like a great start!

good luck and have fun

 

[Dieses Madchen]

So my husband was at the local lake, and he brought me a present. Cannot do much with it now, except maybe break it down into easier pieces to use. *We decided to go with Malawi Cichlids, and the species we are looking at require rock based ecosystems.*

 

[CrazyAirborne]

i would boil them for a few minutes, but i guess they might be too big, maybe just put them in a large bin and pour boiling water on them?

or bake them?

 

[Dieses Madchen]

i would boil them for a few minutes, but i guess they might be too big, maybe just put them in a large bin and pour boiling water on them?

or bake them?

I will try that. THe larger piece will be broken down into smaller piece as it is too big for the tank. The smaller piece is just right. Once broken down, I will be covering parts of them with Java Moss for a more natural underwater look. I will definately try the boiling though.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

So here is what I am working with. I am about to start cleaning this thing out today, so that I can test its ability to hold water and what not. I found some defects in the glass that will need to be repairs, but it does not look like a costly thing to do. The tank is pretty gross. It used to house goldfish, and man, I guess they were nasty fish lol

***I WILL NOW BEING USING A 75G TANK FOR THIS SETUP***

 

[Tizer]

You cant really repair those chips unfortunately, it doesnt look too bad though.

What sort of base has the tank got? Do you need to put it on polystyrene before filling?

Have fun cleaning, those water marks will be a pig!

 

[Dieses Madchen]

You cant really repair those chips unfortunately, it doesnt look too bad though.

What sort of base has the tank got? Do you need to put it on polystyrene before filling?

Have fun cleaning, those water marks will be a pig!

The base of the tank is glass. What would you recommend about the chips in the glass? I know they have glass fillers similar to what you would use on a car windshield, but would it work on a tank? I may just have to replace the panel itself, but that wont be an expensive fix.

 

[Mowbz]

The "glass" thats but into your widscreen isnt available for consumer use, at least not in the UK.

Its not actually glass but a clear resin thats "injected" either by high pressure, or by applying a vacuum to the area and letting the resin be sucked into the chip. Unfortunately, i dont think this will work on the edge of a tank.

Hope this helps.

Ben

 

[Tizer]

no point playing with the chips, if the tank holds water then im sure it will be ok, but there is always a risk the integrity of the tank is shot. I would put poly or an offcut of carpet under the tank.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

no point playing with the chips, if the tank holds water then im sure it will be ok, but there is always a risk the integrity of the tank is shot. I would put poly or an offcut of carpet under the tank.

I will take that into consideration. The chips are actually on the side of the tank, not the base. And its on one side. I will probably at least seal with with silicone just to make sure. There are a couple of places here in town that repair aquarium and such. Worst cast scenario, I will take it to them and get a quote as far as how much it will be to fix/replace that panel of the tank. Regardless, I only payed 30 for the tank, so it is still a bargain lol.

 

[cynic]

This was the reason for me and the missus going for a new tank, delivered soon we have been burned on the bay a couple of times and wifey wouldn't entertain the thought of it failing. She wasn't so keen when the price went up 80£ cos i specked it with ALL 10mm glass rather than a mixture of 6 and 10

Considering the water would cause damage 10times the tank value we didn't really have a choice.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

This was the reason for me and the missus going for a new tank, delivered soon we have been burned on the bay a couple of times and wifey wouldn't entertain the thought of it failing. She wasn't so keen when the price went up 80£ cos i specked it with ALL 10mm glass rather than a mixture of 6 and 10

Considering the water would cause damage 10times the tank value we didn't really have a choice.

Well, the beauty of bargains is that if you know how to fix it or where to get it fixed, failing shouldn't be an issue. The chips in the glass are small, but because they are on the seem, I could easily replace the glass for a good price, and still end up paying less for a good tank that I would have if I had bought it new.

I bought a 40g for cheap and resealed it myself, as the sealant was worn, and the tank has been in use for 6 months, and its going great. The only thing the chips in the glass of the tank i just bought is set me back a few weeks on having it running. If I take it in and it s alost cause, well, then its a good thing I didn't spend an arm and a leg on it, and I have a reptile tank for the snake I am trying to persuade my hubby into letting em get

 

[cynic]

I'm only jealous as you have more money for the stuff IN the tank thats all.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I'm only jealous as you have more money for the stuff IN the tank thats all.

Not neccessarily. I bought a second hand tank cause I cannot afford it brand new lol. I am piecing it together with leftovers from my paychecks lol. This poor tank probably wont be set up until XMAS or New years lol. But I am definetely having fun with the planning part.

I plan on this being a full out planted tank with no fake ornaments. Any driftwood that is in there will be real, as will plants. I am thinking about checking out the local lake for some aquatic plants. I am also using sand from the river for the bottom of the tank. I am saving money where I can. Its going to be worth it in the long run, when I sit back and look at all the work I put it and the uniqueness that I will get from it.

My best advice is to cut some corners where you can. Do research and see what you need to do to take the outside world and make it safe for your tank. There is alot of free treasure out there