New Tank!

[Zapher]

So i picked up a used 29 gallon tank this weekend. When i picked it up i noticed the bottom piece of glass seemed to move a little. Naturally, i asked the guy if it held water but even if it didn't i doubt he would tell me. I plan on putting a new layer of silicone over the old in the entire tank before checking if it is waterproof but is there anything else i should add around the bottom to make sure it is secure? Thats the last thing i need is to set up the tank and have the bottom drop from the weight.

On a side note, when scraping off calcium buildup everyone always says use a razor blade but should i wet the glass first or do it dry? Also does anyone have any experience with aquarium safe calcium removing chemicals? I know my lfs has some but have no idea how well they work and if it is worth it to invest in.

 

[Jennewt]

The "right" way to reseal an aquarium is to first remove all the old silicone (more razor blades!). This is tedious and messy, but if you want the tank to hold water, I suspect you need to do this. What is the condition of the black plastic frame around the bottom? If the glass is moving, I worry that the frame may be cracked, and this would not be a good thing.

This is a good article:
http://aquamaniacs.net/forum/cms_view_article.php?aid=107

I've used the razor wet and dry for scraping calcium deposits. Either way works. Never tried the products.

By the way, what kind of animals do you keep? Have you considered a terrarium? The water-tightness and structural integrity are much less important for for a terrarium; you could probably use the tank as-is.

 

[Zapher]

I have a male Triturus Karelinii (thats what i was told though i am kinda skeptical that it is a karelinii and not a different type of triturus) and got this take to make a bigger enclosure for him. I also want to get 1 or 2 females and hopefully breed them. So water is a necessary part of the tank.

Thanks for the article, i was simply going to remove sections that i thought needed replacing but now i will do the entire tank.

I checked over the frame and i didn't see or feel any cracks so i think that its fine. I also picked up the tank again and it wasn't wobbly though a lot of the sides look like much of the silicone has been scraped away so I'm going to reseal it just to be safe.

I also plan on putting up a picture of my T. Karelinii just to make sure that that is what i have.

Thanks Jen for all the help! :happy:

 

[Zapher]

Does anyone have any suggestions on what a good substrate for land plants is? Preferably something that would have to be changed as little as possible? I do want it damp though for moss and possibly other plants to grow.