Help me reseal this tank please

FahakaHome

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 13, 2023
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Just wanted to update. Finally got the tank moved in, started cycling, figured out lighting, and filtration. Switched the room over from a single blush mount light to track lighting over this tank. Have 3 spot lights that I am hoping I can get some house plants to grow from and will have 3 36w sansi grow lights in drop down pendants centered over the tank. Running dual oase biomaster Thermo 600s and an extra wave maker for filtration circulation. It’s a tannin tea mess right now but once it is cycled/ammonia leached out of the potting soil we will drain, place the wood and soil where we want it, sand cap it, and fill it back up.

C229190F-5F82-4A3B-8039-E73CA7A7CD18.jpeg
 

tlindsey

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2011
23,370
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Ohio
Just wanted to update. Finally got the tank moved in, started cycling, figured out lighting, and filtration. Switched the room over from a single blush mount light to track lighting over this tank. Have 3 spot lights that I am hoping I can get some house plants to grow from and will have 3 36w sansi grow lights in drop down pendants centered over the tank. Running dual oase biomaster Thermo 600s and an extra wave maker for filtration circulation. It’s a tannin tea mess right now but once it is cycled/ammonia leached out of the potting soil we will drain, place the wood and soil where we want it, sand cap it, and fill it back up.

View attachment 1530740
Awesome update.
 

jjohnwm

Sausage Finger Spam Slayer
MFK Member
Mar 29, 2019
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Manitoba, Canada
There are so many things about this tank that make me nervous, prime among them being those weird seams that are so open and then filled with silicone. A glass tank is supposed to be made of glass, with a thin silicone bead acting as an adhesive between panels. This tank is more like a bunch of glass walls interspersed with a bunch of silicone walls! An exaggeration, to be sure, but I think you know what I mean.

But...if it can be made to work it will be a terrific showpiece! And you seem to be going at it the right way: slowly, carefully, methodically and with forethought. I am keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for you!

Sounds like the lighting you have planned will be great for an open top tank with lots of emergent plants. Perhaps some terrestrials with their roots in a pot/container of some kind placed right in the middle of the tank? A big piece of gnarled driftwood extending up out of the water?

Really looking forward to watching this progress further. :thumbsup:
 

FahakaHome

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 13, 2023
27
39
16
35
There are so many things about this tank that make me nervous, prime among them being those weird seams that are so open and then filled with silicone. A glass tank is supposed to be made of glass, with a thin silicone bead acting as an adhesive between panels. This tank is more like a bunch of glass walls interspersed with a bunch of silicone walls! An exaggeration, to be sure, but I think you know what I mean.

But...if it can be made to work it will be a terrific showpiece! And you seem to be going at it the right way: slowly, carefully, methodically and with forethought. I am keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for you!

Sounds like the lighting you have planned will be great for an open top tank with lots of emergent plants. Perhaps some terrestrials with their roots in a pot/container of some kind placed right in the middle of the tank? A big piece of gnarled driftwood extending up out of the water?

Really looking forward to watching this progress further. :thumbsup:
I am nervous about the tank as well. But not like you are. I am nervous like resealing any large tank. It is a successful tank that has lasted years without seams failing. Petworld who had this tank before had 2 like this one and 2 with just the front 170g mitered corner tanks. Wet pets by Steve in Oklahoma has a black trimmed one in their store housing gold fish in it. After all it is a Dutch Aquarium Systems tank and they are still around. Questionable cut quality on the glass aside, if it was a terrible design choice it would be known/ may have even put them out of business. It’s trustworthy enough lol.
The lighting I am hoping to do all of what you mentioned. It’s a process but it will get there. It will see swords and Val for in the water plants around the wood pieces in the back. Have mostly open swim space and huge sand area in the front for the puffer to bury himself in. House plants over the filters in a shelf behind the tank and would love to try and get a monsters to grow with roots in the water and definitely pothos. We will see how it progresses.
 

FahakaHome

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 13, 2023
27
39
16
35
We have lights!!!! Ditched the sun sun canisters and going with 2 oase biomaster thermos to keep equipment out of the tank and have prefilters to minimize the amount of times having to lift canisters from behind the tank. Wood is secured to a 2ft by 4ft light egg crate/diffuser and will have rock work placed on it amongst the wood to anchor wood from floating. Just keeping this updated504FFD93-8D42-4E5A-A88B-250202942780.jpeg
 
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