Sorry if I missed it but what size is this tank? I would be very wary of filling a large tank with a broken or questionable center brace. The center brace is a very important part of large aquariums. If it breaks the entire tank weakens. The tank may not burst or crack immediately. It could take weeks or months for a problem to occur. But I've seen some pretty substantial damage caused by tanks with damaged center braces. As for using a full lid, I would do so. I've seen Oscars and some other fish jump out of tanks trying get food or from just being spooked by something. Many glass tops come with a flexible plastic strip that covers the gap between the back of the tank and the glass top. You can easily cut this plastic strip to accommodate a HOB filter without leaving a big space for a fish to leap from.
Oscar Questions(lighting, substrate)
- Thread starter Caesar The Blue
- Start date
Here is the melted piece on the tank
It isn't weak. It's the same strength as my other tanks.
And like I said the tank was a fish tank before she bought it.
I only took this one because it was for free from her.
And the tank is 55 gallons.
I know an Oscar will grow out of the tank.
It isn't weak. It's the same strength as my other tanks.
And like I said the tank was a fish tank before she bought it.
I only took this one because it was for free from her.
And the tank is 55 gallons.
I know an Oscar will grow out of the tank.
The brace was obviously exposed to a heat lamp but it doesn't look that bad. Give it a test fill on a dry surface for a few days and see if there are any leaks. I would do this with any used tanks before setting them up in my house, especially anything over 20 gallons. Even if a tank was initially a fish tank, if it was later used for something other than fish, you have to be careful. There is a lot of pet equipment that can weaken the structural integrity of an aquarium. I hope it holds and your Oscar loves it.
Yes, it was a heat lamp. But it wasn't on there for long. She checks on her lizards a lot, seeing as they were downstairs in the living room.
I don't think that anything she put into the tank would have hurt the silicone?
She had light weight ground up(nuts? bark?) something in it... water dish, and a basking (fake) log. The dragon that was in it was extremely lazy. He never dug or anything. Most of his time was spent in the water dish or on the basking log. So I know he, himself, never harmed the tank.
I will fill it up once the silicone sealant I put on it dries and sets.
Any other recommendations on what to do to? another layer of sealant perhaps?
I don't think that anything she put into the tank would have hurt the silicone?
She had light weight ground up(nuts? bark?) something in it... water dish, and a basking (fake) log. The dragon that was in it was extremely lazy. He never dug or anything. Most of his time was spent in the water dish or on the basking log. So I know he, himself, never harmed the tank.
I will fill it up once the silicone sealant I put on it dries and sets.
Any other recommendations on what to do to? another layer of sealant perhaps?
You def need lids cuz Oscars do jump and will even jump through small openings. I had one jump out in the middle of the night through an opening barely bigger than him. I occasionally hear the 3 oscars I have now jump and bang the glass lids. Also, know plenty of people who have lost Oscars that jump out of the tank. Strongly advise lids
i'd also have to stress the importance of a lid, even for a small one. a while ago i had a 2 or 3 incher jump out of his tank to get into a betta tank that was right next to him. needless to say it was quite weird waking up to an empty 20g and a quite full 4 gallon next to it, he was soon upgraded to a 75 with a lid and eventually sold off but even so, id make a lid a priority. especially if you plan on hand feeding him.
Okay 
Thanks guys.
I'll be looking for lids then.
Would Versa tops be more recommended over the full hoods? Or would full hoods be fine while the fish is still a juvenile?
~And I went ahead and did another layer of silicone. Anything else I could do? Not sure what else could be damaged on the tank besides the silicone possibly...
Thanks guys.I'll be looking for lids then.
Would Versa tops be more recommended over the full hoods? Or would full hoods be fine while the fish is still a juvenile?
~And I went ahead and did another layer of silicone. Anything else I could do? Not sure what else could be damaged on the tank besides the silicone possibly...
At what size would be recommended to get glass lids?
I saw some little guys at a lfs I really liked, they were about an inch and a half. I might get one and put it in my 20 gallon until my 55 gallon is finished.
I saw some little guys at a lfs I really liked, they were about an inch and a half. I might get one and put it in my 20 gallon until my 55 gallon is finished.
