And it begins...

[THEATEYS]

75 gallon that sat in a shed for about 15 years. I found a local, family-owned, shop where they're more than willing to share their knowledge and point me in the right direction. The lids that came with it are dirty af & one of the glass panes is broken. No biggie though. It's a real beast to move without help! I'm working toward a reef tank with corals and complementary fish.

The wife was happy to oblige moving a bookshelf from the living room to another room as long as she gets to pick the stand this sits on. #happyWifehappyLife

 

[davidcalgary29]

Nice! I'm assuming that you did a water test before moving it from the garage (to determine if there are any leaks in the seals).

Are you planning to run this without a sump? And are you going to replace the glass lid with mesh, or replace the broken glass pane?

 

[THEATEYS]

Nice! I'm assuming that you did a water test before moving it from the garage (to determine if there are any leaks in the seals).

Are you planning to run this without a sump? And are you going to replace the glass lid with mesh, or replace the broken glass pane?

No leaks. I plan to run a siphon tube down to a sump. The guy in the fish shop had a tank setup like that, but it had an overflow box on the back. The only issue I see with the overflow box involves that molding around the top of the tank.

The lids/glass panes do not allow for much light to pass through them. I'm sure a mesh lid will be fairly easy to find/create.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Do you actually need a sump, though?

I've created mesh lids quite easily using screen door/window parts; you can get the parts off of Amazon for less than thirty bucks.

 

[THEATEYS]

Do you actually need a sump, though?

I've created mesh lids quite easily using screen door/window parts; you can get the parts off of Amazon for less than thirty bucks.

I'm a novice to saltwater so I don't really know if a sump is truly necessary. I want a system that is fairly easy to maintain and does not require a degree in marine biology to keep. Everything that I've seen/read points to more water=easier maintenance. I'm all ears to other ideas; especially if they're cheaper! lol

 

[Sleepingtiger]

are you serious about it being 15yrs old and it being in a uncontrolled climate like a shed?

Even if you did a leak test... I would not consider this tank for anything other than to keep reptiles. I had a leaking aquarium. We had to redo the wood floor. Killed many fish. Caused me so much grief. This was on a 4 yr old tank that sat dry in my garage for a year.

75g tanks at Petco are $210. I would definitely sleep better knowing I have a new tank.

 

[THEATEYS]

are you serious about it being 15yrs old and it being in a uncontrolled climate like a shed?

Even if you did a leak test... I would not consider this tank for anything other than to keep reptiles. I had a leaking aquarium. We had to redo the wood floor. Killed many fish. Caused me so much grief. This was on a 4 yr old tank that sat dry in my garage for a year.

75g tanks at Petco are $210. I would definitely sleep better knowing I have a new tank.

Noted. I'll fill it up completely and let it sit while I figure the next steps out. It's been sitting in a shed for at least a decade, that's not bs. The glass is 3/16"-1/4" thick and there are no obvious cracks or damages to the silicone sealant. I put about 5 gallons in it while cleaning the dirt off of it this weekend.

I'm sure filling it all the way up and letting it sit on my back patio will be a good enough stress test. I'm in Houston and right now the mornings are around 50 degrees while the afternoons get up to the 80s. It'll never be in direct sunlight and if it fails, then my grass and concrete get watered and my homeowner's insurance provider will be none the wiser.

 

[Sleepingtiger]

Noted. I'll fill it up completely and let it sit while I figure the next steps out. It's been sitting in a shed for at least a decade, that's not bs. The glass is 3/16"-1/4" thick and there are no obvious cracks or damages to the silicone sealant. I put about 5 gallons in it while cleaning the dirt off of it this weekend.

I'm sure filling it all the way up and letting it sit on my back patio will be a good enough stress test. I'm in Houston and right now the mornings are around 50 degrees while the afternoons get up to the 80s. It'll never be in direct sunlight and if it fails, then my grass and concrete get watered and my homeowner's insurance provider will be none the wiser.

My 4yr old tank sat in my house for 5 months before it busted a seem. You're in Houston! Holy cow, I am in Dallas. It gets HOT in Houston. I am shocked all your silicon isn't all crusty and peeling. Do as you wish, but if you talk to any local hobbyist, they will tell you to get it resealed or just buy a new one. You're playing with fire in a nuclear power plant.

 

[THEATEYS]

My 4yr old tank sat in my house for 5 months before it busted a seem. You're in Houston! Holy cow, I am in Dallas. It gets HOT in Houston. I am shocked all your silicon isn't all crusty and peeling. Do as you wish, but if you talk to any local hobbyist, they will tell you to get it resealed or just buy a new one. You're playing with fire in a nuclear power plant.

The tank itself spent its "shed life" near Gonzales, TX. Not quite Houston, but it did ride out the February '21 freeze plus countless summers out there. I'm sure sitting outside with water in it for a few weeks will reveal any issues.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I'm a novice to saltwater so I don't really know if a sump is truly necessary. I want a system that is fairly easy to maintain and does not require a degree in marine biology to keep. Everything that I've seen/read points to more water=easier maintenance. I'm all ears to other ideas; especially if they're cheaper! lol

There's no reason why you can't create your own DIY all-in-one sump by dividing the tank with a pre-drilled pane of glass (or acrylic!) to accommodate a pump return (or two), and to have some type of surface skimmer that leads to a chamber in which you can fit an InTank basket in which you can fit various media. Sincethis is a DIY, you can make the space fit your own needs.

 

[THEATEYS]

The tank itself spent its "shed life" near Gonzales, TX. Not quite Houston, but it did ride out the February '21 freeze plus countless summers out there. I'm sure sitting outside with water in it for a few weeks will reveal any issues.

UPDATE: I filled it 25% and set it on the back patio away from direct sunlight. It'll sit for 24 hours before I add another 25% unless it shows signs of leaking. Kudos to @davidcalgary29 & @Sleepingtiger for pointing out the obvious & causing me to find a proper leak test method.

Used Aquariums - The First Tank Guide

 

[G Santana]

Yes yes, I know the feeling.
Good luck with your build

 

[davidcalgary29]

UPDATE: I filled it 25% and set it on the back patio away from direct sunlight. It'll sit for 24 hours before I add another 25% unless it shows signs of leaking. Kudos to @davidcalgary29 & @Sleepingtiger for pointing out the obvious & causing me to find a proper leak test method.

Used Aquariums - The First Tank Guide

Make sure you add a bit of oolite so you can spot any seam incursions! It shows up much better against black silicone sealant than water.