can i use a old snake tank?

[skyhi]

Please help with advice !!!!! i'm in asap need of an answer. i've been looking for a used 55 gallon aquarium in my area. looked and looked, etc. well finally found one and was going to buy it. friend brings me a used snake tank 55 gallon aquarium. it has some parallel scratches, otherwise okay. BUT can you use it safely, like baceria or whatever. well i need to know so i can go with this and let the other go or get this one. thanks sooo much for your help!!!!!

 

[dirty-d]

i would say it will be just fine to use it.......i have a tank setup that used to have snakes, rabbits, hamsters or whatever my brother could fit in it........the only down side of it is that i have alot of scratches on the inside of the glass but their is stuff you can get to fix it......just make sure you clean the tank out good

 

[skyhi]

thanks, i mean i've got to get the stuff for the tank but this saves me a 3 hour trip back and forth. do you know the stuff that you can fix it with. i was thinking about asking a professional about it but if you happen to know or have advice, i would appreciate it. thanks again.

 

[anoepheli]

I honestly wouldn't recommend it. My room mate gave me a reptile tank. I had it filled up with 20 gallons of saltwater and in the middle of the night the glass pane on the bottom split in half lengthwise and dumped all the water into my carpet. Not a good wakeup call at 4 AM.

 

[oreo12]

Originally Posted by Anoepheli
I honestly wouldn't recommend it. My room mate gave me a reptile tank. I had it filled up with 20 gallons of saltwater and in the middle of the night the glass pane on the bottom split in half lengthwise and dumped all the water into my carpet. Not a good wakeup call at 4 AM.
that would have just stunk up my hole day

 

[promisetbg]

Over the years I have read that it is bad to use a reptile tank for fish. The urate from the reptile will get into the silicone and is bad for the tank. At the very least I would recommend cleaning it with bleach, and stripping and replacing the silicone.

 

[whitey]

I was told the same thing, but it has had no effect on my tank. I was told this by a bad LFS that wanted to sell me a new tank.
The reason the above poster's tank split was because it was a reptile tank, not one made by All Glass, Oceanic, etc.
Those tanks are designed specificly for reptiles and are not sealed the same way and are not as thick.
I have a 125 gallon All Glass tank that was home to a 4 foot Red Tail Boa for about 6 months. It was brand new other than that.
I cleaned it well, and it has been running for almost 2 years. Mine doesn't have scratches, but that would bug the hell out of me if it did. If the blemishes don't bother you, and as long as it's not Critter Cage (name given to those reptile tanks that come with a screen top) you should be fine.

 

[fraggle_a]

Answer: No you cant use a reptile tank as an aquarium tank. (you can, but not for long)
Glass used in reptile tanks isnt as thick as aquerium glass, nor is it cured in the same way. Reptile tanks only have to hold "air" where as aquerium tanks have to hold a lot of water / pressure.
Smaller reptile tanks will hold water, but above say 20 gallons, your asking for trouble.
The glass is weaker.
The glass is also more prone to "shatter" than just cracking.

 

[maxalmon]

Most retile tanks are made of a much thinner type of glass, the tanks are almost lightweight when compared to the same size thank that is made for aquatics. The thinner glass simply can't hold back the water presure. If the glass looks like something you would use in a home window, it's a retile tank and you run a serious risk of the tank bursting...Check out the local pet store, comapre the two types of tanks and you will see what I mean.

 

[skyhi]

well i think it was a fish aquarium to begin with. but it has 4-6 scratches on one side and 2 or 3 on the other. they are LONG scratches. i can feel them with my fingertips but not deep enough to feel with my nails. i filled it with water OUTSIDE, to see if the scratches will be a weakness in the tank. they are visible when it's filled with water, bummer. but i feel bad since my friend found it for me.

 

[skyhi]

i think it's kinda thin 1/4 inch or maybe a little more. but i'm not sure how to tell if it's one or the other.

 

[fraggle_a]

Well, Id get some scratch mender. Fill the thing with water to the rim, Add a bunch of rock and see what happens. Let it sit for a few days.
Tap the glass.
Basicaly, test it to distruction.
If it doesnt break, be very careful with it.
If it does break, you know, and at least you didnt kill any fish in the process right?
(you could take it to a LFS and have them look at it. or compair the glass yourself. If you have a Micromiter handy. Measure the thickness with a similar size Tank).
I belive there might be an audio differance too since the Aquarium glass it tempered, tap the glass and see if it sounds different from the two 'known' tanks.

 

[skyhi]

thanks for the advice. i will add rocks and test it. do you recommend any name brand of scratch mender? or is that the name? i've never seen it so sorry for the goofy questions. thanks again for your help and everyone else's!!!!

 

[fraggle_a]

You can probably get a windshield scratch kit from the local autostore..
It may not make the glass as strong as it was, but it should give a little bit of protection, and at least make the scratches less visible.

 

[promisetbg]

I would say get a new tank..I bought a used 75 as my first tank.It is scratched real bad and when algae enters the tank,it fills the scratches and looks bad.I wish I had bought new.

 

[skyhi]

i'm gonna try to buff it out with a buffer that's made for windshield's on cars. if i get one side i think i'll be okay. maybe

 

[rainstate6]

i wouldnt even wast the trouble or clean up time, if money is the only problem go to wallmart they are like 60 bucks for a 55 gal tank

if it was a 125 or 210 i could understand

 

[skyhi]

really, well at ours they only have freshwater kit. it's like 157 or so. the thing that's the problem is that a friend found it for me, but i know she wouldn't want me to use it if it's a possibility that there would be a problem.

 

[rainstate6]

ya here you can get bare 55s and 29s for about the same price

 

[fraggle_a]

I picked up my AGA 40 gallon for $100 from the LFS.
WalMart do some 'okay' tanks.
Mine seems to carry stuff they dont even have online... (my local sore) My local 'Super Wal Mart' doesnt carry the same tanks the other store does.
WalMarts arnt the most reliable source for merchandise. Hell, half them seem to be out of stock half the time.
Id go to the LFS and see if anyone is selling an older tank, or see if you can get a deal on a new one.