[NavemadaMan]

Today I just acquired a 40 gallon long tank and a stand and a bunch of other stuff all for free.

Heres the story. My mom is an elementary school teacher and there was a 40 gallon tank in an unused portable classroom that had been sitting there for a couple of years collecting nastiness and such. When I got to it there was moldy dead lizards, dead ants everywhere, and the little bit of water that was left in the tank was much more comparable to sludge. Anyway, the nasty tank was going to be thrown away but my mother asked me if I wanted it (of course I said yes) and then saved it for me.

So far I've only dumped out the sludge, old gravel, and taken out the goofy tank ornaments that were in there. I feel like after all of that I must have contracted a myriad of diseases.

BUT if I did not and I live on, I'd really love to get this tank up and running and I'd also love to get everyones input on what to do. This is my first planned tank (my first tank ever was earlier this year in January. This will be my fourth tank. Maybe it's gotten a little out of hand but I don't care )

Here are some pics of my new project

The stand

The filters

Random junk

And lastly the stunningly clean tank

So all I have set is that I want this to just be a hardscape. All of the specifics and everything else will be figured out on this here forum.

What I want is suggestions on the hardscape, the substrate, the fish, the equipment... Actually just EVERYTHING.

Also I'd like to know the best methods to clean everthing so it can look beautiful and be safe for aquatic life.

I'll post more pics when I'm done cleaning and such. Wish me luck!

 

[2in10]

Good luck with cleaning, that is one nasty mess there. I would start by getting rid of the filter since it was not cleaned after it stopped being used. I don't think the electrical and moving parts will be in good shape.

 

[kamikazi]

Today I just acquired a 40 gallon long tank and a stand and a bunch of other stuff all for free.
This is my first planned tank (my first tank ever was earlier this year in January. This will be my fourth tank. Maybe it's gotten a little out of hand but I don't care )

So all I have set is that I want this to just be a hardscape. All of the specifics and everything else will be figured out on this here forum.

What I want is suggestions on the hardscape, the substrate, the fish, the equipment... Actually just EVERYTHING.

Also I'd like to know the best methods to clean everthing so it can look beautiful and be safe for aquatic life.

Congrats on the free tank!

out of hand!?! pffft!

You said all hardscape...so no plants? or do you mean rocks and plants? or just rocks and wood? or wood only?

I cleaned my used tanks with water, rubbing alcohol and vinegar. Once you get it clean I suggest filling it up, this serves to help rinse it but also check for any leaks. A good thing to do with any tank that has been sitting for a while.

 

[kamikazi]

Good luck with cleaning, that is one nasty mess there. I would start by getting rid of the filter since it was not cleaned after it stopped being used. I don't think the electrical and moving parts will be in good shape.

I would clean it as best you can and test it when you leak test the tank. If it works why get rid of it...unless you plan on going with upgraded filtration already, in which case if it works you could clean it and sell it and buy a canister filter.

There are quite a few canisters I have seen recently that are on sale and around the $100 mark. Probably the best bang for the buck would be a SunSun, the RenaXPs are being cleared at my Petsmart, I saw a XP2 on sale for 89.99. API has a new canister filter, but I know nothing about it, it was 99.99 at Petco, and Petco also had PenPlax Cascades on sale 84.99 or 99.99 depending on the model.

 

[Postal Penguin]

I would inspect and test the silicone extensively. It sounds like the tank was used for lizards which may mean a heat lamp baked the silicone dry.

 

[Higher Thinking]

Congratulations on the sweet find. I use bleach to sanitize tanks and no harm done if you rinse it well. I definitely agree with the leak test. Fill it up and let it sit outside or in the garage for a couple days.

 

[HypnoticAquatic]

fill it up an dump some bleach in there just rinse well, use the filter if it works or give to someone else as a raok always make someones day, get some colorquartz grade t or s and new t5 light tank would look good as new! idk if thats painted blue or a paper back if its painted an u want to change it do it now will save u a huge pita!