Dry Tank

[Betty]

We have a 500 gallon salt water tank that was leaking. (8 ft wide x 4
ft high x 2 ft deep).

It is not repairable and we do not want to spend the 10 grand it will
cost to replace it.

It was suggested that we would be able to utilize the tank as a "dry
tank" which would house shells and dry coral in an attractive display
similar to the one shown here:

http://www.molluscan.com/dennison/images/aquarium.jpg

Does anyone have a recommendation as to who might be able to design
this for us? We are a business located in Perris, CA (Southern
California)

[Sandbag]

I have thought of something like this but dry coral is not cheap. Maybe
think of some of the newer display corals. It would give more color to
the tank and only be a little more expensive. Cleaning the tank will
such since you will have to occasionaly dust the corals, but no
different than a dry tank.

[Wayne Sallee]

If a glass top is put on, the corals would not even need
to be dusted, but I personally would not be interested in
a graveyard tank. If it were me, I'd repair it, or at
least repair it enough to make it into a terrarium.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Sandbag wrote on 3/18/2006 8:21 AM:
> I have thought of something like this but dry coral is not cheap. Maybe
> think of some of the newer display corals. It would give more color to
> the tank and only be a little more expensive. Cleaning the tank will
> such since you will have to occasionaly dust the corals, but no
> different than a dry tank.
>

[Billy]

Why do you say it is not repairable? A tank that large is most
certainly worth repairing unless a panel is cracked. Even then, the
repair would be cheaper than a replacement.

b

--
¼á
"Betty" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> We have a 500 gallon salt water tank that was leaking. (8 ft wide x
> 4
> ft high x 2 ft deep).
>
> It is not repairable and we do not want to spend the 10 grand it
> will
> cost to replace it.
>
> It was suggested that we would be able to utilize the tank as a
> "dry
> tank" which would house shells and dry coral in an attractive
> display
> similar to the one shown here:
>
> http://www.molluscan.com/dennison/images/aquarium.jpg
>
> Does anyone have a recommendation as to who might be able to design
> this for us? We are a business located in Perris, CA (Southern
> California)
>

[Roy]

Some reason or other, I just can not see where it would be impossible
or all that expensive to reseal a glass tank......If the panes are not
cracked, its certianly resealable. I have already redone a 210 gal
tank, and would love to get my hands on a leaking 500 gal......If yur
gonna turn it into a dry tank with bleacked corals etc, may as well
just hang a picture up of a reef..........

On Sat, 18 Mar 2006 15:34:52 GMT, Wayne Sallee >
wrote:
>><>If a glass top is put on, the corals would not even need
>><>to be dusted, but I personally would not be interested in
>><>a graveyard tank. If it were me, I'd repair it, or at
>><>least repair it enough to make it into a terrarium.
>><>
>><>Wayne Sallee
>><>Wayne's Pets

>><>
>><>
>><>Sandbag wrote on 3/18/2006 8:21 AM:
>><>> I have thought of something like this but dry coral is not cheap. Maybe
>><>> think of some of the newer display corals. It would give more color to
>><>> the tank and only be a little more expensive. Cleaning the tank will
>><>> such since you will have to occasionaly dust the corals, but no
>><>> different than a dry tank.
>><>>

--
\\\|///
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\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Wayne Sallee]

It's still reparable, but risky. I sure would not want the
liability of it leaking again,if I were to repair it. But
if it were my own tank, I would repair it. I'm a risk
taker :-) The crack would need to be cleaned out, and
acrylic solvent would be put in the crack to rebond the
acrylic. And the stand would have to be reinforced. And
since the crack is obviously in a place where you don't
see it, extra acrylic could be added to enforce it.

The other thing is that the tank was probably not made
strong enough to begin with.

But then, if you repaired it, there would not be much risk
if it were turned into a terrarium.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Betty wrote on 3/20/2006 5:51 PM:
> Billy wrote:
>> Why do you say it is not repairable? A tank that large is most
>> certainly worth repairing unless a panel is cracked. Even then, the
>> repair would be cheaper than a replacement.
>>
>>
>
> We had several people come out to view the tank and was quoted about
> $10k to replace it.
>
> The tank, which is only about 4 years old, was built into cabinetry and
> did not have any sort of steel frame beneath it. With the weight of
> all the rocks and water, it's believed that the wood compressed or
> settled a bit and sadly, the tank is cracked. We thought it was just a
> seam - but it's actually the left side and front cracked in the acrylic
> itself.
>
> Yes - this is the fault of the person who installed the tank - who is
> now very much in debt and very out out business so we can't rely on him
> to fix his error.
>
> The owner does not want to spend that much money to fix and is looking
> for some sort of comprimise.
>
> I looked at terreriums and it seems like the tank would need to be
> removed for things to be installed correctly? I'm not even an amatuer
> - let alone an expert - so I have no idea if that's the case or not.
>
> You guys seem like a pretty knowledgeable group - what would you do if
> you had maybe a thousand or two to spend on this project to make it
> look presentable - if not really cool looking?
>

[Cindy]

> I looked at terreriums and it seems like the tank would need to be
> removed for things to be installed correctly? I'm not even an
> amatuer - let alone an expert - so I have no idea if that's the
> case or not.

I don't think so.

> You guys seem like a pretty knowledgeable group - what would you do
> if you had maybe a thousand or two to spend on this project to make
> it look presentable - if not really cool looking?

Does the owner like reptiles? That would make a great home for some bearded
dragons! They need UVB light, which shoudn't be a problem. Some kind of
heating from overhead that makes a temperature gradient in the tank.
They're dry/desert animals, so maybe a small fan to move the air.

I would LOVE having something like this....it's hard to ever have a big
enough enclosure to make a good home for a reptile. I keep boa
constrictors, an iguana, a turtle. I would NOT recommend an iguana, though.

[miskairal]

Great idea Cindy! At least then there would be something living in the tank.
Unfortunately we had to kill another snake last week. This one was in
the kitchen. I say unfortunately as it turned out to be a tree snake but
it was very thick and about 4 feet long and the lighting where it was
made it next to impossible to see the colouring and we couldnt see it's
head - looked like a brown snake and I'm too young to die :)
Next day I saw a beautiful coppery coloured one go through the house
yard. I'm all snaked out right now and you wouldn't believe how many
noises round your house can suddenly sound like a snake sliding ;)

Cindy wrote:
>>I looked at terreriums and it seems like the tank would need to be
>>removed for things to be installed correctly? I'm not even an
>>amatuer - let alone an expert - so I have no idea if that's the
>>case or not.
>
>
> I don't think so.
>
>
>>You guys seem like a pretty knowledgeable group - what would you do
>>if you had maybe a thousand or two to spend on this project to make
>>it look presentable - if not really cool looking?
>
>
> Does the owner like reptiles? That would make a great home for some bearded
> dragons! They need UVB light, which shoudn't be a problem. Some kind of
> heating from overhead that makes a temperature gradient in the tank.
> They're dry/desert animals, so maybe a small fan to move the air.
>
> I would LOVE having something like this....it's hard to ever have a big
> enough enclosure to make a good home for a reptile. I keep boa
> constrictors, an iguana, a turtle. I would NOT recommend an iguana, though.
>
>
>

[Roy]

Miskairal
Your place and snakes osunds like our place here with
snakes......Loaded with rattlers, copperheads and cotton
mouths......plus tons of other non venomenous types. Once it gets warm
out, you certainly do not walk around outside at night without a
flashlight. We kept a 4 foot eztern diamondback and a 3 foot timbler
mrattler in a acrylic tank for years, until I finally had enough sense
to admit it was a dangerous thing no matter who well i thought I could
handle them.....so I turned them loose......Anymore if possible I
catch and relocate, and kill only if there is no other way out.

On Fri, 24 Mar 2006 08:24:34 +1000, miskairal
> wrote:
>><>Great idea Cindy! At least then there would be something living in the tank.
>><>Unfortunately we had to kill another snake last week. This one was in
>><>the kitchen. I say unfortunately as it turned out to be a tree snake but
>><>it was very thick and about 4 feet long and the lighting where it was
>><>made it next to impossible to see the colouring and we couldnt see it's
>><>head - looked like a brown snake and I'm too young to die :)
>><>Next day I saw a beautiful coppery coloured one go through the house
>><>yard. I'm all snaked out right now and you wouldn't believe how many
>><>noises round your house can suddenly sound like a snake sliding ;)
>><>
>><>Cindy wrote:
>><>>>I looked at terreriums and it seems like the tank would need to be
>><>>>removed for things to be installed correctly? I'm not even an
>><>>>amatuer - let alone an expert - so I have no idea if that's the
>><>>>case or not.
>><>>
>><>>
>><>> I don't think so.
>><>>
>><>>
>><>>>You guys seem like a pretty knowledgeable group - what would you do
>><>>>if you had maybe a thousand or two to spend on this project to make
>><>>>it look presentable - if not really cool looking?
>><>>
>><>>
>><>> Does the owner like reptiles? That would make a great home for some bearded
>><>> dragons! They need UVB light, which shoudn't be a problem. Some kind of
>><>> heating from overhead that makes a temperature gradient in the tank.
>><>> They're dry/desert animals, so maybe a small fan to move the air.
>><>>
>><>> I would LOVE having something like this....it's hard to ever have a big
>><>> enough enclosure to make a good home for a reptile. I keep boa
>><>> constrictors, an iguana, a turtle. I would NOT recommend an iguana, though.
>><>>
>><>>
>><>>

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....

[miskairal]

I don't know about where you are but here there are more people killed
by snakes whilst trying to catch/kill them. We only kill them if they
are in the house or in my bird aviaries/sheds. Normally we would never
kill a tree snake. Last year I took a photo of a tree snake in a tree
right beside the back door. It was only feet away from me but when I got
the photo developed (yes, old stuff) you cannot see that there is a
snake there at all, even I can't.

I have 2 spare 90 litre tanks at the moment and the thought has crossed
my mind to house some reptiles. I have done no research yet though so I
don't even know if that is possible in such small tanks. I'll probably
never look into it - learning all this sal****er stuff is enough for the
next few years :)

Roy wrote:
> Miskairal
> Your place and snakes osunds like our place here with
> snakes......Loaded with rattlers, copperheads and cotton
> mouths......plus tons of other non venomenous types. Once it gets warm
> out, you certainly do not walk around outside at night without a
> flashlight. We kept a 4 foot eztern diamondback and a 3 foot timbler
> mrattler in a acrylic tank for years, until I finally had enough sense
> to admit it was a dangerous thing no matter who well i thought I could
> handle them.....so I turned them loose......Anymore if possible I
> catch and relocate, and kill only if there is no other way out.
>
> On Fri, 24 Mar 2006 08:24:34 +1000, miskairal
> > wrote:
>
>>><>Great idea Cindy! At least then there would be something living in the tank.
>>><>Unfortunately we had to kill another snake last week. This one was in
>>><>the kitchen. I say unfortunately as it turned out to be a tree snake but
>>><>it was very thick and about 4 feet long and the lighting where it was
>>><>made it next to impossible to see the colouring and we couldnt see it's
>>><>head - looked like a brown snake and I'm too young to die :)
>>><>Next day I saw a beautiful coppery coloured one go through the house
>>><>yard. I'm all snaked out right now and you wouldn't believe how many
>>><>noises round your house can suddenly sound like a snake sliding ;)
>>><>
>>><>Cindy wrote:
>>><>>>I looked at terreriums and it seems like the tank would need to be
>>><>>>removed for things to be installed correctly? I'm not even an
>>><>>>amatuer - let alone an expert - so I have no idea if that's the
>>><>>>case or not.
>>><>>
>>><>>
>>><>> I don't think so.
>>><>>
>>><>>
>>><>>>You guys seem like a pretty knowledgeable group - what would you do
>>><>>>if you had maybe a thousand or two to spend on this project to make
>>><>>>it look presentable - if not really cool looking?
>>><>>
>>><>>
>>><>> Does the owner like reptiles? That would make a great home for some bearded
>>><>> dragons! They need UVB light, which shoudn't be a problem. Some kind of
>>><>> heating from overhead that makes a temperature gradient in the tank.
>>><>> They're dry/desert animals, so maybe a small fan to move the air.
>>><>>
>>><>> I would LOVE having something like this....it's hard to ever have a big
>>><>> enough enclosure to make a good home for a reptile. I keep boa
>>><>> constrictors, an iguana, a turtle. I would NOT recommend an iguana, though.
>>><>>
>>><>>
>>><>>
>
>

[Cindy]

miskairal typed:
>
> I have 2 spare 90 litre tanks at the moment and the thought has
> crossed my mind to house some reptiles. I have done no research yet
> though so I don't even know if that is possible in such small
> tanks. I'll probably never look into it - learning all this
> sal****er stuff is enough for the next few years :)

90 litre--hmm okay sorry, but I don't do math ;} --what are the dimensions
of the tanks?

[Cindy]

miskairal typed:
> Great idea Cindy! At least then there would be something living in
> the tank. Unfortunately we had to kill another snake last week.
> This one was in the kitchen. I say unfortunately as it turned out to be a
> tree
> snake but it was very thick and about 4 feet long and the lighting where
> it
> was made it next to impossible to see the colouring and we couldnt see
> it's head - looked like a brown snake and I'm too young to die :)
> Next day I saw a beautiful coppery coloured one go through the house
> yard. I'm all snaked out right now and you wouldn't believe how many
> noises round your house can suddenly sound like a snake sliding ;)

I like snakes and keep a few, so if I heard those noises I'd be running to
catch it. But I've never had a copperhead come in the house either....
; /

[Pszemol]

"Cindy" > wrote in message t...
> miskairal typed:
>>
>> I have 2 spare 90 litre tanks at the moment and the thought has
>> crossed my mind to house some reptiles. I have done no research yet
>> though so I don't even know if that is possible in such small
>> tanks. I'll probably never look into it - learning all this
>> sal****er stuff is enough for the next few years :)
>
> 90 litre--hmm okay sorry, but I don't do math ;}
> --what are the dimensions of the tanks?

90 litres is about 90/3.8 ~ 24 US gallons.

[Cindy]

Pszemol typed:
> "Cindy" > wrote in message
> t...
>> miskairal typed:
>>>
>>> I have 2 spare 90 litre tanks at the moment and the thought has
>>> crossed my mind to house some reptiles. I have done no research
>>> yet though so I don't even know if that is possible in such small
>>> tanks. I'll probably never look into it - learning all this
>>> sal****er stuff is enough for the next few years :)
>>
>> 90 litre--hmm okay sorry, but I don't do math ;}
>> --what are the dimensions of the tanks?
>
> 90 litres is about 90/3.8 ~ 24 US gallons.

Thank you. : )

miskairal, are they tall tanks, or do they have more horizontal area?
Dimensions?

Leopard geckos. Corn snakes. Dart frogs. Hognose snakes. Small,
not-too-active herps. What can you get there? Aren't herps pretty heavily
regulated in Australia?

[miskairal]

One's tall, one's not. They're both 3 foot long. Sorry, I have the
measurements somewhere but but I'm too lazy at the moment to find them
or go measure the tanks again (I'm settled in for the night in front of
my pc with a drink :)

You have to be licensed to keep anything reptile here and that's about
all I know so far. I'm sure nothing would be imported as quarintine
would cost too much. I don't know what most of those critters are you
mention but we have geckos running all over the house at night. We had
visitors one day and two huge geckos started having a big barny, caused
quite a disturbance rolling around on the floor. We also have heaps of
green tree frogs. There is one at the moment that I find each morning on
top of my guppy tank but under the light. He/she is making a real mess
and will have to go for a drive down the paddock soon to the creek. If I
just put it outside it is back next morning. At one stage we had so many
frogs our toilet wasnt' working properly. On investigation there were 17
frogs in the cistern, most of them hanging off the float - very helpful :)

I'd like a couple of lizards - frilled necks if they are safe and
allowed. A lad my son grew up with used to have all manner of things in
his room. Needless to say he now works at Australia Zoo with Steve
Erwin. I would have called him when the snake was in the kitchen last
week rather than kill it but the zoo is 2 hour's drive away and he
wasn't on days off.

Cindy wrote:
> Pszemol typed:
>
>>"Cindy" > wrote in message
t...
>>
>>>miskairal typed:
>>>
>>>>I have 2 spare 90 litre tanks at the moment and the thought has
>>>>crossed my mind to house some reptiles. I have done no research
>>>>yet though so I don't even know if that is possible in such small
>>>>tanks. I'll probably never look into it - learning all this
>>>>sal****er stuff is enough for the next few years :)
>>>
>>>90 litre--hmm okay sorry, but I don't do math ;}
>>>--what are the dimensions of the tanks?
>>
>>90 litres is about 90/3.8 ~ 24 US gallons.
>
>
> Thank you. : )
>
> miskairal, are they tall tanks, or do they have more horizontal area?
> Dimensions?
>
> Leopard geckos. Corn snakes. Dart frogs. Hognose snakes. Small,
> not-too-active herps. What can you get there? Aren't herps pretty heavily
> regulated in Australia?
>
>

[Cindy]

miskairal typed:
> One's tall, one's not. They're both 3 foot long. Sorry, I have the
> measurements somewhere but but I'm too lazy at the moment to find
> them or go measure the tanks again (I'm settled in for the night in
> front of my pc with a drink :)

Well, you need to take into consideration the size of your tanks, humidity
or lack of it and temperature variations, to name a few, and go search the
type of lizard you want/can get. You can't just base the lizard size on the
tank size--some small ones are very active and need a lot of room. You
could subscribe to rec.pets.herp, a reptile newsgroup. The people there can
be very helpful.

[miskairal]

Thanks Cindy.

Cindy wrote:
> miskairal typed:
>
>>One's tall, one's not. They're both 3 foot long. Sorry, I have the
>>measurements somewhere but but I'm too lazy at the moment to find
>>them or go measure the tanks again (I'm settled in for the night in
>>front of my pc with a drink :)
>
>
> Well, you need to take into consideration the size of your tanks, humidity
> or lack of it and temperature variations, to name a few, and go search the
> type of lizard you want/can get. You can't just base the lizard size on the
> tank size--some small ones are very active and need a lot of room. You
> could subscribe to rec.pets.herp, a reptile newsgroup. The people there can
> be very helpful.
>
>