Rebuilding an old abandoned 29g

[FishHobby99]

Your wet sand, as depicted, looked like a scene from a low budget horror flick! All slimy & creepy! I hope it wasn’t radioactive & you wore protective gear.

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

Itiwhetu said: Love Spanish first word I learnt was Cerveza second word was Bano.

I'm sorry i never heard the word "Bano" (must be south american), it is something you can smoke?

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

Jenny solano said: I can teach you to cuss in my Native American language, a skill not widely mastered

Count me in!

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

Tacocat said: You were expecting a signature, but it was me, DIO!

I'm very curious to understand what "DIO" means!

 

[wgoldfarb]

Your wet sand, as depicted, looked like a scene from a low budget horror flick! All slimy & creepy! I hope it wasn’t radioactive & you wore protective gear.

I don't know about radioactive, but definitely scary! The sulfur smell was so strong I actually did put on some gloves and a mask . Don't need any flesh-eating bacteria on my hands

I'm sorry i never heard the word "Bano" (must be south american), it is something you can smoke?

I believe he meant Baño

Edit: @JennySolano: if you think the picture was scary, you should have seen it before it was empty!

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

Yes and now to you wgoldfarb, the aquarium looks already fine, you did it. In case I have to clean some tank like this I take it out in the garden and with a powerfull water hose I do the rest (if the thank isn't too big), I do not own a garden but there is a backyard for the tenants, for small tanks I take the shower in the bathroom. For me you are ready for your new- old tank.

At the age of two months did you speak Spanish fluently? No, I think you have two native languages, both English and Spanish.

I have to prepare the "papillas", mash I would say, right now for my animals, food has been just unfreezing, I will be coming at once.

 

[FishHobby99]

I don't know about radioactive, but definitely scary! The sulfur smell was so strong I actually did put on some gloves and a mask . Don't need any flesh-eating bacteria on my hands

I believe he meant Baño

Edit: @JennySolano: if you think the picture was scary, you should have seen it before it was empty!

Horrors!

My old sand was pristine. Tiny fairies were dancing on it!

 

[wgoldfarb]

Yes and now to you wgoldfarb, the aquarium looks already fine, you did it. In case I have to clean some tank like this I take it out in the garden and with a powerfull water hose I do the rest

Yup, that is exactly what I plan to do

At the age of two months did you speak Spanish fluently? No, I think you have two native languages, both English and Spanish.

I don't know about 2 months, but when I was a kid I only spoke Spanish. I didn't start learning English or French until I was a bit older.

Horrors!

My old sand was pristine. Tiny fairies were dancing on it!

Well, the fumes coming out of my sand were so strong that they could have made me see dancing fairies. Maybe you should have worn a mask too!

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

May I ask you how old you actually are? There is here no information to deduce your age, you have meant if somebody here is good in mathematics..., well I can't see no information nowhere, for my part I'm 58, next month I will be 59 years old just the 24 of December, it's too late, I feel already "Alzheimer" coming into my life, giving me the creeps (but you should be around 30, isn't it? Of course you don't need to answer if you don't want). And your parents are both from Europa? Your father a French speaking belgian, and your mother? Sorry, I'm too curious I know. Do you still have family here in Europa? I'm open for "telenovelas" also online but you know I'm much too curious, you can tell me all in total! (I myself do have also some secrets I'll tell you later). Wish you are doing well mon compagnon, have a nice day.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Black sand happens. Cleaning out established substrate is always a horror in the best of circumstances. ha ha

 

[wgoldfarb]

Ok. I yield.

I've decided to put my pride away for a bit, and just get a new tank. I know several of you have suggested that I should do that, and my own wife keeps asking me why I'm wasting so much time instead of just getting a new tank. My pride was getting in the way, but I finally relented for several reasons.

Today i finished emptying the tank and moved it to a table, which gave me the opportunity to examine the tank better.

- As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of algae growing under the silicone seals. No matter how good a job I do with the tank, the edges will look dirty. The picture below isn't great but you can see the algae between the glass and silicone. If it was just a bit I wouldn't mind, but It's like this along almost the entire length in each of the 4 corners:

- When I was examining the silicone today to make sure the algae was under it (it is) I realized that the silicone is no longer adhered to the glass in several parts along the edge. I can lift the flap of silicone easily with my finger and could even insert the edge of the scraper between the glass and the silicone all the way to the algae. So the water can easily get under the seal. Even if that doesn't pose an immediate threat of leaks (the seal at the joint between the two panes of glass is still intact) it means the algae will continue to grow, will look worse and worse, and might eventually affect the seal.

- So, to use this tank with peace of mind and have it look good I'd have to re-silicone the entire thing. I don't really trust my own ability to do this, particularly since I'm working with one hand (if you didn't read my introductory post, I currently have very limited use of my right hand).

- Finally, and the factor that finally convinced me, Petco currently has a sale on 29 gallons at half price. If I factor the cost of the silicone I'd have to get to reseal the current tank, the cost of replacing the tank is even less. Petco includes free same-day delivery to your house, so I don't even have to go get it! So, tomorrow I will buy a new 29 gallon. It means I will be ready to start setting up sooner than I expected!

 

[FishHobby99]

I’d do the very same thing, so your choice must be wise.
I bought two 40 G longs at Petco, also half off. Order had to be placed online & picked up at your local store. They often have deals for other online items to be picked up.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Excellent decision. I also admired your determination to save the old tank. But as WC Field once said, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a #%&! fool about it."

 

[wgoldfarb]

They often have deals for other online items to be picked up.

Yes, if I place the order online they deliver for free to my house!

 

[FishHobby99]

Excellent decision. I also admired your determination to save the old tank. But as WC Field once said, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a #%&! fool about it."

He was an old drunk who said the first thing that came to his mind.