Slate-bottom 30 gallon

A

aude

Registered Member
Jul 12, 2009
4
0
0
45
I picked up an antique slatebottom 30 gallon tank from a yard sale for $5 today. It holds water, but I am worried about how long that will last. I've been reading some threads on the forum about resealing these tanks...but I'm still not sure what exactly to do. I'm a bit of a slow learner : (. Anyhow, I took some pictures of the tank and the tar-like grouting that seems to be deteriorating. I'm willing to put some work and time into this piece...I just want to make sure I know what I am doing!

Should I remove the tar stuff and reseal with silicon? I heard that will not bond well with slate? Like I said, it holds water fine now, without any leaks, but family wants to be sure before they let it in the house.

HPIM1616.JPG HPIM1617.JPG HPIM1618.JPG HPIM1619.JPG
 
If it holds water use it as is. One problem with slate bottom tanks is that the tar sealant shrinks after drying out. If you do find a small leak the old time way of fixing it was to add a handful of dirt from the garden and stir it up!
 
Oh, so jealous. I used to have a 5 gal one of these, it got lost "along the way," not sure when/where. I would love to have another, they are so neat :D Very lucky find!

Kristina
 
I've resealed a few of these tanks. I treat it like any other tank, scrape out as much of the old stuff as possible, clean the glass and slate really well with alcohol, and apply new silicone. They do make for some interesting tanks.
 
I would let is sit for several days if still no leaks, should be good. I also have heard about the handful of dirt thing for leaks. I never had trouble with a slate bot. tank IF it held water in the beginning.

Great Find!!!
 
Thanks for the replies. What's the best way to test for leaks? I know that sounds silly...but how long of a period does it take for a tank to be deemed "houseworthy"? Also, I don't know if you can tell from the photos, but some of the inner seams don't appear to be sealed with anything. Should I seal the gaps with silicon or is this normal?
 
I usually fill up a tank and let it sit for at least 48 hours to test for leaks. I've also stripped down and resealed tanks, especially smaller ones, just for peace of mind whether they leaked or not.
 
I put the tanks on 2x4's and look for leaks, also newspaper under the tanks show the leaks easier
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom