reptile 40 gallon breeder tank for fish?

[tdkee1]

I just picked up a used 40 gallon breeder, 36x18x17 tank that I am planning on using as a grow out/hospital/quarantine/sump. not sure yet. I've seen the same ones at petco and petsmart made for reptiles that had a sticker on them that said "do not fill with water". how do i know if the tank i just bought is actually made to fill up with water and not a reptile tank? the top trim looks exactly like a regular fish tank and doesn't have have any special grooves for a reptile lid. any ideas?

 

[prcdslnc13]

the thickness of the glass is the difference. If it doesnt have the sliding top you should be good.

 

[SMS]

Probably a fish tank if the top looks that way, the glass should be 5/16" thick

 

[tdkee1]

thats what i thought...this tank doesnt have slots for the sliding top as seen on the reptile tanks at petco/petsmart. I think I should be okay then. thanks.

 

[dsandford]

Well I have a 40 gallon reptile tank for my leopard geckos that also didnt come with a sliding top and I find that the glass is really weak. I put about 1.5 inches of sand and some rocks and the bottom of the tank and it cracked after about a month. could have been from the heat from the matt under it but I still dont know if I would trust it with it full of water.

 

[Jmart159]

I don't think the sliding lid is a good way to judge it I'd try to measure the thickness of the glass. My roomate and I have had 4 turtles in one of the 40 gallon tanks with the sliding lid for over a year now and have had no problems with it holding water.

 

[prcdslnc13]

right but is it full to the top? its not that they will not hold water. Its that the thickness of the glass isnt there to stand up to the outward pressure towards the top. Also the tanks with the sliding lids dont have trim the fully circles the tank. The trim provides an incredible amount of support for the tank.