# Vintage Jewel Model 90 "Betta" Restoration



## randym (Sep 20, 2015)

Wow, this is amazing. I had no idea they made tanks like this.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

randym said:


> Wow, this is amazing. I had no idea they made tanks like this.


Yes, they only made these for a short time before the Great Depression put them out of business, at least this part of the Jewel company. These were called the "Modernistic" models 90 and 91 by the company, they are very art deco and are pretty rare. I have been told that only 300 of these were made in the late 1920's. As far as I know this is the only one with glass dividers. Check out my other posts, I have restored a couple others by this company in the past and I currently have a model 91 bronzed one.


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## deeda (Jun 28, 2005)

Congrats on the great pickup!!! Very interesting divided tank and nice job on the cleanup. Good call on the SS piping, it does complement the tank design. Thanks for sharing!!


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

While I understand you wanting to keep the integrity of the original design of it, I'd advise against keeping 4 bettas in 1g compartments side by side like that. They will stress from constantly seeing another betta on 1 or both sides of them. Also your intake will only siphon from one compartment while the water sprays into all of them. You'd nee to drill the glass to let water go through to prevent overflow. Bettas have labyrinth lung and breath at the surface so putting a lid on that keeps them below the surface and let water flow from the top of one compartment to the next (like a mild water fall) is not an option. Keeping more than 1 betta in there with no lids will guarantee jumping and fighting/death. Also a lid must have no gaps at all! I had a long finned (delta tail) betta leap 2" above the water line and get through a thin 1/2" gap in a divider against the lid. After that I keep all my bettas in their own separate tanks, no chance to get at eachother.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

AquaAurora said:


> While I understand you wanting to keep the integrity of the original design of it, I'd advise against keeping 4 bettas in 1g compartments side by side like that. They will stress from constantly seeing another betta on 1 or both sides of them. Also your intake will only siphon from one compartment while the water sprays into all of them. You'd nee to drill the glass to let water go through to prevent overflow. Bettas have labyrinth lung and breath at the surface so putting a lid on that keeps them below the surface and let water flow from the top of one compartment to the next (like a mild water fall) is not an option. Keeping more than 1 betta in there with no lids will guarantee jumping and fighting/death. Also a lid must have no gaps at all! I had a long finned (delta tail) betta leap 2" above the water line and get through a thin 1/2" gap in a divider against the lid. After that I keep all my bettas in their own separate tanks, no chance to get at eachother.


There's actually a small gap on each side of each divider to allow water to flow through the tank. I currently have a betta in a tank without a top and he hasn't jumped out in the last couple of years and I've had bettas in other tanks without tops and I've never had one jump, maybe I've just been lucky. I've never had a divided tank before, I was thinking of using something to place between them so they didn't go nuts seeing other males constantly but then I've seen them in aquarium stores surrounded by other males too and they seem to become accustomed to it over time possibly?

Bump:


deeda said:


> Congrats on the great pickup!!! Very interesting divided tank and nice job on the cleanup. Good call on the SS piping, it does complement the tank design. Thanks for sharing!!


Thanks, I'm always looking for antiques, especially aquariums and thanks for the compliment on the stainless steel, I agree that I think it looks good with the bronze.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

What size is the gap? You'd be surprised what small holes a betta can make it through.
At the aquarium stores they are in cups with lids. Way back when petsmart started selling them they did not have lids and there were a LOOOOOT of dead dried out bettas on the counters or gored to death 2-in-a-cup (dead) incidents. They may not jump when they are alone but 2 males that see eachother.. They are Siamese fighting fish after all and even if they're mostly bed and sold as pets now the aggression is still there from the many generations of breeding before hand. 

I'd advise blacking out the glass (or inserting krylon fusion sprayed acrylic sheets pressed to the glass and held in place by the substrate-this method is great for removing the issue of glass surfing btw)) so they cannot see eachother. If they do they will jump compartments. 

Btw I've also kept a few bettas in lidless ripariums, but they saw nothing remotely resembling a betta in the same room as them. Bettas I have in the same room (on the same desk or across the room from eachother) all have lids to ensure no deaths or fights.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

AquaAurora said:


> What size is the gap? You'd be surprised what small holes a betta can make it through.
> At the aquarium stores they are in cups with lids. Way back when petsmart started selling them they did not have lids and there were a LOOOOOT of dead dried out bettas on the counters or gored to death 2-in-a-cup (dead) incidents. They may not jump when they are alone but 2 males that see eachother.. They are Siamese fighting fish after all and even if they're mostly bed and sold as pets now the aggression is still there from the many generations of breeding before hand.
> 
> I'd advise blacking out the glass (or inserting krylon fusion sprayed acrylic sheets pressed to the glass and held in place by the substrate-this method is great for removing the issue of glass surfing btw)) so they cannot see eachother. If they do they will jump compartments.
> ...


Well it looks like I'm going to have to figure out some method of making something so that they can't see each other. Maybe some thin sheet of some kind of plastic that is translucent.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Sorry For all the bombardment, I just want to minimize stress or risk of death/injury to potential bettas you'd put in there.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

AquaAurora said:


> Sorry For all the bombardment, I just want to minimize stress or risk of death/injury to potential bettas you'd put in there.


No problems, I appreciate the advice, that's why I like this forum because it's a two way street, I learn from others with more experience than me and hopefully I can show others some things they may not know or have seen before.


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## thedood (May 30, 2015)

This is very cool find. One thing we have lost in modernity is the cool artistic manufacturing of the past. The just dont make things like they used to. Again great find!


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

thedood said:


> This is very cool find. One thing we have lost in modernity is the cool artistic manufacturing of the past. The just dont make things like they used to. Again great find!


Thanks, no they don't make them like they used to, these tanks were built out of thick, heavy, cast iron screwed to a 1/2" thick slab of slate, with thick bulb edge glass. They didn't have silicone like we do now so they had to use tar but other than that these tanks have pretty much survived the last 86 years or so intact, other than glass breaking or cracking sometimes. For a little 4 gallon tank it weighs a hefty 26 pounds. My favorite part of these particular Jewel models are the art deco design of the frames.


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## thedood (May 30, 2015)

I'm glad to see you bringing this tank back to life. Even the aquarium world has pickers lol.


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## doggo (Jun 14, 2014)

Lovely job, as always, of restoring a beautiful and unique tank:thumbsup:


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

thedood said:


> I'm glad to see you bringing this tank back to life. Even the aquarium world has pickers lol.


Thanks, yes there are a few of us. :smile2:

Bump:


doggo said:


> Lovely job, as always, of restoring a beautiful and unique tank:thumbsup:


Thank you, I appreciate the positive feedback. :grin2:


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## Rushdoggie (Jan 14, 2015)

maybe don't put a betta into all the sections? Maybe some nice plants in the in between sections? just musing out loud...


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

Gorgeous tank! It's so beautiful I'm not sure you could aquascape it effectively as no one would see past the magnificent art deco details. That said, aquascape it anyway. The world needs as much beauty as can fit!


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

davrx said:


> Thanks, no they don't make them like they used to, these tanks were built out of thick, heavy, cast iron screwed to a 1/2" thick slab of slate, with thick bulb edge glass. They didn't have silicone like we do now so they had to use tar but other than that these tanks have pretty much survived the last 86 years or so intact, other than glass breaking or cracking sometimes. For a little 4 gallon tank it weighs a hefty 26 pounds. My favorite part of these particular Jewel models are the art deco design of the frames.


It's not actually a tar like we know today. The sealant was a linseed oil product with some other stuff added.

Dow Corning 795 WILL stick to slate so you could have kept it original.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

Ugly Genius said:


> Gorgeous tank! It's so beautiful I'm not sure you could aquascape it effectively as no one would see past the magnificent art deco details. That said, aquascape it anyway. The world needs as much beauty as can fit!


Thank you! I plan on aquascaping it but will be limited to the small size of the individual compartments so it'll be a challenge.

Bump:


GraphicGr8s said:


> It's not actually a tar like we know today. The sealant was a linseed oil product with some other stuff added.
> 
> Dow Corning 795 WILL stick to slate so you could have kept it original.


I didn't know this but I wonder if it's meant to be in constant contact with water, i.e. constantly submerged and if it's fish safe. I did read that it was not to be used on any surfaces that came into direct contact with food.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

davrx said:


> Thank you! I plan on aquascaping it but will be limited to the small size of the individual compartments so it'll be a challenge.
> 
> Bump:
> 
> I didn't know this but I wonder if it's meant to be in constant contact with water, i.e. constantly submerged and if it's fish safe. I did read that it was not to be used on any surfaces that came into direct contact with food.


The 795 is what Disney uses on their tanks. And it's what I used/am using to rebuild 4 Metaframes. I like working the 795 more than the GE1.

GE 1 is not food safe IIRC but the DAP stuff is.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

GraphicGr8s said:


> The 795 is what Disney uses on their tanks. And it's what I used/am using to rebuild 4 Metaframes. I like working the 795 more than the GE1.
> 
> GE 1 is not food safe IIRC but the DAP stuff is.


O.K., I didn't know that, next tank I acquire with a slate bottom I'll have to get some, will save me from having to add a glass bottom. I used ASI (American Sealants, Inc.) RTV Silicone Aquarium Sealant (black).


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

You are no longer authorized to repair those tanks. You must now send them to me!


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

GraphicGr8s said:


> You are no longer authorized to repair those tanks. You must now send them to me!


Ha, ha I like that!:hihi:


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## jlfkona (Jan 1, 2013)

I am watching "From Russia with Love" - 1963 and in one of the early scenes is a betta tank very similar to yours. Beautiful tank. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Chorister (Dec 18, 2008)

I dub it: Steampunk! Amazing piece of design. Thanks for sharing.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

jlfkona said:


> I am watching "From Russia with Love" - 1963 and in one of the early scenes is a betta tank very similar to yours. Beautiful tank.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I remember that scene now and I remember how neat that tank looked. You're right, it was a great looking tank, not the same as mine but very similar, so there must have been some early "Betta" tanks out there but apparently very rare today. Thanks

Bump:


Chorister said:


> I dub it: Steampunk! Amazing piece of design. Thanks for sharing.


Thanks, I love Steampunk!


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## zenquarium (Aug 27, 2015)

Any updates?


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## Tampa Tony (Apr 19, 2016)

WOW! Simply amazing! What a great piece of art. If you stumble across another or ever want to sell... Message me


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## Varmint (Apr 5, 2014)

I am so glad someone found this post. I missed it in November. Thank you for sharing with us. I love your tanks and yes, please update!!


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## TheGreenWizard (Jan 19, 2015)

Yes, please update!!

Reminds me of the tank I had as an undergrad research assistant - everything was still intact, including the sealant. Decided against grabbing it - it was HEAVY - but now I have a twinge of regret not getting it... 

Where do you find these gems!?


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

I really should get that new battery for my tablet, so I can add this one to my antique fish tanks pinterest thread.


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## SwissCheeseHead (Dec 24, 2014)

OP was last logged in early July, and hasn't posted since January! Sadly, I don't know if we'll see an update. This is a really cool tank. They definitely don't make things like this anymore.


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## Varmint (Apr 5, 2014)

The OP restores vintage tanks as a hobby. If you search for his previous threads, you can see some amazing old aquariums.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

*Update*

Sorry it's been so long and I really appreciate the kind words of those who have followed this but a lot has happened since I started this and it has sat in the same place in my study covered with a dust cloth until the day before yesterday when I needed some place to put my Orchid Endler colony and excess plants from my other Jewel tank while I tear it down and re-do it. I will be selling this pure N-class colony here on the forum plus some extra Fissidens that I removed from another tank. 
Anyway, attached are photos I just took of the fish and plants in their temporary home along with a light I made using some X-ray shades from the 1920's which I detailed in another post.
I'm glad the plumbing works, I wasn't too sure with just small gaps around the glass dividers. I have a temporary piece of glass across the top to keep the Endlers from jumping out as they are known for this. I have the spray bar pointed straight down to accommodate the glass top as well.

Bump:


Tampa Tony said:


> WOW! Simply amazing! What a great piece of art. If you stumble across another or ever want to sell... Message me


Thanks, I doubt if I'll ever see another. I believe it is a one-of-a-kind, either a custom order from Jewel or one put together by someone back in the day but I'll keep you in mind if I ever decide to part with it, I have been know to do this from time to time.


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## davrx (Feb 19, 2010)

Varmint said:


> I am so glad someone found this post. I missed it in November. Thank you for sharing with us. I love your tanks and yes, please update!!


Thanks Varmint, I have two more antique tanks in the works but don't have the time to post right now.

Bump:


TheGreenWizard said:


> Yes, please update!!
> 
> Reminds me of the tank I had as an undergrad research assistant - everything was still intact, including the sealant. Decided against grabbing it - it was HEAVY - but now I have a twinge of regret not getting it...
> 
> Where do you find these gems!?


E-bay, estate sales, other collectors, but they aren't necessarily easy to find.


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