# "Antique" slate bottom tank



## fedge (Mar 4, 2004)

Id like to see detailed pics...


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

Sweet find!! I've been looking for exactly that kind of tank for a long time! I concur with fedge - must see pics!

By the way, the slate is inert. You should have no problems. If you have any leaks, it's a LOT easier resealing a tank with a frame than it is in a frameless tank.


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## bwilly36 (Dec 22, 2004)

I will try to post some pics once I can get it cleaned up a little. It has quite a few hard water areas on it. And I will need to shine up all of that chrome, so that it is sparkly for the pics!

Bob


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## gnatster (Mar 12, 2004)

Inherited a 10gal version at the AGA convetion when the owner left it. 

Plan on using it for emersed setup.


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## glass-gardens.com (Apr 14, 2004)

If it hasn't been modified, the only reall problems you could be looking at are drying out of the adhesive (it's most likely a tar like substance that you heat to soften) it has a habit of hardening and cracking at which point the best thing to do is is just use a blow dryer to soften the adhesive, remove the panel and scrape off the old adhesive and reset it with silicone. You might also have some problems with seepage through the slate (personal experience, I love old tanks and have several), the easiest way to fix that is to take a piece of plexiglass cut to fit over the slate, silicone the edges and done. You could remove the slate and replace it with glass, but overlaying a piece of plexiglass is easier and you can use the the thinner stuff with no problems because it will still be supported by the slate.

I still see these old tanks at flea markets and sales, they used to be dirt cheap, now someone apparently decided they are antiques and the prices have definitely been going up. My landlord ended up with a 3 tiered steel rack with 10 - 29 gallon tanks
and 1 55 gallon, all them need restoration, but he wants more than a new Oceanic 55 for the 29s alone.

What I really want is one of those octagon tanks with the wrought iron frames, the old victorian style, I've only seen one, fully restored and man is it sweet, sits on a sun porch as a terrarium right now, but the people have talked about putting fish and plants in it, their just a bit leery of it not holding up.


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## BlueRam (Sep 21, 2004)

bwilly36:

The brand name is likely "Metaframe" and they are cool. I have a 10 gal that I am using emersed. It holds water just fine but it is a little crooked. As to your tank, the metaframe 50 <with stand!!!> you have quite the score. Urban myth is that the state bottom is an early version of heating. Candles were placed under the tank to heat the slate to heat the tank... But beware that they can seep as mentioned above. Also, these tanks were built with something resembling roof tar. My tank was patched when I got it with silicone so I removed all the glass and used clear silicon to reseat them. Kinda fun to do and the trim hides and weirdness to boot.


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## glass-gardens.com (Apr 14, 2004)

I used to have a can of the adhesive, when I first got into aquariums, metal frame tanks were still pretty common and were cheap to buy. You scooped out a ball, kind of warmed it up and rolled out a rope of it, similar to glazing. I'm not sure if it was petroleum based, but it did seem to be organic because weaker solvents would clean it off pretty easily.

I suppose if you wanted to actually restore one, you could use one of the black silicone based adhesives availble to maintain the original look.

There were a lot with no names but metaframe is definitely a more well known one for brands, if I'm not mistaken they made a whole line of aquarium equipment incuding box, UGFs and I'm pretty sure I had an interesting HOB filter that used an airlift as opposed to a pump made by them, but that was about 30 years ago and just thinking about those days now requires me to take a nap.

Been with real estate agents and a home inspector all morning. Blah.


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

Do you guys know if anyone is still manufacturing these types of aquariums? I've almost come to the point where I might try to fabricate a stainless steel frame over a frameless tank just to get that "retro" look.


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## bwilly36 (Dec 22, 2004)

Ok everyone, Ive got some pics taken but have never posted any pics here before. Pointers??? You can PM me or post here.

TIA,

Bob


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## bwilly36 (Dec 22, 2004)

Well, I fugured out the attachments thing, so here are the pics of the slate bottom tank:


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## fedge (Mar 4, 2004)

ok .. can we get BIGGER pics...lol..


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## glass-gardens.com (Apr 14, 2004)

I don't think it's a Metaframe, unless it's an older style than what I've had in the past, the frame should have a slight taper getting a bit narrower at the top, and the inside edges of the frame were beveled, this looks more like a flat iron frame. Metaframes were more of a lighter gauge pressed metal, more decorative looking.


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## hoffboy (Feb 20, 2005)

You can still get new metal frame tanks through educational supply stores, but they’re ridiculously expensive. I have a beautiful 10G Metaframe outside growing greenwater. I was going to replace the badly scratched glass (thanks for the blow dryer suggestion above) but I found out that it would cost way too much to have new glass cut. My backup option is to buy a cheap new 10G and take it apart, but I’m concerned that the glass won’t be exactly the right size for the Metaframe.

If I ever get around to restoring mine, I will definitely explore suspended light to show off the entire metal frame, which is really sexy and classic.


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

Very cool. Lucky!!


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## bwilly36 (Dec 22, 2004)

Sorry Fedge, for the little pics...on another fish site that I post pics, you are limited on the size of the pics that you can download, so I thought I might be limited here also. I'll be sure to remember that there is no limit here next time. :icon_bigg


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## Darrell Ward (Jan 14, 2005)

I used to have several Metaframe 10g tanks back in the early 70's. When my family moved, I gave them to a kid up the street, complete setups, fish and all. Man, I wish I still had them. Who knew back then that today they would be collector items.


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## hoffboy (Feb 20, 2005)

This thread motivated me to finally tackle replacing the glass in my 10G Metaframe. See http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14741


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