Need Ideas help With Recently Acquired 40g Tank! Also 10g Ideas

Hello everyone if anyone saw my other post I recently got a free tank from a lady on craigs she told me it was a 55 gallon but after checking measurements its a 40g. I filled the bad boy up a few days ago to find a tiny pinhole sealed it then another bigger leak. Drained it stripped it and siliconed the whole thing yesterday (it was a pain) tomorrow I will be filling it and praying it is solid. It was my first time using silicone I read a lot made sure I used correct silicone window and door ge 1 clear. So I have a few question:

1. I caked on the silicone (partially due to me being inexperienced with it, partial paranoia) had a 30 crack a few years back so it is very thick on the 4 part where the glass meets. Not sure it will look to bad when its filled and have things in the tank, but am wondering if anyone has any ideas to maybe hide is a little? For outside I'm think of adding trim to the corners? back will be covered in black background and tank will be heavily planted. but any other ideas? also anything I can use for the trim on the corners that I could get locally?

2. I want to plant the heck out of this tank I work at petsmart and as bad as this seems noones knows much about the plants we sell any ideas on great plant combos? would like lots of green with maybe 1-2 redish to make an awesome contrast!

Then I will have an empty 10 gallon (that the fish are in now) any ideas??? at first I was thinking a quarantine but for a 40 I think I will fill it quick and won't really be needing this. So now I have a tank with what feels like an unlimited amount of possibilities.

Thanks to all that read this. Recently joined this forum I have been a member on many other types of forums and I love how helpful everyone is.

 

I would keep the 10 gallon QT in case anyone in the 40 gallon became ill it's always a good thing to have on hand. What do you mean when you say you will fill it quickly? Once it's cycled it's a good idea to add a few fish at a time and wait at least 2 weeks before adding a few more and wait 2 weeks etc to allow your bacteria in your filter to catch up. I also recommend QTing any new fish for at least one month before adding to your tank. It has saved me from ich twice and another unknown disease.

 

I would keep the 10 gallon QT in case anyone in the 40 gallon became ill it's always a good thing to have on hand. What do you mean when you say you will fill it quickly? Once it's cycled it's a good idea to add a few fish at a time and wait at least 2 weeks before adding a few more and wait 2 weeks etc to allow your bacteria in your filter to catch up. I also recommend QTing any new fish for at least one month before adding to your tank. It has saved me from ich twice and another unknown disease.

Maybe I will do that, I really am leaning toward a colony for red cherry shrimp looking into it I have seen some very awesome looking ones! and I did phrase that wrong I just meant I have a very stocked 10 gallon (a bit over) so the 40 gallon will not take long to fill I know exactly what I want in it it won't be me adding a fish in 6 months if I find one I like I have the whole community figured out is all

 

Keep in mind shrimp with fish means way less babies surviving to adulthood, and limits the fish you can house (some eat adult shrimp too)

 

I found this site, but have not purchased anything from it yet, but it looks like a great site


I am also making a shrimp colony in my 29G Long and btw GRATS on a FREE tank...