I have used aquarium sealant many times to repair tanks. It has been my experience that once the vinegar smell is gone, the sealant is done curing. Silicone does not shrink or settle. Way back, like 60's and 70's, a putty type substance was used on some tanks. Actually, the only tank I ever saw it on was one I bought (used) when Kmart went out of the tropical fish business.
I have had fish/ fish tanks for 40+ years.
Rinse the tank really well and set it on a level surface.
Fill the tank 1/2 way and leave 24 hours to check for leaks.
Fill another 1/4 and leave 24 hours.
Place your substrate, rock, gravel, sand, whatever you have picked.
Please think carefully before going with a wild substrate color, if you decide you hate the red
gravel after a week, it is messy and expensive to replace it. I have had the best luck with the 40 or 50 lb bags of pea gravel from the local dept store.
Rinse small amounts in a colander before ading to your tank.
Your tank must be cycled before adding fish. There are several ways to do this, I like to toss in a dirty filter from a healthy tank and let the filter/ power head run for at least a week before adding one cheap fish.
Reasons for 1- you do not want to stress the balance or your newly set up tank, always add only 1 or 2 fish at a time, and cheap- if the tank is not ready the fish will die.