thoughts on a used tank???

[geckoejon]

hello,

i am currently trying to plan a fish / anemone tank for my next build. an 84" 265g would be perfect for my build.

do any of you have thoughts on starting with a used large tank, such as a 265g? i found a used one in apparently decent shape for a fraction of the cost of a new tank. the money i save would go a long way towards the equipment.

any experience or special considerations when dealing with used vs new?

it seems like most of the tanks that i hear leaking and failing are mostly newer ones. i'm not sure how this would effect a used tank since i would build a new stand. most stock stands are way too short for my taste.

if i were to go new, any suggestions on a tank brand that would be least likely to fail and hold up long term? i know that some lfs manufacture custom tanks. i don't have any experience with them though.

thoughts???

 

[JenB]

We got our SW tank off of craigslist. We've had to replace a few things but the tank was in great shape. I would highly suggest saving the money and getting a used one!

 

[geckoejon]

mt dora? howdy neighbor. lol

yah, that's what i'm thinking. i'm just worried about the increased possibility of leaks.

has anyone ever re-sealed a large tank?

 

[cpayne015]

resealing isnt a big deal but buying a used tank i would strongly reccomend bc u will say it about 50 percent

 

[cpayne015]

save

 

[JenB]

mt dora? howdy neighbor. lol

yah, that's what i'm thinking. i'm just worried about the increased possibility of leaks.

has anyone ever re-sealed a large tank?

Hey neighbor!!!

 

[RalphsReef]

Mount Dora here, too. Looking to get back into the hobby after a 7 month break. Also looking at used tanks. I look closely at the seams to make sure they aren't nicked up too much. I also try to find a "newer used tank," not one that's more than a few years old.

 

[JenB]

Hey RalphsReef!! Awesome that you're in Mt Dora too! We are looking to add another tank... We are looking for 150 or 180 gallon

 

[Reefing Madness]

My tank is a 240g used tank. Just make sure it holds water up front.

 

[heathd.hd]

I have some etching in my tank that I wish I would have noticed. For what I paid off craigslist I still am happy but I should have done some polishing!

 

[SamsReef]

my first tank was a DAS 260 gallon gorgeous looking tank bought from craigslist. Very excited, I brought it home, with help from 6 other friends. it almost killed one of us with its weight because the old tanks used to use thicker and heavier glass....got it home, spent lots of money buying the liverock, slowly over an year gathered the best looking fishes, corals, clams....one fine morning woke up to find 240 gallon saltwater all over my house. fishes were lying on the side and lots of corals exposed. turns out the seller had sealed the tank and sold it to me. I came like a millimeter close to quitting this hobby even before i had enjoyed it. for the next 36 hours, I worked in my house straight - saving what i could.

Moral of the story is - never buy saltwater tank from unknown person off Craigslist. There is just too much at stake. I am glad that the house did not catch on fire.

Personally, I have always bought a new tank since then, which is custom made. I find the cost of the tank to be extremely small in comparison to the overall setup.


BTW, did I mention the scratches that comes with old tanks...

Sam.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

My tank is a 240g used tank. Just make sure it holds water up front.

Yep! My 180 is a used tank. You can ask them to fill the tank so you can inspect it for leaks before you buy it. I definitely prefer used. I saved well over 50% on mine. Probably closer to 80%...it was a steal!

 

[RJT]

My 220g is used off of craigslist. The seller wanted it gone so I paid very little for it. It has a few scratches but I am happy with it.

 

[goldy26]

i got my system off craigslist. as long as you go and inspect it to "kick the tires" i don't think there's anything wrong with it. it can save you a lot of money that you can put towards something else in the system like that fish/coral you've had your eye on for some time now.

 

[Kworker]

Depends.. You can find good deals from people who are in the hobby and just looking to get out. As long as the tank was properly cared for and has minimal damage I don't see an issue with buying used.

I bought my deep blue 60gal frag tank used for only $90, only had a few teeth knocked out of the overflow.

Don't think that the only way to get a great price on a tank is to buy used. If you shop around you will find stores that run specials on entire setups.

A positive to going the used route to me would be if you buy a not reef-ready tank for a great price and use extra money to get it drilled on the back glass by a glass shop. You can buy a overflow box for it and it would take up much less room than the standard reef ready tanks.

After having a tank I drilled myself versus a manufactured reef ready, the manufactured reef ready tanks drilled from the bottom with the big overflows are a let down. They are bulky and take up a lot of real estate in the tank.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

My first tank was a used 75g. Sprung a leak about a year after I set it up. I happened to be home, caught it immediately and barely spilled anything and no fish losses at all. Obviously it could have gone very differently. I was new to the hobby then and didn't fully know what to look for. I think it may have sat in the dudes garage for a couple Colorado years (lots of extreme cold and extreme heat). I won't go used anymore, even though lots of people do have good experiences. I'd want to know the person and trust that they're for sure telling me everything. Who knows if it sat in a garage and was exposed to 10 degree weather every night, heated up to 35 during the day, repeat repeat repeat? I think of the extra cost of a new tank compared to an insurance claim and the MASSIVE inconvenience. just my 2 cents, I know people far more experienced than me who have no problem going used.

 

[Eienna]

I'm pretty burnt out on used tanks. It's not so bad when you're going freshwater, but there can be SO MANY THINGS WRONG with a used reef tank (including improper drilling, excessive scratching, etc)...and you usually realize it too late. If you do consider a used tank, take someone with you with plenty of experience so they can spot any signs of trouble.

I will never buy a used acrylic again. Too much chance of it breaking a seam or completely blowing apart - we have had both happen. Used glass I'm a little more comfortable with. At this point I know what to look for, though...hard experience. :/

Thankfully this last one has worked out REALLY nicely.

 

[geckoejon]

hmm... thanks for the feedback everyone. i'm still not sure which route i would like to go. i found a used 265g that appears to be in great shape. it is a stranger selling it, and no telling how long it has been buried in his garage. he buys tanks, breaks them down, and parts them out. if i decide to try that route, i will fill it and inspect the seams thoroughly. positive, cost... negative, not knowing how long it sat, possibly more likely to stand the test of time.

i'm still kind of nervous about coming home to my house being flooded though. i might just pay the extra grand and have a custom tank made. i'm going to make the stand / hood myself anyway. most stands are way to short for my taste. don't see the point to having a sweet tank, and having to bend over to look at it. lol positives would be little more peace of mind from leaks, and i could customize the overflows. negatives, cost...

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Yeah when you really break down the cost of a reef tank, the actual tank itself isn't that huge of a cost, really (it is, but an extra grand on a $4000 setup...) . But I also may just be paranoid and heavily biased by what may have been a fluke. I'd have a hard time selling the Mrs on a used tank now even if I wanted to ☺.

Great Lakes Aquariums in Michigan has good prices. I was looking into them a while back and they seem to be good quality as well. Shipping can be pricey, depends on where you are(it was gonna be $300 to get a 165g shipped to Denver) Definitely worth a look tho. They build it custom with a lot of options but aren't as pricey as a lot of the others.

 

[geckoejon]

correction... possibly less likely.... that's what i get for typing before caffeine. lol

i will check them out, rdboxedwine. thanks for the tip.