Should I buy an already established tank or start ground up?

[kbnh]

I am new to the hobby, i was looking to start with a used 120 gallon tank and building from there but i came across what seems like a very good deal that comes with a 100 gal tank, sump, skimmer, sand, rocks, 4 fish, heaters, etc... its about 45 min to an hour away, my question is if it is worth it to deal with the fact that i would have to rush to keep the fish alive, take down the tank and stand, load up all the stuff, (i have read also the water from the tank as much as possible?) then reassemble everything heat the water back up and make sure the conditions are right? all that for + - $600? if i were to build it out on my own it would cost WAY more but i would have time and not have to deal with transporting water and fish? any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I am new to the hobby, i was looking to start with a used 120 gallon tank and building from there but i came across what seems like a very good deal that comes with a 100 gal tank, sump, skimmer, sand, rocks, 4 fish, heaters, etc... its about 45 min to an hour away, my question is if it is worth it to deal with the fact that i would have to rush to keep the fish alive, take down the tank and stand, load up all the stuff, (i have read also the water from the tank as much as possible?) then reassemble everything heat the water back up and make sure the conditions are right? all that for + - $600? if i were to build it out on my own it would cost WAY more but i would have time and not have to deal with transporting water and fish? any help is greatly appreciated!

I've bought a few turnkey tanks and do not regret it at all. I've got a few tank moves documented in my build thread. If it's in the size you want, is in good shape, and a good deal, I say go for it!

 

[mdb_talon]

I think you describe the scenario well but only you can say if it is worth it to you. For me I dont put much value in transporting/reusing water and i dont use old sand, but there can be good value in their established live rock.

 

[DeniseAndy]

If the system is in line with what I want to keep, I would seriously consider it. However, one caveat from moving fish and corals, any large animals (corals and nems) will be more difficult and have a tough time. Especially if done in a rush or lack of experience. The lps and softies are the biggest issues if large FME.
I would not transport/use old water or sand. The live rock would probably be fine if you inspect it well. I tend to not trust other people much when it comes to adding to my system. however, this would be freshly started, so very different.

My thoughts: If it is a system you want, go for it. If it is almost, not quite, I would do from ground up and maybe you can get some of the animals if you want later. Just a thought.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

There have been a few people saying they would not reuse sand.

In the sense that I would not take it out of the old tank and drop it directly into the new tank that's correct, but old nasty disgusting tank sand can be washed with a garden hose in a bucket and brought back to pristine condition without compromising the bacterial colony on it

I have done this many times and with the cost of sand at $40/ 20 lbs, It can be very beneficial as a cost saver.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Welcome to the hobby and a factor to your question will be size and budget. A used tank of course will be a cost savings but you also want to factor age of tank, condition of tank and type of equipment included if any.
I highly suggest a leak test if tank is empty to confirm no leaks.
If you can see heavy salt creep or stains, liely there is a leak or slow leak.

 

[rockdiver]

Everything everyone said but,
You have all the ingredients but do you have a rodi system, some brute trash cans.
Rushing is literally have it up in a week imo not hours, while keeping everything in saltwater with powerheads pushing water around.
How prepared are you as of right now ?
Do you have a salinity gauge ?
Does the person belong to R2R ?
Depending on what equipment they have for 600 for everything is good but imo we are talking a week or more to have all the livestock back into the tank, that is rushing in my mind.
I/we don't know how prepared you are with even the simplest things.
The rock will be fine in a brute trash with a powerhead and a heater, but the fish and corals will need light heat and a Rubbermaid container, water quality, to stay alive.
Definitely can be done but it will be alot of work even for the most experienced reefer.
Imo

 

[old salty]

I got my set that way I am new to this but I moved everything water and all. I had a extra tank and put everything in it. Brought the used water back to temp. fish and all did not lose anthing but that was in the summer. In the last reply washing the sand was mentioned I did not know you could do that.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Everything everyone said but,
You have all the ingredients but do you have a rodi system, some brute trash cans.
Rushing is literally have it up in a week imo not hours, while keeping everything in saltwater with powerheads pushing water around.
How prepared are you as of right now ?
Do you have a salinity gauge ?
Does the person belong to R2R ?
Depending on what equipment they have for 600 for everything is good but imo we are talking a week or more to have all the livestock back into the tank, that is rushing in my mind.
I/we don't know how prepared you are with even the simplest things.
The rock will be fine in a brute trash with a powerhead and a heater, but the fish and corals will need light heat and a Rubbermaid container, water quality, to stay alive.
Definitely can be done but it will be alot of work even for the most experienced reefer.
Imo

I'm not sure how you're seeing a week..

I've done a full 120 tear down and reset in 14 hours, and a rsr250 in 10 hours from pumps off, to pumps on this year.

Yes you need to have plenty of fresh and pre-made salt water on hand but there is no reason livestock need to stay in buckets and barrels for days on end.

I did step-by-step write ups on both of these transfers in my build thread. It doesn't have to be that difficult.

 

[rockdiver]

True but your a very experienced person with everything and knowing what to look for
Maybe a week was pushing it but ...

 

[srcleary]

I have seen great deals on used systems and some with quality equipment. The challenge comes in how much you know about the equipment and what you want for your setup. A good deal on the front end can get expensive on the back end when you need to upgrade the used equipment you are getting.

Not saying the seller isn’t offering a great value, just saying that, at this point, you may not know if this is the best deal for you.

if you are a “newbie” you may be better off in the long run building your own system. Do lots and lots of research ask lots and lots of questionsand buy what is going to work for you and not have any buyers remorse.

Once you have your wish list of what you want, then look and see how the used equipment matches up.

IMHO

steve

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

True but your a very experienced person with everything and knowing what to look for
Maybe a week was pushing it but ...

The 120 was my first Real tank. To be completely honest I didn't know my elbow from a skimmer.

@fishguy242 was kind enough to give me his phone number and we talked on the phone for 45 minutes, I took notes and followed instructions step-by-step. Since then I've torn down quite a few tanks and refined the process but I am confident most people with good information could do this in a day.

@kbnh if you decide to move forward, let me know. I'll send you links to the different tank transfer write-ups I've done, And I'm happy to walk you through what to bring, order of operations for teardown, transfer and setup. It may seem daunting but it's Just a series of steps.

 

[Tamberav]

I am new to the hobby, i was looking to start with a used 120 gallon tank and building from there but i came across what seems like a very good deal that comes with a 100 gal tank, sump, skimmer, sand, rocks, 4 fish, heaters, etc... its about 45 min to an hour away, my question is if it is worth it to deal with the fact that i would have to rush to keep the fish alive, take down the tank and stand, load up all the stuff, (i have read also the water from the tank as much as possible?) then reassemble everything heat the water back up and make sure the conditions are right? all that for + - $600? if i were to build it out on my own it would cost WAY more but i would have time and not have to deal with transporting water and fish? any help is greatly appreciated!

Do you have a pic of the system? I have bought tanks that were running and yes it is a lot of work.

My only concern is that an established tank may have established problems that a beginner may not recognize. You will want to look up saltwater pests and such and decide if you want to deal with that if you see some on the tank.

Also the age of the tank matters and how well cared for it is. Every time you move a large tank like that you put stress on the seals.

Also we need a list of the items it comes with like what type of skimmer and a pic of the sump. Most sellers have all this posted. Basically not everything is created equal and it may not be that good of a deal at all.

 

[kbnh]

thank you everyone for the quick replies! definitely making me see things in a different way, i am going to check it out tonight, i have a list of questions (plus more after reading this thread) as far as equipment specifics, i dont have any of those yet, i can only make out an eshopps skimmer(not sure which model), the sump looks acrylic but i could be wrong, i would not be picking up it up until next weekend at the earliest so i can pick up a RODI, trash cans, salt in the next couple of days,

if i am not mistaken the consensus on bringing the water with me is that it is not necessary?

also does washing the sand remove some of the pests because it is fresh water?

@lostinthesauce i would greatly appreciate those links!

i will post an update of equipment once i find out! once again thanks for all the quick responses!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

thank you everyone for the quick replies! definitely making me see things in a different way, i am going to check it out tonight, i have a list of questions (plus more after reading this thread) as far as equipment specifics, i dont have any of those yet, i can only make out an eshopps skimmer(not sure which model), the sump looks acrylic but i could be wrong, i would not be picking up it up until next weekend at the earliest so i can pick up a RODI, trash cans, salt in the next couple of days,

if i am not mistaken the consensus on bringing the water with me is that it is not necessary?

also does washing the sand remove some of the pests because it is fresh water?

@lostinthesauce i would greatly appreciate those links!

i will post an update of equipment once i find out! once again thanks for all the quick responses!

When transferring tanks, one of the first things to do before disturbing anything is to pull 30-50 % of the tank volume into transport vessels. You probably won't need all of it, But you want clean water to transfer fish and corals in, Plus you don't want to go all new water on a system that's established for the same reason you shouldn't do 100% water change. Major shock factor there.

I Was going to hit you in the DMs when I saw that we live no more than 20 miles away.

 

[Billldg]

I will only go new because that's just me. I don't want to have to worry about the condition of the tank and other items associated with the tank. That being said, I have seen SO many other members buy used tanks and have so much success with them. Its really about how you want to start in this hobby. You have been givin a ton of great info in the above post.

 

[kbnh]

i went and checked it out, no leaks, stand is in ok shape but structurally ok, easy to move around the sump and stand area which was decently clean, here is a list of what equipment i saw

-i believe it is a visio glass(float glass? drillable?) aquarium, 100 gallon
-hob overflow with (1) 1" drain, not sure of the brand
-eshopps ar 100 sump(looks likes a 3rd gen maybe?) acrylic and rimless
-eshopps skimmer, not sure exactly which one, maybe the 120? he says he just changed the pump on it
-rio 2500 return pump? i think it was rio, my phone changed the spelling -__-
-(1) 3-4 inch picasso triggerfish
-(1) 2-3 inch tomato clown
-(1) 2-3 inch 3 stripe damsel
-(1) 4-6 inch fish, owner didn't know what it was, had a dark blue body, whiter near the dorsal fin and a whiter spot closer to its face
-sand looks clean
-i am just going to buy a new heater and not risk it
-there is algae on the rocks but i think a hydrogen peroxide spray might be enough?( tank was right by a window, constant light)
-jebao wavemaker controller but the actually powerhead stopped working but still has it
-prism brand light, cant find any information on it though, adjustable light color from blue to white by a knob on the side
-tank is 5 years old
-minor scratches on glass from what looks like just cleaning it
-tank gets serviced every 4-5 weeks by someone else
-fish looked clean, healthy, no white spots, no cloudy eyes
-owner says no pests(for what its worth) and all fish were bought from same shop, owner says shop is reputable(once again for what its worth)
-he also said he would be throwing in a 20 gal hospital tank and a bunch of other equipment, which might as well mean nothing because i was not able to see it as it was buried in the garage apparently

Is it what i envisioned my dream tank to be? not exactly, i would prefer a drill overflow with atleast 2 drains instead of a hob with only 1 but i can always add that later, sump looks clean though i cant find a review on it except for a brstv product overview, it has a space for a refugium which i definitely want to get in the future, at least put some bio media in there or something for now, i am leaning toward buying it, id appreciate some thoughts from you guys if there is anything i am possibly overlooking?

 

[Freenow54]

I am new to the hobby, i was looking to start with a used 120 gallon tank and building from there but i came across what seems like a very good deal that comes with a 100 gal tank, sump, skimmer, sand, rocks, 4 fish, heaters, etc... its about 45 min to an hour away, my question is if it is worth it to deal with the fact that i would have to rush to keep the fish alive, take down the tank and stand, load up all the stuff, (i have read also the water from the tank as much as possible?) then reassemble everything heat the water back up and make sure the conditions are right? all that for + - $600? if i were to build it out on my own it would cost WAY more but i would have time and not have to deal with transporting water and fish? any help is greatly appreciated!

I did it without any knowledge. If I did would have chickened out. Just be sure there are no problems with the tank as to infestation, or problem fish. I used all the original water and substrate and rock. There was no coral in the tank. To me that would be the biggest obstacle. Also had a hair algae problem that took me 6 months to fix. If there were corals in the tank it would have been a big problem, As it was I scrubbed the rocks continuously till gone

 

[Tamberav]

i went and checked it out, no leaks, stand is in ok shape but structurally ok, easy to move around the sump and stand area which was decently clean, here is a list of what equipment i saw

-i believe it is a visio glass(float glass? drillable?) aquarium, 100 gallon
-hob overflow with (1) 1" drain, not sure of the brand
-eshopps ar 100 sump(looks likes a 3rd gen maybe?) acrylic and rimless
-eshopps skimmer, not sure exactly which one, maybe the 120? he says he just changed the pump on it
-rio 2500 return pump? i think it was rio, my phone changed the spelling -__-
-(1) 3-4 inch picasso triggerfish
-(1) 2-3 inch tomato clown
-(1) 2-3 inch 3 stripe damsel
-(1) 4-6 inch fish, owner didn't know what it was, had a dark blue body, whiter near the dorsal fin and a whiter spot closer to its face
-sand looks clean
-i am just going to buy a new heater and not risk it
-there is algae on the rocks but i think a hydrogen peroxide spray might be enough?( tank was right by a window, constant light)
-jebao wavemaker controller but the actually powerhead stopped working but still has it
-prism brand light, cant find any information on it though, adjustable light color from blue to white by a knob on the side
-tank is 5 years old
-minor scratches on glass from what looks like just cleaning it
-tank gets serviced every 4-5 weeks by someone else
-fish looked clean, healthy, no white spots, no cloudy eyes
-owner says no pests(for what its worth) and all fish were bought from same shop, owner says shop is reputable(once again for what its worth)
-he also said he would be throwing in a 20 gal hospital tank and a bunch of other equipment, which might as well mean nothing because i was not able to see it as it was buried in the garage apparently

Is it what i envisioned my dream tank to be? not exactly, i would prefer a drill overflow with atleast 2 drains instead of a hob with only 1 but i can always add that later, sump looks clean though i cant find a review on it except for a brstv product overview, it has a space for a refugium which i definitely want to get in the future, at least put some bio media in there or something for now, i am leaning toward buying it, id appreciate some thoughts from you guys if there is anything i am possibly overlooking?

Idk… it seems like a lot of older equipment. It’s not something I would invest in personally. I had a hob overflow fail once and flood.

I would just keep my eyes out for a tank that is more recent and with more modern equipment. All of those lights/skimmer/pumps are budget options already and now have a lot of use.

This was listed for 700 in my area as an example.

 

[aws2266]

You can always sell the livestock to your LFS, the start with just the equipment. Better learning experience and no rush to get it all set back up again. Sorry if someone mentioned that already