Silver14SS
Valuable Member
Does the buyer want anything from the seller? Just curious what the buyer’s expectations are.
Sold a tank, 2 weeks later the individual says it's leaking. Need advice.
- Thread starter Meldrath
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Does the buyer want anything from the seller? Just curious what the buyer’s expectations are.
Some of us told the buyer what we would have done as the seller in that situation and encouraged him to reach out to the seller. So that is what he did. I do not think it is worth getting into any further then that.
Nor does the seller have an obligation to do diddly squat. If I were the buyer I may consider packing in this hobby, having a tank leak once is bad enough having two back to back could be a sign from the good man above to give it up. The audacity to reach out to the seller from an unlucky circumstance which the seller had ZERO control over is pitiful truth be known. Though we live in a day and age where it’s everyone else’s fault in which hardly anyone takes accountability anymore. The seller went well above and beyond what needed to be done and frankly I wouldn’t even consider doing anything as the transaction was over the moment the money was handed and the goods were taken. I consider myself a good person and I wouldn’t feel bad one iota knowing the tank wasn’t leaking while in my care.
Same here, the nerve some people have is truly astounding. I wouldn’t even fathom reaching out to a seller due to my “unlucky” situation. Now if I had paid a premium and went to the LFS and bought new that’s a whole other story. Also this is why someone would pay a premium to have peace of mind knowing the tank comes with a warranty.
Silver14SS
Valuable Member
Reach out for what though? A return? A partial refund?
The buyer was described as meticulous and inspected it with water in it. It sounds like whatever happened took place after the sale, regardless of fault, bad luck, act of God, whatever.
and then they show up in the OPs thread.
bad deal
bad deal
Gungo
Well-Known Member
Risks of buying second-hand equipment.
You had your tank dried for 1.5 years. You said you did silicone again the seals. Maybe the tank leaked in the past? You have to see how big is the leak right now.
I sold a 120g tank a year ago and I was clear on saying "come and see the tank running, everything's fine" once the tank is being moved, I'm not responsible if anything happens.
If you were clear on your instructions you don't have to feel accountable for the leaking. Also, this doesn't mean that you can't offer him a few bucks to solve his problem. I would do it.
Good luck
You had your tank dried for 1.5 years. You said you did silicone again the seals. Maybe the tank leaked in the past? You have to see how big is the leak right now.
I sold a 120g tank a year ago and I was clear on saying "come and see the tank running, everything's fine" once the tank is being moved, I'm not responsible if anything happens.
If you were clear on your instructions you don't have to feel accountable for the leaking. Also, this doesn't mean that you can't offer him a few bucks to solve his problem. I would do it.
Good luck
Dragon52
2500 Club Member
Per your post the seller saw it full of water when/before buying so it's not on you for anything although as some suggested if it's not to far away go check it out & maybe offer to help reseal if it's on the stand you sold with it. If it's not on the same stand then just like most companies there's nothing you can do.
Meldrath
Active Member
The seals weren't resealed, the seals were coated with silicon grease to keep them from drying out. Sorry if that wasn't clear. But to the rest of your post I have offered to pitch in if they would like to reseal the aquarium as a good will gesture.
Bad deal? No one is roasting the OP nor should they. He opened the thread asking for advice. I know what I would do in a situation like this which is why we told the buyer to reach out because it couldn't hurt and perhaps the seller was of like mind. No demands were made, no anger inferred. If I sell something to someone and an issue arises I would like to know, especially if its in the local community where most people in the hobby know each other. I guess I have more empathy for my fellow hobbyists (not just my friends) then to just say "not my problem anymore". Perhaps I am too nice or a sucker but it has worked out pretty well for me for 40 years, so I am going to keep going that way.
OP should be confident in his final decision and move on.
amoore311
Active Member
Banter aside, specifically answering the OP's question:
You sold them a used tank that did not leak prior to sale. Thats it. That tank could easily pop a seam from them not transporting properly, bumping it during install or removal from the transport vehicle, or from installing it on an uneven surface.
There's a reason why used fishtanks and fishtanks equipment sell for 50-60% less then retail, buyer beware.
You owe them nothing, and I personally wouldn't even feel that bad about it. You did all you could to insure the tank didn't leak prior to sale. $26 worth of silicone and a weekend of work and they can reseal it fine and it still would be a good deal for them.
You sold them a used tank that did not leak prior to sale. Thats it. That tank could easily pop a seam from them not transporting properly, bumping it during install or removal from the transport vehicle, or from installing it on an uneven surface.
There's a reason why used fishtanks and fishtanks equipment sell for 50-60% less then retail, buyer beware.
You owe them nothing, and I personally wouldn't even feel that bad about it. You did all you could to insure the tank didn't leak prior to sale. $26 worth of silicone and a weekend of work and they can reseal it fine and it still would be a good deal for them.
No, no one is roasting the OP. Except you.
You had nothing in this but you are all over this thread telling us what you would do. Telling us the OP lacks empathy and the local community knows each other. That almost sounds like a threat. That he made someone a sucker.
I throw or give things away anymore instead of trying to sell them anymore.
I think it is twisting and stretching things to say I am dropping threats. @Meldrath if you feel threatened I apologize as that was not my intent. This thread was asking for advice, basically saying "what would you do in my shoes" . So now, I have said what I would do and why. Clearly it differs from others opinions and that should be okay.
Sending someone down a guilt trip is pretty pathetic and childish. I don’t care what you’d do as a seller as that’s your prerogative but to think someone would/should act like you in this situation and expect them to is pretty petty. There was obviously an expectation of something otherwise the buyer would not have reached out in the first place. Best thing would be for you lot to move along in your “club” and refrain in the future from trying to make people feel inferior or “bad” with absolute ZERO justification for doing so.
Keiki
AKA LACY ON RC
I still don't think it's your problem at all. It worked when it left and 2 weeks later now it has a problem. It's all on him.
I'm actually surprised someone on here suggested for the buyer to contact you to see what you thought. Why would they even do that when it's had water in it for 2 weeks? Sounds like it wasn't properly supported and decided to leak. On them and definitely not on you. I wouldn't worry about it.
I bought a brand new tank over a month ago. I cant fill it until I finish the plumb. So, two weeks is not a crazy amount of time.
If you are absolutely sure, beyond any reason of a doubt what-so-ever that you sold a tank in functioning condition then it's not on you.
However, if there is any reasonable doubt that the tank was not in working order, then you have an ethical responsibility to work something out. Especially if it's one of the reasons you may have not have reused the tank yourself - or something you suspected might go wrong.
There are two sides to the issue. If you are absolutely 100% sure it was good then its not on you. If you are 75% sure, then I would work with giving 25% of the sale price toward repair or as a refund. It all depends on how sure you are.
Just my .02
So sorry this is happening to you.
Best of luck!
If you are absolutely sure, beyond any reason of a doubt what-so-ever that you sold a tank in functioning condition then it's not on you.
However, if there is any reasonable doubt that the tank was not in working order, then you have an ethical responsibility to work something out. Especially if it's one of the reasons you may have not have reused the tank yourself - or something you suspected might go wrong.
There are two sides to the issue. If you are absolutely 100% sure it was good then its not on you. If you are 75% sure, then I would work with giving 25% of the sale price toward repair or as a refund. It all depends on how sure you are.
Just my .02
So sorry this is happening to you.
Best of luck!
Stigigemla
Well-Known Member
I think maybe You ruined the tank with putting silicon grease on the seals.
Silicon grease has no similarity to the silicon we use to glue our tanks.
Silicon grease is extremly surface bonding so it maybe can creep in between the silicon seals and the glass.
I dont know any way to remove the last silicon grease so it will be possible to glue the panes together again.
Maybe there is some silicon grease remover on the market but I havent seen one.
Silicon grease has no similarity to the silicon we use to glue our tanks.
Silicon grease is extremly surface bonding so it maybe can creep in between the silicon seals and the glass.
I dont know any way to remove the last silicon grease so it will be possible to glue the panes together again.
Maybe there is some silicon grease remover on the market but I havent seen one.
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