Used equipment you won’t buy

[Trimixdivin]

Probes and heaters

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Heaters, I would not trust buying a used heater

 

[Mark Gray]

I have bought many things used, some of witch I will never do again. I bought a tank one time, it ran 6 months blew the front bottom seam. Water hit the ceiling, drained in less than a minute. If I ever bought a used tank again I would cut all the silicone out and completely redo it. No

 

[Brian Berry]

Is there a piece of equipment that you refuse to buy used and why?

I’m just started and I’m a pretty big proponent of used gear (in good condition that looks well taken care of). Is there and equipment I should be more careful of used, like lights?

Thanks in advance.

I won’t buy anything used. The issue for myself is I just don’t know how this equipment was used and taken care.

 

[Jeremy_d]

Older lights (like LEDs with 5+ years of use), heaters over a year old, dosing pumps where they don’t know the age of tubing. Sucks to buy a dosing pump to a save a few bucks only to realize it needs all the wear and tear items replaced.

Even the aquarium itself is a crap shoot when buying used. Petco’s 50% off sale is a great way to get a good tank at a low price.

I just loaded up on some rimless cubes from there. I have redone the silicon with a bigger bead and with black silicon. They look pretty sharp (once the fingerprints are gone). I’ve leak tested 2 so far and both have passed the vibe check so far. Close up picture shows former bead and latter.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is there a piece of equipment that you refuse to buy used and why?

I’m just started and I’m a pretty big proponent of used gear (in good condition that looks well taken care of). Is there and equipment I should be more careful of used, like lights?

Thanks in advance.

Im leery with used return pumps and heaters

 

[CoralB]

Nothing that would kill a tank or me , or has the chance to catch fire from age ,misuse or improper use . So basically it’s New with a warranty for me .

 

[Kinorain]

A lot of you seem to bring up heaters, and it makes sense. Would titanium heaters without internal controllers be an exception here or just as bad?

 

[blaxsun]

A lot of you seem to bring up heaters, and it makes sense. Would titanium heaters without internal controllers be an exception here or just as bad?

Titanium heaters are basically inanimate rods, so less of a concern since they don't have an internal controller. Still, I would check them over very carefully.

 

[Aceone]

Used Red Sea tanks...?

Or new

 

[blaxsun]

Or new

Haha, well - it really depends on the specific model. Without going into great detail, any newer G1/G2/G2+ tank with an aluminum stand will be completely fine. And any 625 or above G2/G2+ tank with a plywood stand.

 

[NewCaliCaptives]

Hasn’t been mentioned yet but I definitely wouldn’t buy used additives. Seems like I see a lot of people selling half full bottles of additives lately. I’ll also say the same thing about filter socks, just buy them new??

 

[blaxsun]

Hasn’t been mentioned yet but I definitely wouldn’t buy used additives. Seems like I see a lot of people selling half full bottles of additives lately. I’ll also say the same thing about filter socks, just buy them new??

If you thoroughly clean/bleach/launder filter socks they can be perfectly fine used. Again, it really depends on how well they're been cleaned previously and whether they still have some useful life left in them.

 

[Idech]

I won’t buy a used tank. I did it once and it leaked. Thankfully it was only 20 gallons and I caught it early.

I wouldn't buy a used heater either. Not worth the risk of if failing after a few months and killing the animals.

 

[Peace River]

A lot of things have already been mentioned, but another thing I'll add to the list is used stands made of pressboard that are starting to swell. Also tanks that need to be repaired.

 

[blaxsun]

A lot of things have already been mentioned, but another thing I'll add to the list is used stands made of pressboard that are starting to swell. Also tanks that need to be repaired.

Great suggestions as well.

 

[dMiles]

Is there a piece of equipment that you refuse to buy used and why?

I’m just started and I’m a pretty big proponent of used gear (in good condition that looks well taken care of). Is there and equipment I should be more careful of used, like lights?

Thanks in advance.

Heaters

 

[00W]

I'm a big proponent of buying used stuff.
I think I've bought just about everything in my fish career.
The one thing I will never buy used again is a return pump. Been there done that.
Of course I bought a used one that failed too.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Won’t buy a used UV, know someone who did, guy said he’d just put a new Lamp in it. Seal failed, wiping out half his tank. The Bulb? Just a regular Fluorescent!

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

All the "new" Red Sea Reefers were fixed right? Everyone that had one in the past would never buy one again that got shafted. I keep considering the MAX version because I don't want to have to piece something together that I'm not sure of. The Inno Mar are on sale at a good discount but ends up more $ than the reefer after piecing it. The 112EXT are pretty nice though at 36x36. https://www.innovative-marine.com/s...-Reef-System-–-Black-Made-to-Order-p533162794