Future tank... is this a good deal?

iicel

iicel

New Member
Hi, i'm a newbie at saltwater, and about to buy my first tank off craigslist.
I found a good looking tank there, and wanted to see if anybody that's experienced could tell meif it's a good deal or not?
"55 gal Saltwater fish tank with matching stand and fish. It has a canopy with hood and two fluorscent lights 2X48", protein skimmer, heater, water filter, water pump, rocks, live sand, back side picture and few fish
$150 "


Is this a good deal?
I'll probably strip the tank of all the fishes and stuff that are there, and leave just the live rock and live sand.
Is this a good deal?
And is the thing in the middle the water pump? How does it work?
Thanks.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
ya its pretty good. nice fake corals. but for a 55gal with hardware not too shabby. I challenge the claim that it has LR, look closely at it...looks kinda brown.
probably just base rock. But still, its a deascent price fora fresh water setup, so if nothing else its fair for a saltwater setup.
 
pete159

pete159

Member
its a good deal until it starts leaking and you can't return it.
Also the bulbs might have to be replaced.
Buying a used fish tank is risky.
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
It's an ok deal.
Here's how I would look at it. Is this a system you really "want" or just because it's what you found?
If it's what you "want" and what you're looking for -- then get it. If you're settling because its a deal on c-list and what's available... then I'd hold off.
Just my opinion for what's worth :D
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by pete159
http:///forum/post/3113242
Also the bulbs might have to be replaced.
Buying a used fish tank is risky.
A: the bulbs are nothing but freshwater bulbs. They are worthless if he plans to do anything but fish. And therefore the ballast is a joke as well. The lighting isnt even a factor to consider in the purchase.
B: if its got water in the picture Im betting its holding water now. He can always ask to see if before its taken down.
All in all, i personally wouldnt get it. I see nice biocubes in that price range. And to me that would be a much better way to go.
CL has good deals, this one is simply meh. Not bad but not good either.
Stand/heaters/tank/filtration is all i really am considering as worth a purchase...the fish/rock/sand is bonus...but not really that big of a deal.
 
marchingbandjs

marchingbandjs

Member
Biocubes for that price are teeny tiny small... He obviously wants a larger tank.
I would not get the tank. The rock looks like base rock.
If your doing SW you will need a light system. You can use those lights but then theres no point in getting LR especially for a FO tank, in which, you wont "need" LR.
If your worried about leaks, break it down, take the seals out and reseal with silicon for like 9 bucks a bottle.
I would not buy this. Look around for a 55 somewhere in the price range of 400-500 bucks, and stocked with LR and fish. That would be a good deal. I find pretty good tanks on CL, 125+ gallons for 700-1400 bucks which are amazing deals.
Find something a little more expensive so it comes with better equipment, and you are sure its going to work.
You have to wonder why he is selling this ok set up for that low of a price. I would not buy, but its your choice.
 
iicel

iicel

New Member
I called and they told me that it was up and running with the fish in it, so it can't have any sort of leak.
Thanks for your opinions, I'm picking it up tomorrow.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Originally Posted by iicel
http:///forum/post/3113812
I called and they told me that it was up and running with the fish in it, so it can't have any sort of leak.
Thanks for your opinions, I'm picking it up tomorrow.
What kind of fish are coming with it?
 
marchingbandjs

marchingbandjs

Member
Ok, it might not have a leak now. I strongly urge you not to do this, and im sure it wont turn out good down the road. I have a feeling your going to have to put a lot of money into it. But good luck.
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
It dosen't hurt to go fishing. You can always offer less than the asking price. How long has it been listed is a good indicator of a successful fishing trip...
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
Originally Posted by Marchingbandjs
http:///forum/post/3114155
Ok, it might not have a leak now. I strongly urge you not to do this, and im sure it wont turn out good down the road. I have a feeling your going to have to put a lot of money into it. But good luck.
You never know - One of my tanks, a 75 gallon, has moved at least 7 times and I bought it new in 1986... Knock on wood
it has never had a leak. Yes, it is still up and running.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Originally Posted by iicel
http:///forum/post/3113961
Three damsels and a clownfish.
Well, not much value there. But I agree that it's not a bad price just for the tank and equipment, as long as it doesn't leak and you actually see the equipment running. I paid around $400 some time back for this exact setup. Tank was the same, stand was identical, skimmer, etc... Only difference was, it had MH's in the canopy, along with atinics, and the tank was loaded with live rock and coral, which is mainly what I was after. And it came with a RODI system.
Once home and setup, I transfered the lr, corals and fish to my main tank. Then I cleaned the 55 tank and equipment, put it on craigslist and resold it. Also sold the RODI system to someone else. All in all, I made my money back and got the lr/coral/fish for the effort.
 
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