Thinking about selling my tank

travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Hey y'all
Sooooo. My tank has lost my interest as I would love to keep coral but it is too big for me to afford to change the lighting, get a big enough protein skimmer, etc... so I think that I'd sell my tank to get a smaller system and pursue my dream tank of a nano reef or 2. I'm thinking of listing on CList with everything and livestock for $500-700 for the 180 gallons of stuff.
Thoughts? Ideas? Tips? Opinons?
Thanks guys and this is still an abstract and out there idea.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by travelerjp98 http:///t/393687/thinking-about-selling-my-tank#post_3502931
Hey y'all
Sooooo. My tank has lost my interest as I would love to keep coral but it is too big for me to afford to change the lighting, get a big enough protein skimmer, etc... so I think that I'd sell my tank to get a smaller system and pursue my dream tank of a nano reef or 2. I'm thinking of listing on CList with everything and livestock for $500-700 for the 180 gallons of stuff.
Thoughts? Ideas? Tips? Opinons?
Thanks guys and this is still an abstract and out there idea.
Hi Traveler,
I would NOT sell a thing off of Craig's list...those people are loons. Try e-Bay instead. That being said. Sell the live stock and store everything else. You will only get back a tiny fraction of it's worth no matter what route you take. A few years from now you may get the bug, and re-purchasing all that stuff will break you. Live rock stores just fine in tubs, just leave it open until 100% dried out before you cover it.
Please think hard before getting rid of stuff and at least for a short time do like I suggested. This advice is coming from 35+ years of selling and re-purchasing tanks and equipment over the years. Once you have a tank, (and the only reason for getting out is boredom) the home just isn't a home without one, and the bug always comes back to bite.
One more thing: There are way cooler critters in the sea besides coral, you could always sell the live stock you have now, and go for something more exotic.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
When I had to get rid of my tank, I really wanted the whole system to go together and not break anything up. I was not interested in shipping anything off to parts unknown. I took out a cheap ad in the local newspaper and had a buyer within a week. I offered to help out in transitioning my tank to its new location, and I was happy to see my tank safe and sound at its new home.
A lot of local people advertise of CLIST and I see no problem with that. I just hired a person to do some work on my house who I got off of CL. Its a cheap way to find a local option for selling your system. You might do that and place the ad in the newspaper as well. You just need to be sharp when it comes to these kinds of deals. Make sure that check clears the bank before you dismantle your system, or, ask for cash, etc. Don't get wrapped up in installment payments, or I'll pay you on Friday, etc. You don't need to put your deal on hold waiting for someone to get the money unless they give you a nonrefundable deposit. Truly, I'd stay clear of those who can't conclude a deal right then and there because if they can't pay now, then they probably aren't going to be able to afford to take care of your tank. They are already getting a major deal by getting a fully stocked 180 for $700.
Good luck!
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I'd do what flower suggests.
Store everything - use some rock from your current tank in your nano.
Store the 180g for future use- the pumps and everything that comes with it can be used for other various applications.
Putting the 180g in storage, you can set it up for real when you get a decent paying career going. You'll want it later in life.
I'd set up something like a 20g nano tank with a sump. In fact, I tell yah what, if you decide to keep your 180g in storage, I have a bunch of equipment that I am not using that I will ship to your home, free. You just pay for shipping costs and I'll take care of yah. This is IF and only IF you decide to put your 180g in storage.
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
I agree with Snake and Flower on this one.
Keep and store the tank and equipment. Use what rock and sand that you need for your nano. You will kick yourself if you sell it and what something big in a few years.
Snake- Good on you for offering some equipment up!!! I love seeing things like this on SWF.com.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
My CL experiance...it's kind of a funny story so since I'm bored I will share it...
I posted my 90g reef for sale, like Beth I wanted it to go to ONE place. It was up and running, I wanted to break it down and have it set right back up. I couldn't sell a part and keep the tank going so it had to be all or nothing. I explained that in the ad. Well some fellow e-mailed me and asked what I wanted for my powerheads. I messaged back that I wasn't selling in pieces, the tank was running and I still needed them. He wrote back...What would I sell them for IF I was selling them.
Big sigh...I wrote back that I paid $70.00 for them new, so I would accept half...$35.00. He writes back all capital letters and bolded that I was trying to rip him off, because he could purchase brand new power heads for $37.50. I answered him, and again explained that I wasn't selling them seperate from the system, but that these were big power heads for a 90g not the little maxi jets you see in the fish store. He sends me another e-mail, insisting I was a rip off (big black huge bold letters) with the site address attached for me to see for myself. Indeed he had found a place selling the big Koralia's for $37.50, brand new in the box. So I write him back, and by now I'm getting really tired of him...That I would not sell my fish tank to him for all the tea in China, and he could go to the site he posted and buy all the power heads he wants brand new for just as cheap as the used ones on my tank.
I removed my ad, and I still have the 90g to this day. I won't post a thing on CL, I watch the judge shows... and all the items, roommates, and deals that are made that goes south and lands up in court are almost everytime...Craigs list. I go with e-Bay and to date I have never been burned, and I hang out on e-Bay looking for deals all the time. I even found my Potbelly seahorses from Seahorse Sam from e-Bay.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Flower, you put too much effort in to that exchange. As a courtesy for responding to my ad, I would have sent him the first email. After that, no more need to communicate with this fella.
I think traveler is a teen now. He probably doesn't own his own house where he can store a large aquarium. Also, he might be going to college in a few years, in which case, he definitely won't have room to store a big tank! LOL He probably needs to use the $$ from the sale of the 180 to buy what he wants to set up now. But, who knows. I'm only guessing about all that.
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Lol, where the hell am I gonna store a 6 foot by 2 foot by about 5 feet high tank?!?!
In the shed?! lol.
My family, and I for that matter are not packrats haha. We get rid of anything unneccessary and would rather buy it back more expensive later than having clutter.
I can always wait a little on CL and get the same thing for the same price.
I use Craigslist all the time, and eBay for that matter, and have had more eBay problems than CL ones.
Lol we even rent out our apartments on CL. But at the same time we sell a huge amount on eBay (Roughly $90,000 a year).
There are smart people and loons on both.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beth http:///t/393687/thinking-about-selling-my-tank#post_3502980
Flower, you put too much effort in to that exchange. As a courtesy for responding to my ad, I would have sent him the first email. After that, no more need to communicate with this fella.
I think traveler is a teen now. He probably doesn't own his own house where he can store a large aquarium. Also, he might be going to college in a few years, in which case, he definitely won't have room to store a big tank! LOL He probably needs to use the $$ from the sale of the 180 to buy what he wants to set up now. But, who knows. I'm only guessing about all that.
Yep... that all makes sense, Traveler confirmed that. As for your first point, I am a talker and when people talk to me I answer back. I was raised to think it would be rude to just ignore someone...but cyber space has changed those rules. CL isn't regulated at all so I stay away from it, e-Bay has had it's share of nuts too... but at least they make an effort. I like Amazon.com as well, I do lots of shopping there.
I will be cleaning out my garage soon again, and what doesn't sell is going to the trash or to Good Will...I can't stand clutter either, I never have anything to offer for our Synagogues annual rummage sale.
 
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