# Cheap Used Aquariums?



## AnimalHouse35 (Jul 19, 2011)

I keep seeing people talking about a craigslist like website, but for aquarium supplies. Does anyone know the name?


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Aquabid.com is mostly live fish and plant, but people do post new and used equipment on it and on other fish trading post sites like http://www.cichlid-forum.com/tradingpost/. 

I've had the best luck with my local club website forum, http://www.atlantaaquarium.com/forumdisplay.php?9-For-Sale-Wanted-Aquarium-Items
Lots of club members buy and sell and trade tanks and filters as they upgrade or rearrange their fish. But most are pick-up only or delivery to club function. Very rarely will anyone take the trouble to ship. Best bet is to one similar close to your location.


----------



## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Be wary of used tanks. If you do buy a used tank be sure to let it hold water outside for at least a couple weeks. I bought a used 135 gallon back in March of 2009 and it busted a month later. $1800 worth of damage and I lost 1/4 of my fish, but I still have the rest thanks to my wife.


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

If you PM me your location, I should be able to find some good tanks and setups. Just give me a major city your near, your budget, and desired tank size!


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

The bigger the tank, the bigger the risk of both new and used popping a seam and making a mess.. But also the bigger the savings from buying used. Used 10s almost never leak, but new ones are only $12 vs. $5 used. Risks of used tanks spreading diseases can be managed with meticulous cleaning. But bigger tanks also have subtle risks . A tank not intended for fish may have too thin a glass and an amateur resealing or patching has a chance of failing on you or may even be toxic if they used the wrong stuff. Sealants are more likely to fail if a tank has been dry a longtime. If you are shopping for a used tank, go look at new ones, see how thick the glass is and how many braces they have. Learn what to look for and don't buy a tank without inspecting it in person. 

Some people do long leak-tests, others reseal used tanks themselves or set them up in a somewhat flood-proof area like a basement. 

Even new tanks are not safe. Manufacturers do not test tanks before shipping them. Chips and cracks can happen in shipping, sealants can fail to set. 

All tanks are more likely to fail if they are not set up level. Tank the time to shim each stand and consider putting foam under the tank if the stand isn't smooth or level on top. Taller tanks are riskier than short ones. Its amazing the mess only 20 gallons of water can make. So its a good idea to read leases for anti-aquarium clauses and to check your home owner's or renter's insurance. 

Personally, I have had just 2 serious tank related floods in several decades of aquariums: one tank I broke by knocking over a music stand, one that just mysteriously decided to let 80% of its water out. In the same time period, floods from a leaking shower drain, a washing machine drain hose, an air-conditioner condenser pump, a bathroom faucet supply line, a garbage disposal that popped off the sink, rain water getting in the house both through the basement wall and through rotten sills have each caused more damage and mess than the tanks did.


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

It's called Aquabid; www.aquabid.com


----------



## blindkiller85 (Jan 8, 2011)

emc7 said:


> All tanks are more likely to fail if they are not set up level. Tank the time to shim each stand and consider putting foam under the tank if the stand isn't smooth or level on top. Taller tanks are riskier than short ones. Its amazing the mess only 20 gallons of water can make. So its a good idea to read leases for anti-aquarium clauses and to check your home owner's or renter's insurance.


I slightly disagree with that. It depends on what medium you're using and what it's placed on. If you have a proper tank that's sealed already, with rims on top and bottom it makes a difference with the stand and what everything is sitting on.

I've had my 125g at about a 1/4 inch dip for over 2 years now. But it's on a stand that itself is flat and level. Its my tile that's not, but it's on a solid structure, standing on a solid base of tile and foundation. My tank is 3/8 glass all the way around, and 1/2 plated glass on bottom. 

If my tank was on carpet or a floating wood floor or a 2nd story of a house, I might be inclined to do it differently and shim it. Because there is flex, where it's at on the tile/foundation of my house, there is zero flex. The top and bottom rims with silicone sealant inbetween is more than enough support to hold it for years to come. But, this comes from my backround in structural engineering and general construction knowledge.

I saw a guy make a shim out of styrofoam and he killed his 5g tank. Because it flexed and caused a dip that just kept becoming deeper and deeper until cracked. Was one of the small ones that has curved glass instead of a seam. He had spent about $3,000 on it. Small reef tank.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I have a 55 stand that used to be flat and level and now has a nearly 1" dip in the middle. I've been advised to put foam under the tank and let it 'find its own level". I agree that what really matters is to support the rim the tank sits on all the way around. Foam that pushes the bottom up between the edges would be bad. A level tank puts equal pressure on all the corners, a tank with a low corner, has a edge with additional pressure and that seam is therefore more likely to let loose. I would like to believe that tanks are 'over-engineered' enough to have some leeway, but anecdotal evidence suggests real care needs to be taken with glass tanks over 100 gallons and/or over 2' high. The disasters are numerous enough that I'm surprised metal-frame tanks haven't made a comeback. 2" of welded angle iron would put a tiny frame on a 250 gallon tank and would be great for piece of mind.


----------



## Hansolo (Sep 10, 2010)

I bought a 180g tank on craigslist for 120$. It looked older so I removed all the silicone from the inside with a razor and resealed it all with a tube of aquarium silicone. Two days later I filled it up on a stand I made with 2x6 and 3/4" cabinet grade plywood. I had another 100$ in building that. Its my favorite tank and I only have 220$ into it aside from accessories. That's less than 1.30$ a gallon for tank and stand. Craigslist is my favorite tank store. Just take precautions when buying.


----------



## AnimalHouse35 (Jul 19, 2011)

Huh, not finding much on aquabid. I guess I'll just have to keep scanning craigslist for what I want!


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Shipping tanks is a pain. Look on all the local sites you can find. CL, newspaper classified, local aquarium club, etc.


----------

