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I have a strong urge to buy a new 125g to house my three clown loaches (they are quickly approaching 2-4 inches each and are living in a 72g bowfront). I am will to put out the $1,300.00 at my LFS, but tonight found a complete set-up w/oak stand for $400.00.

What say you?

Sheesh, sometimes I am so incoherent!!! I work too many hours!!!!

The 125g at $400.00 is a used set-up. I have never purchased a used tank before. I am willing to pay top buck at LFS, but why do that if a used one is just as good.

Any experiences to share

i would buy it, maybe make a little contract or something saying it has no cracks and holds water. for sure fill it up outside to check for leaks before moving it into the house, we dont want 125g of H2O rushing though the living room do we lol

if you get any filters and such, then even more of a bonus!

Yep, but I'd make sure it is in top condition before you buy it. If it looks questionable when you go to pick it up, don't hesitate to change your mind. Definitely check for leaks when you get it home preferably outside as stated before. Make sure it's on a flat area when you do this and use a newspaper to see if any water is leaking out - leave it up like this for a couple hours just to make sure. Good luck!

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Go for it! What a deal that is, too.
Be sure to clean the tank before adding water so there is no deposits or crud that are clogging up a leak. Would be bad to check it for leaks and find none, then clean it and uncover a leak after you put it in the house.
Since you don't know what was in the tank before you got it, you should clean it with bleach (the water treatment will eliminate traces of it).
Good luck,
Carol B

Considering the price difference, I would take the chance. Be sure to ask why they are selling it and if it leaks. If you can, get a signed note stating that you will check it for leaks and if it leaks within a reasonable amount of time, like 2 weeks. If it does leak, maybe you know somebody who can fix aquarium leaks.

Soak the tank thoroughly with clean, hot water and a 10% solution of bleach. Let it sit until it cools. Rub it inside and out with a clean sponge while you are doing it. Then drain and rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse until you can't smell anymore bleach, and then let sit outside so the sun can dry it and kill the bleach. Then take it inside and fill it up and treat the water. Just make sure there are no sudden water temp changes that may cause the glass to shatter.

I would be willing to go $400 for a used 125 in comparison to $1200...then again, uh I only paid $400 for my 125 with oak stand and hood new

As it has been said, ask why they are selling it...are they just tired of fish? Or are they getting a bigger tank (the 75 I'm getting the guy decided was way too small, and just got a 300 gallon to replace it with) The person might even be willing to show you that it holds water while you are there

When you get it home here is what you do...Leslie up there has said most of this but there are a couple of things I want to addGet a blanket or a few towels and lay them down around the tank where you will be wanting to test it to be sure it is water tight...Fill it half way with water on the given day, if it holds a day or two then top it off and add a gallon of bleach to it, and let it set and wipe it down at this point...this will disinfect it...Then you are going to want to drain it say the next day, and refill, drain, refill, drain, refill, drain (till you can't smell bleach) then do it a couple of more times, this should kill anything in the tank Then when you do go to fill it for the final time, I'd add double the amount or maybe a bit more dechlorinator to the water, you want to make sure it is safe for the fishies...Then I'd let it sit and run for a couple of weeks...if after a couple of weeks your towels or whatever are still dry, and you haven't walked into the room to find a small pool I'd trust it to hold water [link=Here is another thread that was made on cleaning a tank to be sure that there are no nasties left, you might want to check it out]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/61151.html?200506291603" style="COLOR: #FF1493[/link] Best of luck if you choose to get the tank...oh one more hint of adviceif you haven't already discovered it with your current tank(s) don't bother buying your dechlorinators, medicines, etc with the normal fish stuffes anymorego check out the pond section of your lfs or landscaping store...it will be the same stuffes but is not as diluted, meaning instead of 1 capful/5 gallons, you'll be able to go 1 capful/10 gallons or so, depending on what is in question (be sure to read your directions) and it will be cheaper as well heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Just make sure it doesn't leak & if you have any difficulty, it's better to buy some silicone & re-do it. It's better to be safe than sorry.



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Hi if it holds water ok then why not, i was offered a 200g for $290 used, but it used to house a snake, also the cold climate where i live can affect silicone so i passed.



That site has the best prices ive seen in australia for new tanks

http://null]http://null[/link][link=http://www.aquariumsrus.com.au/pricep.htm

Last edited by jakieblak at 23-Jul-2005 08:21

As long as it holds water, and also watch out for the scratches. I would look at it full of water before making my purchase. As the scartches will show up better with the tank full of water and the lights on.

FYI, I currently have 124 tanks up and running. Of these, more than half were bought as used tanks. One of them is in fact a 125 gal tank. I went from 4 tanks that I bought new, to 45 tanks over night. The 41 additional tanks were all used. That I got when a lfs went out of buisness. That was about 14 years ago, and the tanks are still up and running in my fish room.

HTH....

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There is always a bigger fish...

Yes, I'd buy used but insist on seeing the tank full of water with the hood and lights working. filter too if it came with the set. Anyone who wouldn't agree to this, when selling an aquarium, may be trying to hide something. Anyway, if they are asking in the neighborhood of $400 then I don't think it would be an unreasonable request to see that it hold water. good luck with it.

i would buy it... one thing i have learned before buying fish tanks is set it outside and fill it up like you would to check for leaks.. but also look at bothe sides for scratches and blemishes and stuff like that... then make sure you use the one with the least amount as the front