startingasaltwatertank

There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying a used tank, especially if you are unsure how you will like the hobby.  Out of the 5 tanks we have had, only one of them was brand new.  We saved money on the tank so we could spend the rest on livestock later on.  Here are some things you need to look for and/or ask about:

1.  Ask if the tank has ever been used as a QT (quarantine tank/hospital tank to treat fish and livestock for disease and other ailments).  You specifically want to know if copper has ever been used in that tank.  Copper gets absorbed by the rocks, the seams of the tank, the sand…you name it, it’ll be there no matter how hard you scrub the tank down.  Why is that bad?  Because most livestock can not tolerate copper and will end up dead in the long run.  Even with fish, copper in the tank over long periods of time can wear the fish down and possibly shorten it’s life.  Once copper is used in a tank it is impossible to get all of it out.  Look for a obvious blue tint in the seams of the tank.

2.  Ask if anyone else has owned the tank that may have used copper and try to get the tank’s entire history.

3.  Look for scratches.  If the tanks just been cleaned it will be harder to notice them, but look hard as you will be accepting this tank “as is”.

4.  Ask how old the tank is.  Tanks can last a long time, but 20 years is too old.  I bought my 150 gallon tank from a lady who had it 7 years.  I have now had this tank for four years.  I am now at the point I want to replace it, this time with a new one as we are doing an in wall and I want it to last as long as possible.

5.  Barter the price if it is not a the price you think it’s worth.  My husband and I have a rule.  We will not buy an old tank for more than half the price of the new one.  It usually works out that way unless there is significant and expensive “extras”.  Our 150 came with the most purple rock I’d ever laid eyes, the entire filtration system, the stand and lights.  That enough to sweeten the deal for me.  Our very first set up was a 55 gallon that came with absolutely everything…even fish and coral.  Absolutely everything they had related to the aquarium was ours.  Those are the kind of deals you are looking for especially when you are first starting out.  One benefit is that you are able to place livestock in the tank right away if you use most of the water and rock that came with it.  With a new tank, you must wait up to eight weeks for the cycle to complete.

6.  Look in the paper and in forums, many times you can find everything you are looking for and more.  Do not be afraid to look at several set ups so that you get the best deal and as close to your “ideal” tank as possible.  Once it’s bought, there are no returns.

7.  Take measurements before you buy.  You do not want to be stuck with a tank that is too large or too small for the area you are putting it in. 

8.  Bigger is Better.  Size does matter when it comes to saltwater tanks.  The larger the tank, the easier it is (to a certain extent).  With a small tank “little things” become major problems in no time.  For example if your salt gravity was a little off when you did a water change, that “little bit” could mean a “big deal” in a small tank, however it could mean nothing in a large tank.

9.  Always take the number of the person you purchased your tank from in case you have questions later on.

10.  Make sure you know the prices of new fish tanks before you begin your search.  If it doesn’t cost much more to by a new one, don’t do it unless there a worthwhile extras that make up for the price requested.

Please leave me a comment if you have questions or if I have forgotten something.  Thanks and happy hunting!

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