Curious; Used tank prices

[vanalisa]

Hi~
I was just curious what would be a good price for a used 50 to 75 gallon tank? I would kind of need the whole setup.
I desperately need to upgrade and I'm not in a good position to buy something new. I have no idea what would be a good deal for what I'm looking for.
(I don't need a stand).
Also is it wise to purchase used equipment like filters, heaters etc. that have been inside people's tanks? Obviously not so much the tank itself and the lid and lights,
I just wonder about cooties and things getting transferred over.

???

 

[Wills]

I've had a mixed bunch with second hand. Some good stuff worth going for the cheaper price but other times stuff just worn out and past its best. I once went to pick up a really big tank and as we were moving it I realised it handnt been kept on a polystrene base and the base was really warped and one corner was shattered. The guy said he knew about it and it was fine but I just walked away - lost my deposit but still think its the right choice.

In terms of price for tank only what kind of tank do you want? Are you happy with glass sliders and a hood or do you want rimless etc? If you dont want a stand thats always what makes a tank expensive. In the UK I'd probably be able to get a 75 gallon tank for about £100 maybe a bit less, a good external filter for £60-80.

Just make sure you check it all thoroughly and ask how old it is, if any brace bars or trim have been removed, if they know of any chips or issues.

Wills

 

[OliveFish05]

I have heard people say not to spend more than half what it would be new. If it helps, I sold my 55 gallon tank with stand, two glass tops, two filters, and two heaters for $250 after spending about $200 and getting my filters for free.

 

[FishNturt808]

It depends on your location and what’s readily available. I think I paid 100$-150$ for a used 55 with stand. Which ended up leaking twice, from 2 different locations, so I have decided it’s worth the extra money to just buy new.
With filters, as long as you trash the media, and do a thorough top to bottom cleaning, impeller, tubes, and all, you should be ok.

 

[foxgirl158]

I’ve bought both my current tanks secondhand off of Facebook Marketplace, and I haven’t had any trouble. They both came with filters, heaters, and substrate and one came with fake plants. I washed everything with hot water and let them soak overnight and everything was fine. Of course, there will always be hit or miss tanks and equipment but if I have the option to get another tank I will definitely look for a good secondhand one before I buy new.

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

These are my used ones:

55g glass + stand + tons of accessories for 400 (terrible deal)

55g acrylic with nothing for free (still works, using it as an outside patio tank)

2x 42g cut wine barrels for 45 bucks a pop (using them as patio ponds)

90g glass (3/8 thick), FX5, and Stand for 200!! And dimensions are 4’x2’

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Fish tanks are a weird one. A lot of people buy them, add fish, fish die, they lose interest and just want them out the way.

I sold my 5ft bowfronted tank and stand for about £50. We was moving house at the time and I had to get rid of it quick. I see this kind of thing on facebook marketplace all the time. There was a decent looking 6ft tank for free near me the other day because the person just wanted it out of their house quickly.

I would say if your not in a hurry just check the local buy/sell groups for a few weeks and see what pops up.

 

[vanalisa]

I think I will check on Facebook.
I just worry that it will leak and the people will be snickering all the way to wherever the are moving to.
I guess if it looks well kept it probably is...

I don't really know what size I am getting. Just BIGGER than what I have now. I remember when I first got my 20g...it seemed huge!
It was so awesome to move my fish from their 10g into the 20!
They were soooo happy.

I have a really heavy duty oak coffee table and could go up to 100g I bet. Solid as a rock.
(That's a whole lot of lugging to do, though. Not going there ). But I don't want smaller than a 50g. If I'm upgrading I need to go for it.
I need room to grow for my current fish that are breeding.
If my water is right I will add my C. pygmaeus and then I will get to choose one more group!

 

[vanalisa]

Well thanks everyone I looked at Facebook marketplace and it didn't seem like they really had fantastic deals on their tanks.
Also there are quite a few with major elements missing like a lid or a decent light etcetera.

I'll check again but for just a little bit more money I could have something nice and new. I think that's been the case all along as far as checking out use tanks. I just keep thinking I'm going to stumble upon something amazing; you never know. I'll keep checking. I don't have the money right now anyway.
But, what I do have are fish that are breeding and I'm going to have to do something!


I guess for now it's going to be a 20 gallon next to a 15 gallon next to a 10 gallon next to a 6 gallon, and a spare 5 in a pear tree.....

 

[Colin_T]

A couple of things to check for with secondhand tanks.

Look at the silicon (glue holding the glass together). It should be reasonably clear and firm but slightly squishy. If the silicon is hard or brittle, it is stuffed and might need replacing.

Look at the silicon through the glass and see if there are any cream or white areas, or areas with bubbles in. This is where the silicon is coming away from the glass and it will probably need to be replaced.

There is also black silicon, which is black in colour. This should be checked in the same way you check for the clear silicon.

Silicon can be stained with dyes and if people have used Methylene Blue in the tank, the silicon might have a blue tinge to it. This is fine and does not affect the silicon. Just check the silicon for hardness, bubbles and white patches.

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Check the thickness of the glass.

Tanks that are 18 inches high and have a cross member at the top to stop the glass bulging out, are normally made from 6mm thick glass.

Tanks that are 2 foot high with a cross member are normally made from 10mm thick glass.

Tanks that are 30 inches high with a cross member are normally made from 12mm thick glass.

If the tank does not have a cross member on the top, it should be made from thicker glass than stated above. The glass is normally 2-3mm thicker if the tank has no cross members.
eg: 18 inch high would have 8-10mm glass
2ft high might be 12mm glass.
30 inch high would be 15mm

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Check the tank for chips and cracks. They might not look like much but if there are chips in the glass, you might cut yourself when working in the tank or cleaning it.

Deep scratches in the glass can cause the glass to crack.

If you have concerns, take some pictures and post them here and we can offer advice.