Start From Scratch Or Buy Used

[trace1]

as the title suggests, i've been looking on ebay & there are loads of fully set up marine tanks for sale.
now i was wondering if it would be better to buy a fully set up system or start from scratch.
fully set up system its mostly there but do you learn anything or learn the hard way when things go wrong, but things are so much cheaper buying this way.
starting from scratch you would be learning as you go along but things are more expensive to buy new.
was just wondering the best way to go about it, i do want to learn loads & don't want to end up with a tank i don't know how to deal with.
i do have a 55g fresh water tank thats being converted to a marine tank.
what do people think
thanks
trace

 

[pengy666]

If you buy a full setup its about the same as buying new? I would just buy it without stock, you can learn the still!

Decide what you want and try and find it for sale! I would be a little wary of ebay! try the aquariumm classifieds or on forums!

Converting isnt that hard, its just a lot of people still do marine stuff like freshwater, and dose stuff and use chemical cleaning?? I dont get that!


But it all varies on equipment tho?

 

[trace1]

thanks pengy, without stock do you mean without live rock as well ???
i know a full set up with the fish coral & everything else can cost a lot, was watcing 1 tonight & it went for nearly £2500
i'm quite happy for it to take as long as it takes with buying from brand new. i just wondered what the experienced people thought, if anyone has tried buying used & setting up from new & what their experiences where.
sorry for all the questions but i want to get this totally right

 

[pengy666]

No get LR if you can!

No dont buy stock as they could be ill or anything and moving can really stress them out and also it makes picking it up harder work!

I would just buy equipment and rock!

LR will be ok for an hour or two without heaters etc! enough time to get back but I would get a big barrel ready at home with mixed saltwater heated and a powerhead in it to be prepared to store rock till you ready to fill up! I have known people keep LR like this for a few weeks no problem!

 

[1entra]

I'd set up from scratch, just try to get all the equipment from a marine set-up if it is going at a decent price.

But there is no fun in buying somebody else's set-up. IMO you have to experience setting up a marine tank from getting your first bits of live rock to adding your fish and corals. All the excitement and anticipation is waht makes it all worthwile so when you finaly have your own masterpiece nano ecosystem, you can stand there proud of yourself for having created/captured such an amazing part of the ocean in your very own back room! So can take all the credit for everthing you have done with it.

Also somebody else's system may be adjusted to that persons way of doing things so when you start to change water change patterns and feeding times and other things around, you may end up stressing out any live stock in the tank thus causing it to crash!!

 

[trace1]

nice 1 thanks pengy.
thats a good point about the stock thou i never thought of that.
so really with me already having a tank ready for the swap over i may as well try & get a few things cheaper if i can & start up with my own tank.
mmmmmmm i may well go with my original plan & buy new & just set it up when i've got enough stuff to make sure we up & running properly.
thanks for the replies thou

 

[trace1]

I'd set up from scratch, just try to get all the equipment from a marine set-up if it is going at a decent price.

But there is no fun in buying somebody else's set-up. IMO you have to experience setting up a marine tank from getting your first bits of live rock to adding your fish and corals. All the excitement and anticipation is waht makes it all worthwile so when you finaly have your own masterpiece nano ecosystem, you can stand there proud of yourself for having created/captured such an amazing part of the ocean in your very own back room! So can take all the credit for everthing you have done with it.

Also somebody else's system may be adjusted to that persons way of doing things so when you start to change water change patterns and feeding times and other things around, you may end up stressing out any live stock in the tank thus causing it to crash!!

1entra thats makes so much sense to me, right think i will stick with plan of starting from scratch
thanks for the advice thou from everyone.
all i can say now is to expect soooo many questions everyone will get sick of me lol

 

[Ehudd]

ebay!

 

[SkiFletch]

I'm actually all for buying a used system. Knowing the costs of building from scratch (since I did it), I can tell you that very often you can find DEALS on ebay or other classified ads, sources, etc. You really have to make sure you trust the seller before offering up money, even inspect the tank personally to make sure you're not gonna get ripped off, but you'll save a lot of cash if you do things this way.

 

[trace1]

i've been searching for ro units off ebay, i've alreay got the tank so thats ok lol
i've seen lr on ebay as well but i'm a bit nervous of getting my lr of ebay cos i can't see it first.
thanks for all the replies so far