Should I Buy or Pass?

[Dcloser12]

Keep in mind, some of these people have bought full running systems and seen how expensive a good deal, can become, very quickly.

It's not a terrible idea, just need to know what can be a very fast reality.

Some of these people have bought vibrant and it worked but nuked other tanks, some bought lights that worked but failed in the hands of others. The op was stating he would rather get in at 500 vs 5000. If he has a tank, t5 fixture, sump and all the rocks and coral already at worst he needs a return pump. A skimmer isn't a make or break thing. Hell I struggle at keeping nutrients so I hardly even run mine. It's a good deal regardless as long as the tank it's self and all the plumbing is in good condition. Everything else fails at random over time any way and will always be in need of a replacement.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

That tank looks like they cleaned it with a wire brush when you zoom in. That would drive me crazy, no matter the cost. The point of a dt is to see clearly through the glass.

 

[Tiki_Reef]

One time I bought a car for $500.00 and it looked ok on the outside, but when I started to go through it boy oh boy I had buyers remorse. I would pass and start out a little fresher, I am not against buying used stuff but usually if the price is too good to be true, it usually is. But hey it is your money.

 

[snorklr]

i'm running a G2 radion on my tank and its from 2012...i'm not sure when G3s came out but maybe he bought the G2s used?...the white power supply box has a sticker on it that shows the year of manufacture....is the back glass scratched too? maybe you can turn the tank around? or is the back drilled? not familiar with how red seas are set up

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

To be honest you would be upgrading all the main equipment within months. G2 radions are very very old , skimmer is under sized and very old, T5 hybrid fixture is just ugly to look at, sump is as basic as you can get. I would do it right the first time and build your own new setup. Oh and the tank isn't worth anything if scratched up.
Innovative marine has a 40% off sale right now.

Please advise where i can get IM tanks for 40% discount? that is too good to pass up

 

[Dcloser12]

One time I bought a car for $500.00 and it looked ok on the outside, but when I started to go through it boy oh boy I had buyers remorse. I would pass and start out a little fresher, I am not against buying used stuff but usually if the price is too good to be true, it usually is. But hey it is your money.

For 500$ you don't get buyers remorse lol. The junk yard pays 375 lol

 

[Tamberav]

The work of moving the tank and stuff to not use it probably would make me not do it.

I would probably pay 500 for all the fish rock and equipment but he gets to keep the tank/stand. Lol

Just toss the fish and rock in big rubber made and such.

 

[Dcloser12]

I'll be honest. I'm biased. I started my first tank out of petco over a dumb clown fish I couldn't return fast enough. 800$ later I had a 75 gallon glass tank with rock, sand and everything you'll never need to do salt water. Had to research to find I actually needed far more things and what I had was a waste. I purchased tons of used equipment, lasted years. I finally bit the bullet and bought a custom 300 gallon tank and used my old stuff and upgraded one by one and now I have a system I'll never recoup cost on that I don't even want to discuss the price tag on. All and all the 600$ or so on used equipment was what got me here and I have since sold it to someone else. Long story short we don't all need stepping stones but it doesn't mean some don't inorder to get where most of you are now.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Some of these people have bought vibrant and it worked but nuked other tanks, some bought lights that worked but failed in the hands of others. The op was stating he would rather get in at 500 vs 5000. If he has a tank, t5 fixture, sump and all the rocks and coral already at worst he needs a return pump. A skimmer isn't a make or break thing. Hell I struggle at keeping nutrients so I hardly even run mine. It's a good deal regardless as long as the tank it's self and all the plumbing is in good condition. Everything else fails at random over time any way and will always be in need of a replacement.

The vibrant attempt is a reach and irrelevant to the conversation. I can read just fine. Don't need an explanation of what the OP asked.I was there. I read it too.

To you, that may, It may be a good deal.

A scratched front glass is worth less than nothing to me, And it was my opinion I was giving. In the original post, The posters already talking about having to replace the tank before ever getting it.

If it had good Bones it may be worth it. The bones is the Glass Box that is already damaged. With bad bones, you're buying used equipment if you're Already knowing you have to replace the box.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

That tank looks like they cleaned it with a wire brush when you zoom in. That would drive me crazy, no matter the cost. The point of a dt is to see clearly through the glass.

Yo Right..

 

[Ozzy]

Yo Right..

That was my thought with how scratched the tank is. I guess it's more so the livestock and equipment worth > the tank. I can guarantee the tank would be replaced within a year, but I just worry about longevity of things.
Also, everyone has some good points. What sucks is I'm in Montana, so good local reef stores are almost non existent.

 

[Ozzy]

I'll be honest. I'm biased. I started my first tank out of petco over a dumb clown fish I couldn't return fast enough. 800$ later I had a 75 gallon glass tank with rock, sand and everything you'll never need to do salt water. Had to research to find I actually needed far more things and what I had was a waste. I purchased tons of used equipment, lasted years. I finally bit the bullet and bought a custom 300 gallon tank and used my old stuff and upgraded one by one and now I have a system I'll never recoup cost on that I don't even want to discuss the price tag on. All and all the 600$ or so on used equipment was what got me here and I have since sold it to someone else. Long story short we don't all need stepping stones but it doesn't mean some don't inorder to get where most of you are now.

This is what happened to me when I started lol. I started with a 20g (all new) but I didn't really know what I was doing at the time. So I'm not new to the hobby, but it's hard for me to pass, due to the cost of buying everything new. Granted I am fine waiting, but would love to get rid of my little 12g nano cube for something larger sooner than later lol.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

That was my thought with how scratched the tank is. I guess it's more so the livestock and equipment worth > the tank. I can guarantee the tank would be replaced within a year, but I just worry about longevity of things.
Also, everyone has some good points. What sucks is I'm in Montana, so good local reef stores are almost non existent.

The most expensive thing in the entire setup is the yellow tang. There's hardly any live rock to speak of, The sand would need trashed or washed completely,5" hippo tangs, GSP and random palys Are a dime a dozen. The power plant does not look like it was regularly maintained. It's a mess.

Unless you are planning on replacing it with another Red Sea tank, the plumbing won't work and would all have to be replaced (the existing plumbing/valve sucks by the way, I have the same one). The stand is also a set dimension and an odd one. 40b don't even fit on it.

If you have to replace all of those things with the new tank to make it work, What were you paying for in the beginning?

 

[davidcalgary29]

I think it's a good deal if you can get past the scratched glass. I bought my RSR350, sans equipment, for $800 CAD last year. It did, however, have relatively unscathed glass, and that's important to me when I buy second-hand tanks. Some scratching or scarring is fine (and to be expected with used equipment), but that glass is awful.

Still, I'm not sure how much of a better deal you'd get in Montana; I'd imagine that it'd be even tougher to source a good deal than it is in Alberta, where it's hard enough to get critical equipment at a decent price. At the very worst, you could buy this for $500, and, if the tank doesn't work out, sell out the livestock and equipment separately. You'd probably break even on the deal.

 

[exnisstech]

Slim chance of you being close but where are you located? I'd be a player on the yellow tang alone which would make the rest cheaper for you

 

[ikaros70]

I am surprised so many are saying to pass.
I have seen yellow tangs go for $400 alone.
As long as everything is in Good working condition, BUY IT! $500 is a good deal.
Even if you don’t use the tank, it’s still worth it for the livestock and equipment alone.
Age don’t mean ****, my Tunze 6100’s are 10+ years old, still going strong!
Does it have an external overflow?
If so, how is the back glass?
If back glass is in decent shape, You could always flip the tank around with external overflow.

 

[Ozzy]

Slim chance of you being close but where are you located? I'd be a player on the yellow tang alone which would make the rest cheaper for you

Kalispell lol

 

[Ozzy]

I am surprised so many are saying to pass.
I have seen yellow tangs go for $400 alone.
As long as everything is in Good working condition, BUY IT! $500 is a good deal.
Even if you don’t use the tank, it’s still worth it for the livestock and equipment alone.
Age don’t mean ****, my Tunze 6100’s are 10+ years old, still going strong!
Does it have an external overflow?
If so, how is the back glass?
If back glass is in decent shape, You could always flip the tank around with external overflow.

It has a internal overflow, so no flipping it around. I'm still debating on it just for the livestock cost haha. I have the radios g2, they were great, but I know everything has some kind of life expectancy... which is what worries me (equipment wise). I was planning on doing a reefer350 or waterbox marine x 90.3 or similar within a year or so, but this was that instant gratification full set up right now kind of thing haha.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Pass. I don't buy ppls complete used set ups. It won't be what you want sorry.
This is my opinion and what I do.
Get the livestock and rock like others are saying.
D

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Yeah, this was my thought a little as I am saving to go to around the same size, but overall cost would be about 4
$4500 for a new set up with everything lol. So this would technically get my feet wet temporarily, so the biggest concern would be the life expectancy on the equipment. Radions, fuge light, skimmer, etc. as those are worth the $500 if they have another 5 years of life left, but I don't know how I would feel about sitting on a scratched up tank for another 2 years or so. ‍, decisions

Could you not buy another tank to replace? it would be cheaper overall with all the equipment and lights.