Buy a used tank with ice in or not?

[Smiling Paul]

I went to buy a used tank thsy was for sale the other night. They had stored it in the garden and had 2 inches of ice in the bottom. The seller didn't fill me with confidence in any way so I wouldn't of bought it anyway but used the ice damaging the seal as a reason not to buy it but it got me thinking. 

 

Would a couple of inches of ice in the bottom damage the seal at all? Would you still buy it? Has anyone on here any experience of ice damaging seals or s it fine?

 

Thanks

Edited December 16, 2022 by Smiling Paul

[nabokovfan87]

It's a tank that has been outside, for some unknown amount of time, so it's a major red flag for me.  I wouldn't have purchased it.  Long term heat / cold and outside conditions aren't good for tanks.

Sun, UV, and Temperature exposure to the tanks isn't something that would be good long term.

[drewzero1]

If the ice where you live freezes as solid as it is here, I also wouldn't risk it. Even without visible damage to the glass, stress on the seals is difficult to impossible to determine. It's not worth the risk of leakage or collapse.

[Flumpweesel]

I have over 4 inches of ice in various containers in my yard I wouldn't touch anything made out of glass that has been left outside with water in it.

Very disappointing for you. But best to be safe 

[DaveO]

Water expands when it freezes so it probably did serious damage to the tank. You made the right call on this one.