WVWade Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Can anyone suggest a good site to buy good, cheap aquariums. I cannot pick (Ebay) Would like 40 Gallons or more. Any advice appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Your local PetCo 1/2 off tank sales are probably your best bet. Do you have one in your area? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktor zhivago Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 (edited) Buying tanks online can be problematic just due to shipping something both that large and that delicate. You also don't necessarily want to cheap out on the thing holding back many gallons of water from destroying your floors and possibly killing your fish if it leaks. Your local box store would be the best bet for cheaper aquaria as well as being able to easily return and exchange one if it leaks Edited February 20 by doktor zhivago Clarity 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOLANANO Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 On 2/20/2024 at 2:44 AM, WVWade said: Can anyone suggest a good site to buy good, cheap aquariums. I cannot pick (Ebay) Would like 40 Gallons or more. Any advice appreciated Facebook market is a good place to look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonkley Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 (edited) Facebook marketplace is littered with tanks from people who tried and gave up. Otherwise Petco or PetSmart continuously have 1/2 off tanks because they are a loss leader Edited February 20 by Lonkley 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwcarlson Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 You can pay a good price for a new tank at Petco or you can go on Facebook marketplace and pay 50% more for a used tank of unknown quality than you would have at Petco for the new. At least around here, people sell their aquariums for WAY WAY more than they're worth. I think you can get a 40 breeder at Petco for $60 or a used one on FB where I'm at for $100. 😄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOLANANO Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 On 2/20/2024 at 11:41 AM, jwcarlson said: You can pay a good price for a new tank at Petco or you can go on Facebook marketplace and pay 50% more for a used tank of unknown quality than you would have at Petco for the new. At least around here, people sell their aquariums for WAY WAY more than they're worth. I think you can get a 40 breeder at Petco for $60 or a used one on FB where I'm at for $100. 😄 The one plus of FB Marke place is that you can often times get a lot of the equipment you need along with the tank. I have not purchased anything from FB Market for my tank but I was looking fairly hard when I wanted a larger tank. I ended up getting a 75G from Petco when it went on sale though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonkley Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 And then you have currently filled 125g for 300 obo. Facebook is crazy.. requires patience though. I mean I've seen it the other way where people want full retail but those ads last forever unsold 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwcarlson Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 On 2/20/2024 at 12:49 PM, NOLANANO said: The one plus of FB Marke place is that you can often times get a lot of the equipment you need along with the tank. I have not purchased anything from FB Market for my tank but I was looking fairly hard when I wanted a larger tank. I ended up getting a 75G from Petco when it went on sale though. It depends a ton on where you live. I know a guy out in NY and he can just go find sumps seemingly at will for really good prices. There was one sump once on FB near me. There's lots of factors. I had a friend from high school contact me a year and some change ago offering to sell his 125, 90, 55, 46 bowfront, a couple 29s, a bunch of stands and filters and lights for $350. It was a great deal, but all of the filters were trash and I didn't bother trying to deal with them once I realized that. The lids in this case were also bad. But you're right, sometimes you can find a 'package' of equipment, but my experience is that it's just not worth it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOLANANO Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 On 2/20/2024 at 12:53 PM, jwcarlson said: It depends a ton on where you live. I know a guy out in NY and he can just go find sumps seemingly at will for really good prices. There was one sump once on FB near me. There's lots of factors. I had a friend from high school contact me a year and some change ago offering to sell his 125, 90, 55, 46 bowfront, a couple 29s, a bunch of stands and filters and lights for $350. It was a great deal, but all of the filters were trash and I didn't bother trying to deal with them once I realized that. The lids in this case were also bad. But you're right, sometimes you can find a 'package' of equipment, but my experience is that it's just not worth it. I was always skeptical of the "Used" filters. IDK why but it just seemed gross to me lol BUT It was offered some of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwcarlson Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 On 2/20/2024 at 1:00 PM, NOLANANO said: I was always skeptical of the "Used" filters. IDK why but it just seemed gross to me lol BUT It was offered some of the time. The *used* media wasn't included, but he did have tons of boxes of cartridges that I threw away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOLANANO Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Off topic but are HOB media cartridges the biggest scam in the fish industry? To a beginner they make it seem like you need their cartridge and that it needs to be completely replaced every month. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonkley Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 On 2/20/2024 at 11:15 AM, NOLANANO said: Off topic but are HOB media cartridges the biggest scam in the fish industry? To a beginner they make it seem like you need their cartridge and that it needs to be completely replaced every month. Yes. And it goes to show how unimportant biological filtration is. In my mind it's mostly the substrate that holds the bacteria. Otherwise tanks should seriously spike. But that is just my thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonkley Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Though to be clear. I do think they grow bacteria, it's just manufactured wanting you to throw it away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOLANANO Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 (edited) On 2/20/2024 at 2:55 PM, Lonkley said: Yes. And it goes to show how unimportant biological filtration is. In my mind it's mostly the substrate that holds the bacteria. Otherwise tanks should seriously spike. But that is just my thinking. I get what you are saying and I partly agree. I think that in an tank using "disposable" cartridges you are correct. BUT I think in tanks using more/better sponges and bio balls, bio rings, etc. there is definitely a large colony of bacteria in the filter. I'd argue this because when I used disposable cartridges, you are correct that I didn't see a spike when I changed them but that was also due to the fact that I DID in fact change them regularly which didn't give the bacteria a chance to really gain much of a foothold on the cartridges. Also the cartridges have a very thin sponge which doesn't give bacteria much surface area to live on. On the flip side, I souped up my HOB filter when I still used one with a reusable sponge and when I changed sponges after 6 months (sponge was too fine and kept getting clogged), I did see a crash. Given that experience, I would only change out a portion of the media in my cannister filter if I felt the need to because I would bet that changing it all at once would lead to a crash. Edited February 20 by NOLANANO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonkley Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 I agree entirely, but used as directed not so much 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 On 2/20/2024 at 12:41 PM, jwcarlson said: You can pay a good price for a new tank at Petco or you can go on Facebook marketplace and pay 50% more for a used tank of unknown quality than you would have at Petco for the new. At least around here, people sell their aquariums for WAY WAY more than they're worth. I think you can get a 40 breeder at Petco for $60 or a used one on FB where I'm at for $100. 😄 I picked mine up on the side of the street free 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 (edited) For my Tetra Whisper IQ filters, I added a coarse sponge to the front blue plastic lattice. I have several of these and have not changed them or maintained them at all (the goal is to never touch them). I just replace the "biobag" (behind the lattice), which costs about $0.50 if you buy them in bulk. Edited February 25 by Galabar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVWade Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 On 2/25/2024 at 12:29 AM, johnnyxxl said: I picked mine up on the side of the street free No offense but that was not helpful at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 When you say "I cannot pick," what do you mean by that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 Best price is going to be the dollar per gallon sale. But our lfs has prices comparable to that normally. So just depends. Facebook marketplace can have some really good deals. You might just have to look there for awhile. It could take months to find what you’re looking for. But you’d want to have the ability to check its seal before you pick it up. And reseal it after purchase if needed. I know kgtropicals got one of their big tanks there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billipo Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 2/25/24 (today!) last day of sale @ PetSmart 40 Gallon Topfin Aquarium $59.99. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonkley Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 On 2/25/2024 at 5:58 AM, Billipo said: 2/25/24 (today!) last day of sale @ PetSmart 40 Gallon Topfin Aquarium $59.99. Then it will be Petco's turn, one or the other always runs. Still jealous of those within driving reach of the Co-Op. Those are nice tanks fairly priced. Also when you talk about Facebook, there are other brands than Aqueon, that are built better than to begin with. When I returned to the hobby, I was able to pick up a full setup 45 hex for $50. It's a really nice tank other than being impossible top reach your arm to the bottom. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 My best pickup on Craigslist was an almost completely new, free 55 tank and stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 I would look at all these places people have mentioned and see what has the cheaper option, marketplace is a good one, others as well, I was gonna say Amazon but not sure how “cheap you are wanting”? @WVWade. Petsmart is the best tho IMO, sometimes they have sales on their topfin aquariums, for example I got mine super super cheap for a new year sale, jus have to keep an eye out, if u have a local petsmart that is @WVWade 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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