# Advice On A Used 180G



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Thanks for your help in advance...

I was searching CL, and found a 180g --Here is what the ad says:

This tank is currently filled and the pumps are operating. You get:
Tank
Stand - not a furniture piece but very strong.
2 lights
2 600gpm pumps
2 sumps

There is a lot of rock in the tank including Texas Holy Rock. Substrate. A couple plants (one real). No fish.

I may consider breaking this apart but would like to do everything together if possible.

Ask all the questions you want via email. . .

He is asking $850..

Is this a good deal? Thanks again!!


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## RedneckR0nin (Nov 5, 2008)

I think if he dropped down to 500 for it all would be a great deal. Most I find that sell fish tanks just want to get rid of them if they advertise on kijiji or CL. That all brand new up here would be about 3K so if you factor in conversion be around 2750 I figure giver/take. If it is all in mint condition then 5 bills is fair...too much out there in this market to be real choosy what you sell used equipment for I find!


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## Ba20 (Jan 29, 2003)

yeah 850 is high


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

You can find much better deals than that Dippy......

If you looking for tank...I'll keep my eyes open in that area.......I got a few friends over at MFK that may be game to get rid of a larger tank for a good deal









$850 is ridiculous for that setup...Atleast without info or details on the specifics....


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

I agree... with that price, I'd just buy brand new...


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Copy that!!

Great info, and thank you very much for the advice, everyone!

I was certainly thinking it was high.. He sent me pics that weren't very revealing too.

I really don't know what I'm looking at as far as sumps, he says the tank comes with 2 sumps, and 2 pumps.. If anyone can tell me what to look for with this set up, please do, I'm sump illiterate!!

If he is willing to drop the price, I'll check it out. AK, if you can hook me up with a good deal, I'd certainly be willing to seriously check it out.

The good thing about this tank, is the stand is very sturdy looking. (as far as what I can see)

So if anyone can give me a price to shoot for on this one, please let me know.. 500$?

Would that be a good deal??

Thanks again in advance!


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

OK, here are the lame pics that he sent me..

Could be just bad pics, but there might be a reason for it..

HELP!!


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

If it had a beautiful furniture quality stand, I'd possibly consider it at around $500, but even if you value the used tank and other equipment on the high end around $300-400, he's wanting a lot of money on top for what is essentially $75-100 worth of lumber in that stand.

Would love to see what you'd do with a tank that size


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Thanks for your input, Joe.

So what would be the price you would go with for this, $400?

And if you wouldn't buy this one, why not?

THANKS!!


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

If the tank glass is in great shape and the pumps and sumps look to be in good working order, I'd probably pay $400.

I would definitely buy it if the price was right -- looking at the pics, you are basically paying for just a used tank and the sumps because that stand is something that you or anyone with basic carpentry skills could throw together in just a few hours for less than $100. You could order a new tank, build a nicer stand, and put together some sump filtration for much less than what this guy is asking for his used setup, so I'd keep that in mind if you decide to haggle with him.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

OK Thanks Joe!!!

I emailed him and said if the glass was in great shape, and sumps n pumps were in good working order, I'd pay $400.

What should I look for w/ the sumps?
I don't know what they are all about hah..

Thanks again!!


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> OK Thanks Joe!!!
> 
> I emailed him and said if the glass was in great shape, and sumps n pumps were in good working order, I'd pay $400.
> 
> ...


Cracks or yellowing of the acrylic... if they are older or abused they will have small spider cracks in places of stress (baffles?)
Also look where any holes were drilled, or any modifications made like cuts or baffles removed. 
If you can run the pumps, even in a bucket of water, feel for vibration and listen to how loud they are.

Seems to be in fair shape from the pics.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

^^What he said...^^

The pump in the picture isn't very expensive brand new, probably less than $50 and it's 600 GPH not GPM, not sure if they are both the same model.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Thanks GUYS

Hey, would 2 of those sumps be adequate for this tank?

Thoughts?

AGAIN THANK YOU


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Kinda hard to tell for sure how big they are from the pics, but they look to be pretty decent sized.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

The guy wrote me back and said he was going to re-post this setup for $650

I told him if he still can't sell it, I have his $400.

Man, it's tempting though!!

AK, where are your buds from MFK?? Who's got a 180 or so for sale??


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## Ba20 (Jan 29, 2003)

Id check into getting a reeflo snapper or higher end mag drive.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

So the guy wrote me back, and asked if I would go $500, that he has 150-200$ in rock and driftwood in there..

I told him to sell the rock and driftwood by themselves, and sell me the sumps, pumps, lights, stand, and tank for $400.

I plan on building this into a wall anyway, that would be a waste of a nice stand, eh?

If he wants to sell it for $400, do you think that is a good deal?


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> So the guy wrote me back, and asked if I would go $500, that he has 150-200$ in rock and driftwood in there..
> 
> I told him to sell the rock and driftwood by themselves, and sell me the sumps, pumps, lights, stand, and tank for $400.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I would pay it...


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Schweet!

He took the bait, and went for the $400!

I might go and see it tomorrow, I will bring my camera and snap a few descriptive pics and post here.

Hehehehee!


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Check the center brace of main tank---Make sure that it has zero bow in it man....
He got took to the bank if that driftwood and rock cost that much..see if you can get it without the driftwood and rock......
Equipment wise-Subpar stuff really...But would get the job done in the hands of a skilled person......Depending on stocking that is.....

I would pay the price in a min...But I'm not so familar with what people ask for stuff in your area....(I can't touch a 180 for less than $1500)


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

I will make sure the center brace is straight.. I'll take a pic of it when I go there.

He is giving me most of the driftwood and rock lol

Subpar sump? what if I upgraded the pumps?

I'm not going to overstock the tank.

Well, maybe









OK, now that I might buy this tank... What to stock it with? Is it possible to go with Pbass? and if so, can you do any tankmates that are much different than them?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Congrats man, hopefully he doesn't change his mind and everything checks out when you get there.

6 discus and 100 or so rummy noses would look really nice in a big planted tank.


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

JoeDizzleMPLS said:


> Congrats man, hopefully he doesn't change his mind and everything checks out when you get there.
> 
> 6 discus and 100 or so rummy noses would like really nice in a big planted tank.


Agreed.....

I just mean I like overkill Dippy-The bigger the sump the better off you are is all..........They will work


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

I'm fighting the urge to go Rhom and a large school of tetras of some sort.

But I seriously won't be doing anything with the tank until I finish my basement.

I'm not going to risk having a 1 ton tank on my main level.. the house is way too small anyway lol

I'm thinking about building it into the wall down there. Viewable from 2 sides, 1 side on the corner of a wall, and the rest when you walk all the way in.


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## Red Sox Fanatic (Jun 13, 2011)

Good luck with your purchase!!!


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

TY man..

Going to go check it out and possibly buy it on thursday


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

So, I finally went there to check it out.

The setup is pretty cool. The 2 sumps are plumbed together, and not leaking, and working good.

The tank is drilled on the bottom, and has built in overflows on both sides.

The sumps have an overflow built in so you can feed a tube down the drain just in case.

The stand seems sturdy enough, (double 2x4's) and it's higher than a normal stand so you don't have to bend over to look in.

The only bummer is that the glass has some scratches on it, (not TOO bad) but noticeable. Oh, and the tank is probably about 10yrs maybe older.

Still $400..

The cool thing is that he knows some of my old musician buddys, and he's a guitar player. He busted out his strat for me, and I was bustin' some Hendrix on it for him. He dug it lol


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## Ægir (Jan 21, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> So, I finally went there to check it out.
> 
> The setup is pretty cool. The 2 sumps are plumbed together, and not leaking, and working good.
> 
> ...


Well talk him down a little more... a glass buffing kit will cost about 100$, and a good afternoon of your time if the scratches are minor! We buffed the 155 bow out, and the scratches could be felt with your fingernail. You might want to check the silicone seals in the corners, and just redo them while you have it dried out. After that it will be good as new and you will have no worries.

PM me if you want the link to the glass buffing, or have any questions about setting it up.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

That's really cool! Thanks!

Man, 100$ for glass bufing? I had no idea you could even do that..

Link please?

I don't know if he will come down any further...

So you can't see the scratches at all when you are done>?

And about the silicone, I'm not planning on filling this tank for about 6 months, so that is plenty of time to do whatever I need to it.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Well

I pulled the trigger!

It's mine, and he threw in a couple of 250w stealth heaters.

I just have to pick it up. I decided to pay the man after the 3rd attempt to pick it up failed.

He is a good dude, he won't stiff me I don't think. I know some peeps he knows, and we sort of hit it off on a good note when I met him..

Now, all I have to do is finish my basement, and read up on my soil substrate I'm going to go with on this setup!

That's it?? lol


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Congrats Buddy-Can't wait to see what ya can do with it.....


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

AKSkirmish said:


> Congrats Buddy-Can't wait to see what ya can do with it.....


Thanks AK!!

It won't be up and running for a good long while.. Gotta finish the basement, and all that happy stuff..

But if my angels are still alive when this goes up, I will have all those fish in there for now.

I plan on eventually going with a rhom, with an established cherry shrimp, and endler population in there for him to eat if he wants a snack..

And of course, with a ton of live plants to help with water quality, and beauty


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