buying a used tank?

[nicandkris02]

I came across an excellent deal on a used tank that was freshwater. The tank still has the gravel and some water in it but hasnt been used in 2 weeks. There is some blue/green color on the inside of the tank. (in the corners) Is is okay to turn into saltwater? Ive heard of not buying if copper was used in it but im not sure on the color to beware of.

 

[ionredline0260]

look for scratches, I got a 46G bow front that looked good, it was covered in green algea, got it and cleaned it up and it's scratched beyond belief and now all I could hope for in it is a dwarf lion of some sort, was to scratched to be a nice display reef tank.

 

[Icefire]

should be all right, probably malachite green/methylene blue.

silicone isn't porous

 

[Young Frankenstein]

Check for cracks and scraches

 

[awestruck]

It will probably be a good way to start and save some $ IF it doesn't have leaks or scratches. The best way to see scratches is to fill it with water. It's a chore to do this but better than buying it and then finding the scratches. Also, the gravel and green stuff isn't a problem. Just empty it and clean it really, really well with warm water and white vinegar and then rinse it like crazy. Good luck!

 

[asm481]

The blue on the silicone would worry me. It says meds were added to the tank at least once. I have never tried a tank like that to see if it leaches copper. Of course if going FOWLR it might be OK. No shrimp, crabs or inverts.

 

[FZ1Rider]

I would tell the seller you need to see the tank filled. That's what I did with mine He filled it when I picked it up. Be careful of leaks that could develop because of age. I would stay away from a 10 year old tank but if it just has a few years on it then it should be good.

Peter

 

[awestruck]

Yes, I agree with FZ1rider. It's not worth saving money if the tank literally falls apart. On the other hand, many people do purchase used tanks and have great luck with it and save money at the same time.