Considering selling my reef tank...Advice?

[BlackTip]

I am considering selling my thriving 325g reef tank. I am getting into new hobby, and I rather allocate my time and resources there. I don't want to break it down. I want to find a new home for everything. I will keep it otherwise.

I posted it on craigslist, and there wasn't any interest for the whole system. Any advice on how to find a new home?

Here is a video I took several month ago.

<div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:46.67%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZyME4pr7DoE?ecver=2" style="position:absolute;width:70%;height:70%;left:0" width="771" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

 

[mcgyvr]

I had to hack the forum/page for it to view properly as your video was huge and covered up everything past your text. I couldn't even access the reply box..
(A big part being the absolute css positioning on the iframe)

Hopefully you or the moderators can correct your attachment..

Good luck..
This forum has a for sale section.. Maybe you should post it there..
Go to your local fish store and maybe you can stick up a for sale banner there or maybe they might want it..
Try facebook.
Try other for sale sites..

 

[BlackTip]

I had to hack the forum/page for it to view properly as your video was huge and covered up everything past your text. I couldn't even access the reply box..
(A big part being the absolute css positioning on the iframe)

Hopefully you or the moderators can correct your attachment..

Good luck..
This forum has a for sale section.. Maybe you should post it there..
Go to your local fish store and maybe you can stick up a for sale banner there or maybe they might want it..
Try facebook.
Try other for sale sites..

Thanks!. I had to get the URL from the page source to get to the edit page. It is viewable now.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Almost every time a system goes up for sale they end up parting out.
BUT--Good Luck with it you could be the exception. Nice Tank!
Take mcgyvr's advice.

 

[Constantine]

Let me ask this question...

If you were back at the start of the hobby setting up your beautify 325 gal display, would you have gone to CL and just bought one that someone else had going, or start yours the way you wanted? I don't think there is a huge market for 325 gal reefs, the people in that tiny market are the kind of people that want to do their own scape and pick everything themselves.

Are you trying to avoid the hassle of dealing with a lot of people, or do you have an emotional connection that wants to see it stay together? I read it as the second.

Other points:
-If someone moves your whole setup together and tries to cram it all back in the tank, there is no way that goes back together without breaking a lot of coral. If parted out, people can take a rock with a large monti cap and add it to the tank they've already got.
-You might try to contact any kind of zoo or public aquarium.

Personally, it frustrates me when I see those listings on Craigslist. I have a hard time finding healthy fish from local stores, so I would love to buy fish out of someone's tank that has been cared for and are disease free, but they won't sell part of it.

In all likelihood, someone will eventually buy the whole thing from you and then make thousands selling it completely fragged.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Fourstars]

I looked into hiring a mover to help me move a large tank for sale on CL. Even though it was a killer deal after paying the mover it was cheaper to go all new. Piece it out and make back your money.

I would love to have that tank:hmm5:

 

[BlackTip]

To answer few questions:

First, I am doing this half hearted, and I still love the tank and the hobby. What makes this good deal for someone is the cost and huge time saving. Even after hiring local company to move, which is the only way to go, the cost saving is substantial. More importantly, the time saving. It took me more than 18 months and hundreds of hours using 2 quarantine tanks to quarantine all of the animals. Everything is quarantined for minimum of 2 months. The corals came form ORA or captive-bred colonies. No pests of any kind. The system was carefully designed and built for redundancy. And, the gorgeous genuine mahogany cabinet is just stunning.

Starting a tank from scratch is challenging and exciting no doubt.

 

[Constantine]

Wow! How do you get a tank like that in 18 months! Wow!

Looks amazing. When I see a tank like that, I think 5-10 years. I guess good things in reef keeping can be done fast.

 

[BlackTip]

Wow! How do you get a tank like that in 18 months! Wow!

Looks amazing. When I see a tank like that, I think 5-10 years. I guess good things in reef keeping can be done fast.

The tank is about 3 years now. I haven't added any livestock for 14 months. The video was filmed several months ago. All of the corals started as small (1") frags. All of the fishes were bought from LA in the small sizes. Many were lost during the QT process.

 

[Daddyrawg]

What's your new hobby? That tank is a Beast

 

[BlackTip]

What's your new hobby? That tank is a Beast

Thanks.
High performance driving.

 

[EMeyer]

I see two strategies, neither is right or wrong.

If you want to sell it all, and in reasonable time frame:
1. part it out. there is little to no demand for whole systems.
2. your prices should be at most 1/2 of the new price, and then only for mint-condition items.

Alternatively, you could do a lot of advertising and waiting and maybe find one of the few buyers in the market for a used, intact system. Good luck.

 

[mattgumaer]

Thanks.
High performance driving.

You decided that the cost and depreciation associated with the reef keeping hobby wasn't enough?

Beautiful tank by the way but, as others have suggested, likely very difficult to sell as a whole. It sounds like you're in no rush though, so, it might make sense to at least try to sell it as a complete system, understanding that it will take some time and you might have to deal with some 'tire kickers' along the way. At worst, it won't sell and you'll satisfy yourself that your practical choices may be to keep it or part it out. Good luck.

Matt

 

[BlackTip]

You decided that the cost and depreciation associated with the reef keeping hobby wasn't enough?

Beautiful tank by the way but, as others have suggested, likely very difficult to sell as a whole. It sounds like you're in no rush though, so, it might make sense to at least try to sell it as a complete system, understanding that it will take some time and you might have to deal with some 'tire kickers' along the way. At worst, it won't sell and you'll satisfy yourself that your practical choices may be to keep it or part it out. Good luck.

Matt

You will be surprised to know that the tank maintenance including high quality frozen food, electricity, and water is about $160 a month. It has been like this for 20 months now. I designed the system for the lowest and least maintenance possible.

The issue is time, and care giving while travelling and vacationing. Although, I have a good friend, who is a reef keeper, that take care of the tank while I am away, I still have worries especially when we are in another country for weeks at a time.

 

[Kevin Guthrie]

Consider posting your location; maybe somebody here will bite.

 

[Joe0813]

don't do it... you'll regret it like everyone else does. especially where your tank is in such good shape

 

[carrots]

Wow a beautiful tank. The hobby is losing a true master. I have tried to sell 2 complete systems in the past and was never able to. I couldn't bring myself to let it go for almost nothing. Needless to say I have a shed full of old equipment and tanks. My advice is to sell off the corals and fish to a local LFS and then advertise the equipment at a price someone local can't refuse. Forget about what you paid for it and get rid of it. You will be making another reefer's dream come true. Best of luck in your new hobby.

 

[no1bubba]

You’ll Be sorry. I have HAD to do it three times due to moves and i lost so much, the buyers confessed they made out like bandets on my situation. It never took an entire month for me to be wanting to start another.....now I have two and a beasment full of equipment I keep telling myself “I might need it sometime”. Wish I was younger and were closer I would volunteer to tank sit for you anytime. I wish you the very best

 

[sde1500]

Very likely it would be MUCH easier to part out.

 

[ca1ore]

I agree that it is hard to sell a complete system. Partly because most of your addressable market already has a tank, and partly because it ends up seeming like a big number and scares people off. My sense is that your livestock would be easy to sell - fish and coral sell like hotcakes here in NY/CT. Equipment goes relatively easily as long as you can stomach 50% or less. Big tanks are hard to move and you end up almost giving them away. When I recently sold a 4 year old 265, I got about 10% of original price.