I've been tankless for a dozen years. Broke it down and sold it when I got a new house, new kids etc. Started looking around for another recently. Came across a doctors office looking to move their old display tank. Was a professionally maintained 200 gal reef that overheated and killed everything. They drained the tank and let it sit for 2 years. Rock, coral and sand still in it. Crusted salt on everything, sump has a 1/4 inch of salt, skimmer full of dried gunk etc. Tank is all custom built acrylic with hand made stand, built-in sump etc. They paid $8K+ for it new. I can pick it up for a few hundred bucks; maybe. I'm on the fence as it's more than twice the size I was looking for and unsure if I can get everything clean. Pump is probably trashed, and who knows what else. Thoughts?
Getting back into it... Look what I found.
- Thread starter rcpd34
- Start date
Crooked Reef
Active member
A few hundred bucks for just a tank in that size is a bargain. I would snatch it up. Clean the skimmer and pumps and all equipment with a vinegar soak. Leave some tap water in the tank and sump to dissolve the salt and then drain it and refill it with good water. Get rid of the sand and start new with dry sand. Look up what to do with the rocks, but you can reuse them with some prep. Look at it this way, if it has 200 pounds of rock at even $3 a pound for new dry rock, thats a $600 value right there.
toothybugs
New member
That's an incredible deal. Like Crook said, pick it up, flush the junk out of it with tap and take your time cleaning it up. You can probably reuse the sand if you want to take the time washing it, but sand is also relatively cheap. Or you could always go barebottom too.
For scale, I watched a "cheap" glass 210 get sold this last weekend - the tank alone was 1095. 600 more for rock, another 2-500 for the sump... you get the idea.
Just be careful not to end up scratching the acrylic - it doesn't clean up like glass does. Looks better when wet but doesn't allow much scraping.
I'm jealous, for whatever that is worth.
For scale, I watched a "cheap" glass 210 get sold this last weekend - the tank alone was 1095. 600 more for rock, another 2-500 for the sump... you get the idea.
Just be careful not to end up scratching the acrylic - it doesn't clean up like glass does. Looks better when wet but doesn't allow much scraping.
I'm jealous, for whatever that is worth.
shesacharmer
New member
As stated it's a great deal and the equipment is probably high end. Don't assume it's all broken. A good vinegar soak can do miraculous things. Get the rock into some containers of ASW with a small power head and be extra gentle with the acrylic. They make a fill kit to clear up scratches in acrylic if you make a boo boo but try not to. It's a steal man.
Ok; I offered $300 and after a few days they came back at $500. I declined and the ad was renewed. Today he came back at $400 and threw in 2 VHO Actinic and 1 Metal Halide bulb. I countered with $350 which was accepted. I'm happy, but a little worried that I bit off more than I can chew. Should be able to get it home this weekend. Not even sure how to transport something this big.
whosurcaddie
New member
That's an insane deal.
Well, I got the tank. We had to cut some PVC to separate the tank from the stand, but it came out fairly painlessly. Here is a couple of pics of when it was up and running before the crash. I should point out the rock was all gone except for what was in the refugium. They just threw it away... 
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whosurcaddie
New member
I can't believe people would just throw that amount of rock away. It's like grabbing a wad of hundreds and stuffing it down the drain.
iceet
New member
It was probably not worth the doctors time or space to try to store and sell off the rock. The average doctor makes about 150k so for him to make an ad and deal with potential buyers may not be worth it as far as the time required. Doctors are extremely busy people. That is probably why the OP got such a sweet deal on this thing, the doc wanted it out of there.
If i had to guess, the rock started to smell and they just couldn't have that in an office. The Doc does cosmetic surgery, so I'm sure he's fairly well off. He was very nice and offered to help if I had any questions. Anyone have any tips or tricks on how to clean up a tank this big? The sump is huge as well.
Reefer4evaa
New member
Lots and lots of white vinegar...seriously though I would put all the submersible equipment in the tank and fill it with water and white vinegar..maybe even have a powerhead move some of the water..after a day or two(depending on how bad of shape its in you can try scrubbing everything
