Help determining value of 50g fw.

[Svenix]

Hi there,
I found a nice 50g fresh water aquarium on a local classified website. I'm not sure how much it's worth but the person is asking $190.
It's a 5 year old tank and the filter and heater are 3 years old. It comes with a 60w shop light, two 30w fluorescent bulbs, gravel, rocks, large driftwood, 9 different types of live plants, the heater and filter and a welded metal stand. They are also offereing to throw in a colony of endlers livebearers and monthly plant clippings.
Is all of this worth $190 or less?
Thanks in advance,
Svenix.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I would have to say less maybe a 130 for all but I wouldn't even want to spend that really due to its old.

 

[herp_mommy]

Maybe try and talk em down to $150. Prices and value will vary around the country, it's all really supply and demand.

 

[Brandon K.A]

I would ask 150 as well.

 

[Svenix]

That's the only thing thats bothering me about it is the age.. I have a few other options, and I'm in Canada if that helps.
I found:
65g that comes with ornaments, "all the accessories you need", some plants (not sure if they are live or fake), lid, lights, heater and fish or no fish for $150.
90g that comes with a filter, light and heater for $100
50g that is a year and a half old, comes with filter, heater, stabilizer, test kits, scrub brush, air pump and tubing, 2 caves, full plastic plant set, black rocks, roman ornament set for $200.

The thing I like so much about the $190 one is all the live plants and the driftwood. I really love live plants but they are pretty expensive. If I were to buy one of the others I'm gussing I would probably have to pay twice the amount to get the things the first one includes..

 

[Brandon K.A]

The first one still seems like a nice deal. Its loads cheaper than buying a new tank.

 

[Svenix]

I'll try to talk her down a bit then. Any advice for that? I've never bargained before

 

[fort384]

I wouldn't want to pay more than $100 for that setup. Used aquarium equipment goes for much less than people often think it should. While their starting price isn't as unreasonable as can often be found, I think paying $2/gal for a complete setup is really fair. Some folks won't pay more than $1/gal for used complete setups... but it all depends on how long you are willing to wait for a deal, and also how soft or hard the aquarium market is in your particular area.

Also, are you confident on the size of the tank? 50Gal is an odd size... so you may want to check the dimensions of the tank to confirm the volume.

 

[Svenix]

Some of the 50-55g setups are as much as $500 here. The dimensions are something like 36" x 18" x 17" or 36" x 17" x 18". I used a volume calculator for it when I had the dimensions and it came out to 53.something.

 

[fort384]

You will often see people ASKING that much, but most folks will not pay that much.

There are guys on here that have 40+ tanks that buy this kind of stuff all the time. Jetajockey wrote an interesting article on it:

Cheap Tank Buying Guide - Aquarium Advice

 

[Svenix]

Thats very true! It is wayy too much for what it is, but people want their money back. I'm just afraid that if I try to get 2$/g she will go with someone else's offer.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Thats very true! It is wayy too much for what it is, but people want their money back. I'm just afraid that if I try to get 2$/g she will go with someone else's offer.

She know she want to much that's why she was saying ill throw in all this other stuff

 

[Svenix]

I meant that part for the people asking $500 for their 50-55g setups . I was thinking I wouldn't mind paying as much as $170 for this because of all the plants and the offer of monthly clippings. I feel so torn..

 

[FishFanatic88]

I meant that part for the people asking $500 for their 50-55g setups . I was thinking I wouldn't mind paying as much as $170 for this because of all the plants and the offer of monthly clippings. I feel so torn..

Ask $170. Look at it this way, at petsmart by me one could get a 55 with crappy lights and filter that would have to he replaced. No stand, substrate or anything else of quality. Go for it, ask 170 and i bet u will get it

 

[fort384]

I'd offer $100 and see what happens. The worst she can say is no. You can always increase your bid.

 

[Brandon K.A]

Ask $170. Look at it this way, at petsmart by me one could get a 55 with crappy lights and filter that would have to he replaced. No stand, substrate or anything else of quality. Go for it, ask 170 and i bet u will get it

I agree with $170. You can spend much more at other stores for just a tank itself. This is a much better offer. If you offer too low, it might be taken as an insult to them. Think of it this way, they must have spent a ton of money on that tank when they first got it, so now they are trying to make some money back from it. This is a fair offer. Plus, if you like the plant trimmings etc, then I say go for it. Good luck!

 

[Mrc8858]

First a lot of people on here I think are forgetting this is in Canada so their $170 isn't our $170. I would say that is a reasonable price but I am a frequent CL user for my equipment and I've found a good rule of thumb is most people will post 25-50% higher then they know they'll tank.. I usually start out with half the asking price and work from there cause you can always go up but not down .... That price is reasonable though but not a steal which if you wait for you'll get.

 

[Mrc8858]

Well scratch the Exchange rate just realized usa is fractionally higher now... It's a shame :x

 

[Svenix]

Thank you guys. I'm not sure how many other offers they have but I think I feel comfortable offering $140 (only $2.5/g) and if she says no to that then I guess I'll go in ten dollar increments until $170. Even when the exchange rate is like that, everything here is still more expensive it seems..

 

[Svenix]

The tank is 50 US gallons and 40 UK gallons just incase anyone was wondering! I've decided that I will be getting it regardless of the price, it's just too good of a deal to pass up IMO.