Where to get an Aquarium

[kidafius]

I HAVE to get a bigger aquarium. Is it "a" or "an" bigger aquarium? Anywho, the cheapest I've found is $510 or what I want: 48x24x24 Glass, 2 corner overflows, and two holes drilled in each overflow. I have to install the overflows myself.

Same website quoted me $850 for said aquarium but everything installed. The place is http://www.wetdryfilter.com

Anyone have a better suggestion? I'm between Houston, Dallas, and Austin in Texas.

 

[steve-s]

You will find that your best deals by far will come from your local "buy & sell" or classified section in the newspaper. I have always seen great deals (less than ½) compared to new.

You can also check with your LFS. Many times stores that actually stock tanks will be "negotiable" as well as having used tanks from upgrading their own displays.

Cheers
Steve

 

[fishfreek]

Look around local. You might find someone who needs to get rid of a 90 gal aquarium in the paper.

 

[targaboy78]

eBay is always an option but I would highly recommend searching within your region (so you can pick it up in person) otherwise, the shipping costs will rob you of any potential savings.

 

[BillyZ]

what you're paying for are the overflows and drilling. I purchased a tank the with the same dimensions you gave for $100. It was acrylic. I understand the preference for a dilled aquarium but a HOT overflow can work just as well and you'll be saving yourself a good chunk of change.

Anyone know of any tidbits in the DIY section about drilling tanks yourself?


btw, in RE to "a" or "an", a rule of thumb, if the first letter of the following word is a vowel, use "an" otherwise use "a"

so it's either an aquarium or a fish tank. )

 

[Gauge]

I bought my 42-gal hex with 2x55w PCs, and a CPR Backpack2 filter for $150 on ebay. I was lucky and found it to be local. I have a friend who found a tank online for a really good deal that was a few states away. He just took a trip, picked up the tank, took a few days vacation, and came back with a good deal on a fish tank.

 

[glstine]

If you want to drive down to Houston you could check with Fish Land and Fish R Us. They have pretty good prices on tanks.

 

[maiceman]

If the word following the use of "a" or "an" starts with a vowel then use the word "an". In all other cases use the word "a".

I agree that used is usually much cheaper but buyer beware.. .make sure you see the unit filled with water and not leaking before buying.

 

[Hara]

There is a place in houston called "fish land". They had the best deals I have ever seen on tanks. If I am remembering correctly, they had a 125 gallon reefready, stand and stock lighting for 599. It was an oceanic tank. I would give them a call.

 

[lbaier]

what does a reefready tank include?

 

[fishfreek]

A reef ready tank includes corner overflows. Basicly they are tanks that have the halfround black overflows in the back corner(s). They are also drilled from the bottom to take water from these overflows down into your sump or wet/dry.

Thats about the only difference.

 

[Hara]

Reefready tanks are predrilled, have the overflow boxes built in and some come with the fittings and things to run it to your sump.

 

[lbaier]

haha i'm new at this, bare with me... what is the sump, and what is the overflow...

 

[BillyZ]

Sumps Explained

an overflow is simply a tank partition or box within the tank that collects water as it rises to a set height (thats the overflow part) the water collected is then siphoned or pumped to other "things" usualy a sump or filters etc.

 

[Hara]

ok, I am probably the worst person in the world to try to explain this stuff, but here goes and I know the other guys will jump in and fix my descriptions...
Essentially, it a tank like the above described one, another tank, half full of water (sump) sits underneath the main tank. It too, is usually drilled. A water pump, takes water from this smaller tank and shoves it up to the top tank, thereby making it "overflow" into the overflow boxes. The main tank has drilled holes inside these boxes and hose or pipe will run from the main tank, back into the sump. So you have one big water loop. This circulates the water. Most people put heaters, skimmers in the sump, to keep them out of sight. Also, some sumps are partitioned so that you can add more liverock and plants to help filter your water. When this is done, the sump becomes a "refugium".

Hopefully I have not confused you too much