new fishtank setup

[spyyro]

Ok, I'm having trouble finding a good buy on a fishtank setup for me to upgrade from my current 29 gal system. I've found a couple on Craigslist only to find out they've been sold and then was about to close the deal on a nice 90 gal setup and then the owner changed their mind about selling it. So... I found another one for $325 originally but she dropped the price to $250 because she was questioning the integrity of the tank and the components that came with it. She was basically asking for the $250 primarily for the stand. It is a custom made teak wood stand made by her brother who died last year (he was a cabinet maker). The stand looks nice and I know teak wood is a very tough and hardy wood. **it was used for the decks of the old battleships** She says she knows the tank used to have a leak but she is pretty sure that her brother told her he repaired it, but she isn't absolutely positive and doesn't want to sell it on a definite and something be wrong. (I really appreciate her honesty!). So the question really is... how difficult would it be to repair the tank if it does end up needing it? Also, the top cover glass is cracked and would possibly need to be repaired (just the glass that the light sits on) I'm not sure it would even be a necessity to be repaired... right? It also comes with a canister filter (it's quite old though - Magnum 330), gravel and lights. What you think??? Once again... just for the stand I think that's a good deal...

Thanks in advance!

 

[plecoperson]

Unless you would pay $250 just for the stand, I'd give it a miss. Personally, I wouldn't want my initial re-sealing experiment to be on a 90 gal tank.

 

[spyyro]

I think the stand is worth the $250 and that's why I would consider the buy. A new stand for that size aquarium would be quite expensive... a lot more than the $250. She also says she's pretty sure that the tank was repaired. I would obviously fill the tank outside here and let it set overnight to make sure there is no leak. So, the tank and accessories are just "extra" and if it ends up actually having a leak I was wondering how difficult that would be to repair. A guy at work told me it isn't that difficult to do...

Also, do the canister filters ever "wear out"? What maintenance and/or upkeep do they require?

 

[tropicfishman]

I want a 265 gallon tank in my dining room, I think it would be awesome!!!

 

[Plecosterone]

I am a carpenter/contractor/cabinetmaker myself and the stand alone is definitely worth the money. The teak alone is probably worth at least $120.00 Cdn. and I know I wouldn't build you one for $130.00 labor. Re-sealing a tank is not difficult, just time consuming. Canister filters, if properly looked after, pretty much last forever. There is not too much to go wrong with them except maybe the impeller which is a fairly cheap item to replace considering how long they last.