Finally found an aquarium!!!

**piper_chuck** · 01-18-2009, 10:20 PM

As some people know, I've been looking for an aquarium partly to begin teaching my daughter to take care of animals and partly because I like aquariums. I've been weighing my options and searching local stores and Craigslist for the last month or so. A few weeks ago I settled on the 75 gallon size as being the best for the location I'm going to put the tank. I had also decided I would probably build my own stand and hood unless a really good deal came along. I was beginning to give up hope of finding a good deal on a tank and was just about to buy a new one. Today my search for a tank is over.

Someone listed an 80 gallon tank on Craigslist a week or so ago. I talked to him Friday night and he said he had some other stuff to go with it. Today I went to look at it and took it home. The entire package included:
80 gallon tank (it's about 6 years old, not sure of the brand)
Glass top and a 4' light strip
Ugly oak stand (doesn't matter, I'll be making my own)
Nearly new 10 gallon tank with fluorescent hood
Magnum 350 and Emporer 400 filters
Whisper 1 and Whisper 2 filters
Python (looks to be around 50 feet)
Two milk crates overflowing with slate and other rocks
40 pounds of Aragonite (He had the tank setup for cichlids)
Two air pumps
Several nets in excellent condition
Brand new 300W Visi-Therm Deluxe heater
A submersible pump and another one for a pond
And a few more misc things
All this for $220.

I've cleaned and tested everything but the two big filters. So far, it all works fine. Haven't leak tested the tanks yet, but the seals all looked ok before I bought them. I'll setup the big one in the garage and fill it when it gets a bit warmer.

Time to finalize the plans for the stand and hood and start building.

**SamAnthrax** · 01-18-2009, 10:22 PM

Wow. That is a really good deal!

**piper_chuck** · 01-18-2009, 10:22 PM

One thing I have to decide is whether to keep the Magnum and Emperor filters or sell them and go with something else. In my research I had pretty much decided to get a Rena XP3, but maybe I should give the ones I got a try first.

**piper_chuck** · 01-18-2009, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by SamAnthrax

Wow. That is a really good deal!

Thanks, I thought so too. I didn't even know about the 10 gallon tank or the Python when I went there. He just kept pulling out more stuff!

**Rue** · 01-18-2009, 10:27 PM

Wow! Good things come to he who waits! Excellent.

Post a picture...I wanna see the cabinet!

**Demi ^_^** · 01-18-2009, 10:28 PM

OMG! Thats a STEEEAAALLLL! LOL

**Northernguy** · 01-18-2009, 10:36 PM

That is a good steal of a deal!

You saved yourself several hundred dollars on supplies.

If you need plans for a stand let me know or there is a few good ones on line.

**Sharon** · 01-18-2009, 11:10 PM

That's a great deal!!! You're going to have so much fun!!!

**korith** · 01-18-2009, 11:59 PM

It's a nice deal. That's the great thing about buying things off craigslist. You buy the tank but get all the little extras thrown in. It's usually those little items that add $$$ up really quick.

**piper_chuck** · 01-19-2009, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by Rue

Wow! Good things come to he who waits! Excellent.

Post a picture...I wanna see the cabinet!

If I think of it tomorrow, I'll go out an snap one. It ended up on a workbench in the garage. It's too chilly out there right now. When it warms a bit I'm going to give it a second look to see if it could be made acceptable or not.