Buying tank - Local, distant, quality

[Capslock]

Hello,

Ideally I am looking for a 70 - 75 gallon tank that is 30" tall. I did find one tank online that is this high and I think 15" deep but unfortunatly it was acrilic and my heart is set on glass. This tank however was $600 by itself

Now today I go online and found a few Glass tanks that were in the range of 65 to 85 gallons that were only 25" high but came with a real wood cabinet and top; these were as high as $900 and as low as $450! Oh, these were also 'seemless bow front' tanks.

So now I am getting a little worried. How is it that a tank can cost so much, then another tank that is smaller and comes with a base and top cost less?

Has anyone bought their tank online, did you buy just the tank or did it come with the base (I like the idea of buying a tank with a base that was designed for that specific tank). How can I judge the quality of the tank if purchased online; I wouldnt want to finish filling the tank only for it to collapse on me.

Most importantly, how was the tank delivered to you if you bought online?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Brian5000]

If you're looking for cheap, 75 gallons is a pretty standard size for an aquarium. I think you can find one at a local fish store for around $100. Standard size is 48"x18"x24". For something taller, a cube design might be what you're looking for.

I think it's kinda hard shop for aquariums online (I don't even want to know what it costs to ship an aquarium to someone's house). Most people who do are looking for a gigantic aquarium or a unique shape. They pay a premium for custom work too. The prices you've found online are for custom work and a lot of craftmanship went into building them. You won't have to pay nearly as much for some stock aquarium at the local Fish Mart.
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what is inflation

 

[mr_X]

check craigslist too. sometimes you can get a real good deal on a used tank from some reefer close to you that might be breaking down/getting out of the hobby. then you can get the whole ball of wax- skimmer, lights, live rock...

meanwhile, i bought my new tank online. a company called glass cages. it's hit or miss with them. some are happy with their purchases, and some are less than happy. they bring them on a truck to a reptile convention near you and you go meet them there.
another company i was considering gave me a quote with shipping to my door, and then when i was ready to commit, they tried to charge me an extra 200 dollars for shipping. since this tank was already 500 more than glass cages quoted me, the rest is history.
i really don't think you are going to order a tank from anyone, and it's gonna come to you leaky, however, i do think there are differences in craftmanship. view this-
http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.p ... experience

 

[cindre2000]

New tanks can cost you an arm and a leg, while used tank drop a lot in resale. I would say that you should check out glasscages and set that as the minimum you probably will be paying. There may also be some custom fabricators closer to you that will charge more; however, they usually are easier to deal with (unless you got thick skin and don't mind 'cosmetic' blemishes).

Also remember, shipping is the killer for glass tanks, even if a more local company charges you more, you might save money due to shipping costs.

 

[cindre2000]

Oh yeah, another thing. Always pay for the tank with a credit card or through paypal so that you can get your money back if there is something wrong. Be sure to always give it a thorough check when you receive it if it gets shipped (any damage would be the shippers fault; good for you and the company you bought it from). You should also leak check the tank fairly quickly since if the tank sits empty for 6 months and then you finally find out it leaks, you probably ain't getting your money back.

 

[Capslock]

All good news, thank you for the info. I found a site called 4fishtank.com and a couple dealers for them are actually right near me, so I imagine that worse case scenario I can always pick something like this up? Of course this leads to my next few questions.

What does a 75 gallon tank weigh just on its own. Say I pick something of this size up, could myself and the girl I live with, who you can imagine would be significantly weaker, be able to handle bringing this in or should I call the reinforcements?


Has anyone been paranoid about the weight of the tank? A 75 gallon tank plus all of its inhabitants and the base of the tank, I imagine this will be getting close to 1,000 pounds. How is one sure a floor can support the weight? I live in an apartment building that used to be a furniture factory. I live at the bottom and the way the building is design I THINK there is no basement directly below me.

I originally wanted to put this on a windowsill but I doubt it would ever be able to support the weight.

 

[cindre2000]

I would suggest at least 4 people when you are moving that tank. Two might not have a whole bunch of trouble after it is off the ground; however, opening doors and lifting can take a couple more people.

Window seal is probably a very big no. As long as the stand supports the weight evenly, I would not foresee any major issues for that sized tank. If you are worried, I would definitely place the tank on a load bearing wall.

 

[mr_X]

i just moved from a 2nd floor apartment, where i had a 125 gallon tank, plus a 75 gallon sump right underneath. i had no trouble with the floor. think of a king sized waterbed. would you worry about having one of those in your house? i believe those are about 180 or so gallons. just try to figure out which way the joists run and put it across them instead of with them.
unless you are 120 pounds, and your girlfriend is 80 pounds, i would think you can move a 75 gallon tank. my girlfriend and i carried my 125 into the house.

 

[ChrisRD]

X, that's a strong girl you got there. Better not piss her off! :wink:

 

[ChrisRD]

A 75 gallon tank plus all of its inhabitants and the base of the tank, I imagine this will be getting close to 1,000 pounds. How is one sure a floor can support the weight?

It really depends on the floor construction and where you want to put the tank, but placing it up against a bearing wall perpendicular to the floor joists is best.

 

[SnowManSnow]

I THINK saltwater weights 8.2 lbs /gallon doesn't it? So the water, without the tank would weigh around 615 lbs. Your estimate of 1000lbs may be a little high, but probably not TOO FAR off.

as far as the floor... i would ask the appartment ppl... (unless you think it would freak them out). It probably wouldnt be much more stress than a refrigirator!!!

b

 

[mr_X]

X, that's a strong girl you got there. Better not piss her off! :wink:

lol..yeah..she's a 134 pound pitbull