View Full Version : is this a good deal for a used 29gal?
gnahc79
02-26-2004, 11:28 AM
An acquaintance is offering to sell me his 29 gal tank. He has a 75,6 and 10 and was meaning to transfer his 10 into the 29, but never got around to it. For $275 he's offering (everything is new/near new):
- 29 glass tank
- stand
- hood & light
- fluval 304 canister filter
yes?no? This tank would become my main tank and my current 20 would be a q-tank.
boyohboy
02-26-2004, 12:07 PM
Hum it's hard to say but I feel $275, considering it's USD, is abit expensive for a *used set. If it's brand new from store, it's ok I say. And what kind of light it is? just make sure you don't spend $275 and then end up replacing the light (& hood) after 3 days since it doesn't have enough light output for plants or something.
aquariumfishguy
02-26-2004, 12:09 PM
hmm....for that price, I'd buy my own (new) set. :)
tomm10
02-26-2004, 12:10 PM
Well, a new 29g is about $50-60. The Fluval is about $75 online.
What type of light hood and what type of stand? If the stand is a nice wood one they can go for $200. Wrought iron stands are about $50.
A simple single fluorescent hood is maybe $30 or so. If its a compact fluorescent hood its worth more.
The real question is the stand. If its really nice this might be an okay deal. Otherwise you're not saving a whole lot on what you can buy it all for new.
Tom
aquariumfishguy
02-26-2004, 12:18 PM
Exactly...I mean, if the stuff was all brand new then I'd take the deal since, after all it would save you the hassle of running around trying to get all these tank accessories. BUT...since its not new, I'm not sure I'd take that deal. JMO.
shoot i got a stand and a 45 gal hex tank for 20 bucks. it took a lot of cleaning, but it's as good as new now. that's expensive sounding man, but i'm no pro.
do you live in any fair sized city? if so look in the paper. theres a wealth of people getting rid of allready set up tanks out there. a fully setup 55 shouldnt run you more than 250 out of the paper.
thats pricey for a 29.
dethjam316
02-26-2004, 1:55 PM
as stated above, if its a nice, brand new wooden stand, it might be worth it. also, if its a compact flourescent light, it could be worth it. however, if its a beatup old stand and a standard hood/light, this is not a good deal. i purchased a 29g setup for my dad with the standard hood/light for 60 bucks. for a standard wooden stand, you're looking at probably another 100 dollars, or 50 or less for a metal stand.
Captain Hook
02-26-2004, 4:50 PM
Seems like alot of money to me.
pinballqueen
02-26-2004, 4:57 PM
I generally, when lookin at used setups, don't go over 3 bucks a gallon on price for a complete setup. So at a 29 gallon tank, don't spend over $90-100 on it if you can help it. I might make an exception for an ultra-nice setup with a custom stand and non-standard lighting, but it's iffy. For tank/hood only, a dollar a gallon is all I offer unless it's never actually been used.
Just my rule of thumb, yours might differ.
Hmmn, well a LFS near my house will sell you a 55 gallon tank with wooden stand and canopy for $165 so long as you purchase $100 worth of other stuff. I'm thinking a light setup and a cannister filter would probably be in the $150 range there so about $315 for the tank, reasonably nice stand, wooden canopy, lighting, and filter. Saying all this I'd say no to the 29 gallon set up for $275. If you are iching for a new setup and you currenty have a 20 gallon I'd vote that you should look for a 40-55 gallon type tank. Just my 2 cents though.
gnahc79
02-26-2004, 6:13 PM
hmm, well I'm waiting to hear back from the seller for details about the stand, light, hood, etc.
I want to keep my 20gal as my main and get a 10 or 20 as a q-tank. Apparently $275 isn't really a steal for the 29, so I'm going to see how much a 20gal setup would cost (tank & stand locally, everything else online).
Thanks everyone! :)
Bristlenose Chuck
02-26-2004, 7:59 PM
No, not a steal at all.
blitzen25bm
02-26-2004, 11:47 PM
your in san francisco? check out the craigs list cheap aquariums in there pretty often. i find 125 gallon setups for 275.00
gnahc79
02-27-2004, 12:44 AM
yeah, I'll check craigslist too. Here is the list of stuff for the 29 gal setup:
Tank - virtually brand new...no damage whatsoever
Glass hood - same as above...doesn't have a handle (IMO, looks better without one, just a bit harder to open it. You may be able find a plastic handle (made by All-Glass) for a few bucks on the internet.
30" strip light - Brand new - I think the company is called Island
Black oak stand - 36" high - Very nice - this alone is over $200 brand new
Fluval 304 - Brand new