I have bought 3 successful CL tanks so far. One a 125 tank that had a recent picture of it filled with water a big plus I realize now. The second was dirty and dusty and had not been used in 3 years. These two tanks had something in common that I realize now was so important now, stands with no sign of water damage tell the truth about the condition of the tank. My third tank had no stand but was immaculate and so was the owners home. Still all three of these tanks had something in common, there bottoms were not painted so as to be easily inspected.
Which brings me to my most recent 4th and largest (225) CL tank purchase that I only now realize in hind sight (20/20) had all of these warning signs. Owners comments of "STAND" water damage due to poor plumbing. So many warning signs that sparked questions in my mind but did not connect the dots. A plumbing leak (owners excuse) might cause minor staining but not water damage because a pluming leak can and will be corrected quickly before any water damage can occur, but actual water damage is caused by sustained leaking over time just like on a canopy water damage takes a long time from over spray, but nobody is going to allow sustained leaking on the floor from bad pluming unless it has a leak in the tank that someone is trying to cope with over time (warning). This is why the add showed the tank in the barn with the plastic over the cabinet (warning) as the owners were trying to cope with a bad situation and fish outside.
(warning) Willingness to accept lower $200 offer without batting an eye (too easy) and willingness to deliver 65 miles without delivery charge (warning). The owners attempt and request to deliver the tank the night before after dark (warning) Final and biggest warning a bottom unusually dirty with left over sand and a black painted bottom, contributed by my lack of attention as the owner kept cracking joke after joke and making repeated excuses about the pluming water damage located on the same side as the cracked tank bottom, all of which fired small subliminal concerns in my brain but not to the conscious mind. Although I inspected the glass panels the dry bottom with black paint and sand did the trick to obscure the crack I was only able to detect after filling the tank 25% and siphoning out the sand this morning, ironically the tank did not leak probubly due to the lack of full water pressure and the leak being slow.
luckily I do have some information and the license plate of the truck but i will have to investigate to get the address because of lack on my part to exchange ID info (a mistake). I have sent them an email requesting immediate refund to give them a chance first to do the right thing NLT COB today.
Priding myself in being skeptical buyer but as the proverb states "Pride cometh before a fall" I really made some mistakes this time and its hard to admit but as a prior military man I was trained to be objective and turn mistakes into learning experiences and to share then with the troops. So take heed because even if you already know these warning signs, it doesn't mean you wont miss them under distraction or due to pride. Anyway I offer them up here FYI.
Any commend, discussion, and even "I could have told you so's" are welcome.
"Below the black crack, never more at my door LOL":rofl:
Which brings me to my most recent 4th and largest (225) CL tank purchase that I only now realize in hind sight (20/20) had all of these warning signs. Owners comments of "STAND" water damage due to poor plumbing. So many warning signs that sparked questions in my mind but did not connect the dots. A plumbing leak (owners excuse) might cause minor staining but not water damage because a pluming leak can and will be corrected quickly before any water damage can occur, but actual water damage is caused by sustained leaking over time just like on a canopy water damage takes a long time from over spray, but nobody is going to allow sustained leaking on the floor from bad pluming unless it has a leak in the tank that someone is trying to cope with over time (warning). This is why the add showed the tank in the barn with the plastic over the cabinet (warning) as the owners were trying to cope with a bad situation and fish outside.
(warning) Willingness to accept lower $200 offer without batting an eye (too easy) and willingness to deliver 65 miles without delivery charge (warning). The owners attempt and request to deliver the tank the night before after dark (warning) Final and biggest warning a bottom unusually dirty with left over sand and a black painted bottom, contributed by my lack of attention as the owner kept cracking joke after joke and making repeated excuses about the pluming water damage located on the same side as the cracked tank bottom, all of which fired small subliminal concerns in my brain but not to the conscious mind. Although I inspected the glass panels the dry bottom with black paint and sand did the trick to obscure the crack I was only able to detect after filling the tank 25% and siphoning out the sand this morning, ironically the tank did not leak probubly due to the lack of full water pressure and the leak being slow.
luckily I do have some information and the license plate of the truck but i will have to investigate to get the address because of lack on my part to exchange ID info (a mistake). I have sent them an email requesting immediate refund to give them a chance first to do the right thing NLT COB today.
Priding myself in being skeptical buyer but as the proverb states "Pride cometh before a fall" I really made some mistakes this time and its hard to admit but as a prior military man I was trained to be objective and turn mistakes into learning experiences and to share then with the troops. So take heed because even if you already know these warning signs, it doesn't mean you wont miss them under distraction or due to pride. Anyway I offer them up here FYI.
Any commend, discussion, and even "I could have told you so's" are welcome.
"Below the black crack, never more at my door LOL":rofl:
