02Pilot
02Pilot SuperDork
11/11/19 9:39 p.m.

I'm looking for a 40-gallon breeder tank (glass, not acrylic), but I'm having trouble finding one that's reasonably priced. Amazon and a couple of the big pet store chains seem to want almost $250 or not stock the size at all. Anyone got a good source that's not going to require financial planning?

ShawnG
ShawnG PowerDork
11/11/19 9:49 p.m.

Petco has a dollar-per-gallon sale four times a year. The dollar pricing is on everything up to 29 gallons, 40, 55 and 75 gallon tanks are on for half price.

Next sale should be in January if you can wait. 

This only applies to the Aqueon tanks but it's usually the best deal around.

What are you playing with? There has to be more than two of us on here into fish too.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn MegaDork
11/11/19 10:25 p.m.

There are a bunch of used tanks that look pretty good for less than $100 on my local Craigslist, I'd check there in your area.

RealMiniNoMore
RealMiniNoMore PowerDork
11/11/19 11:04 p.m.

Cripes, man, don't buy that stuff new! 

The list of Craig, FB Marketplace are where we've gotten all of our tanks - 6 AOI, 20, 26 bow, 55, 75, 150, 210... Hell, I even found a stand for the 210 for free! 

Those places are where we sold them, as well. surprise

 

ShawnG
ShawnG PowerDork
11/11/19 11:21 p.m.

Used tanks make me worry. 

Silicone gets old and loses it's strength. If you buy used, make sure the silicone hasn't gone a milky colour.

I gave away an 86 gallon Hagen with really thick glass that my father-in-law gave me because I couldn't trust it to be in my house anymore. 10 gallons doesn't seem like much until it's all over your floor.

JesseWolfe
JesseWolfe New Reader
11/12/19 5:17 a.m.

I have 2 sumped 70 gallon PetCo display tanks for sale if you want come pick up one or both.

mikeatrpi
mikeatrpi HalfDork
11/12/19 6:33 a.m.

Any interest in a used 55 gal tank?  Send me an email.  I think we're local-ish.

02Pilot
02Pilot SuperDork
11/12/19 6:38 a.m.

Thanks, folks. I'll take a look at CL, but I'm pretty leery of used tanks - maybe I'll find something barely used, but otherwise I'll check in to the Petco sale when the time comes.

This is not technically for fish - I just want to give one of my turtles more space. The tank will only be about half full, but a breeder gives a larger footprint; the 40gal breeder is about a big as I can go in the space available. I appreciate the offer on the 70gal, but I don't have room for something that big.

EDIT: Thanks for the offer on the 55gal. I have one of those here, but as noted above I'm trying to get something with more floor area.

84FSP
84FSP SuperDork
11/12/19 6:56 a.m.

I've had good luck watching sales and closeouts.  I picked up a 65 gallon with stand and lighted hood for 169.00 a year back as a closeout.

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 MegaDork
11/12/19 7:52 a.m.

I've kept fish off and on for decades.  Biggest I ever had was a 45-gallon tall.  I had angelfish in it.  Came home from work one day and it was empty.  Kinda freaked me out.  Near as I can tell, pressure forced a seam open and leaked everything out.  Afterwards I put 10 or 20 gallons in the tank and it held.  Fortunately I had the tank on the ground floor and only lost some old carpet.  Got a decent check from my homeowners insurance.  They took the tank with them.  It was only a few years old, purchased locally, and on a proper stand.  I even had the receipt for it.  Insurance guy said they were going to try to collect from the manufacturer. 

I swore off aquariums for quite a while, until my kids showed an interest.  Figured I'd pick up a simple glass 10-gallon at Wal-Mart.  Wrong!  Nothing but expensive acrylic tanks.  I actually ended up mail-ordering a glass tank from Petco.  Crazy, I know.  They assured me that the tank would be well-packaged.  Sure enough it arrived in good shape.

Used is probably the way to go.  I've used "That Fish Place" for eons for supplies and such.  Great prices, good service.  They have tank sales and fish sales, but I don't think they ship them, so you'd have to be within driving distance of Lancaster, PA.

minivan_racer
minivan_racer UberDork
11/12/19 9:02 a.m.

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

Is there a reason I should get a glass tank over an acrylic one, or is it just personal preference?

JesseWolfe
JesseWolfe New Reader
11/12/19 9:05 a.m.

In reply to minivan_racer :

Acrylic scratches more easily but in my experience, less likely to leak.  Lighter to move when empty as well.

 

Glass can leak over time, very heavy, but durable. 

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 MegaDork
11/12/19 9:11 a.m.
JesseWolfe said:

In reply to minivan_racer :

Acrylic scratches more easily but in my experience, less likely to leak.  Lighter to move when empty as well.

 

Glass can leak over time, very heavy, but durable. 

That's pretty much it in a nutshell.  You're likely to pay a good bit more for acrylic.  Be very careful when cleaning. 

Champagnereef
Champagnereef
12/31/19 9:38 p.m.

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

Thank you for your opinion, I think it is a very good idea

 
Brett_Murphy
Brett_Murphy UltimaDork
12/31/19 10:57 p.m.

Almost the first canoe of the decade. So close.

 

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