Scored A 45gallon Freebie!

Using my searching skills on craigslist I just scored a 45 gallon tank, stand, filter, hood with light, substrate and other knick knacks for free.

It's been in a garage for a bit and it needs a really good scrubbing down and it looks like the filter needs to be replaced ( I have an xtra HOB), but other than that, it looks pretty good.

Can't wait to get started on it!

 

High-fives all around for scoring that free tank setup! Going to follow this build!

 

Thanks!! I'll definitely keep this updated!

 

Ok. This am after breakfast did my inspections. Tank looks real good. Seals are intact and not dried out. Gravel substrate also looks good. The filter is an Aqueon 75. Took it all apart, ran hot water into the inpeller entrance and a lot of gunk came out. Submerged the motor in the sink filled with hot water and plugged it in. It came to life and it's been running pushing a lot of water out of it. Poured some salt into the water so it'll break up whatever gunk is dried out inside. It's been running great.

Of course the the previous owner never cleaned it. Still had the same filter cartridges that came with it. They were pretty disgusting.

Who does that?

 

Congratulations Neb!!! Can't wait to see it all set up!!!

 

Ok. This am after breakfast did my inspections. Tank looks real good. Seals are intact and not dried out. Gravel substrate also looks good. The filter is an Aqueon 75. Took it all apart, ran hot water into the inpeller entrance and a lot of gunk came out. Submerged the motor in the sink filled with hot water and plugged it in. It came to life and it's been running pushing a lot of water out of it. Poured some salt into the water so it'll break up whatever gunk is dried out inside. It's been running great.

Of course the the previous owner never cleaned it. Still had the same filter cartridges that came with it. They were pretty disgusting.

Who does that?

That's gross!!!

 

Congrats! I'm extremely jealous

 

Thanks ladies!! Well I scrubbed the hood in my bath tub. The glass was caked in hard water stain and dried green algae. I mean seriously disgusting But boiling hot water, dish soap and some elbow grease for 20min cleaned it right up to like new. The filter's container was too far gone to clean out by hand. I poured boiling hot water to loosen the dried crud at the bottom and walls. Let it soak like that for a good while, then started the scrubbing. Because of my giant mitts, I've shredded up my hands/fingers trying to get to the bottom

Got most of it cleaned, but I gave up and just tossed it in the dishwasher on heavy to get the rest of it cleaned. Cleaned out the gravel from the tank as well.

I think I know what happened:

Teen girl wants aquarium. Parents buy it and helps set it up. Teen & parents go to LFS to get goldfish and other community fish. It's all beautiful and teen is happy. Teen feeds fish, shows friends and friends go: "oooh, ahhh". Months go buy, filter's getting dirty, tank is getting dirty, yet teen just keeps feeding fish. Fish start to die off one by one. Parents buy more fish.
Months turns to a year, filter is failing, tank is getting worse, fish keep dying. Teen gets new boyfriend and now aquarium gets ignored/forgotten. Rest of the fish die and now tank sits empty in corner with 1/2 of water. Time goes by, teen graduates high school and goes to college. Parents empty room, redecorate and put treadmill and elliptical machines. Aquarium and teen's junk go into back far corner of garage where it sits for God only knows how long. Then parents retire, sell house and empty garage where I find it and bring it home to give it a 2nd life.

Let me know if this sounds plausible

 

NICE! Ive seen aquarium sets very similar to that running at least 320-380 dollars at most stores brand new. +1

 

Well done you! I am just slightly envious - but quite happy for you! Awesome find!

 

Awesome score, mate! My only concern would be that the silicon used to glue the glass panels together has a wonderful tendency to get brittle when left dry for long periods of time. I would do a stress test on it: fill it up in the garage for a week or so, nothing else in it, and if any cracks develop or - god forbid - it busts all over the place and water floods your garage, at least you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to clean your living room carpet.

Sadly...I know that entire story from experience, except it was only a 20 gallon tank on untreated hardwood flooring. I even test my brand new tanks like that, because I have even heard horror stories like that from people just trying to get into the hobby, buying brand new tanks and they suddenly break on them.

I'm still super jealous you found a tank AND stand for free, though! The local Craigslist can be your friend sometimes.