No more 120 gallon for me

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blindkiller85

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 22, 2013
346
32
31
Orlando, FL
I'm so very unhappy right now with the hobby. I met my first slimeball scumbag just getting some money however he wishes. Didn't even know it when I met him and picked up his tank, stand, canopy, and all that jazz for $500.

Didn't think of anything back then. Looked great, was solid, obviously was just up and running with excess substrate (he had crushed coral and sand for african cichlids) all over the place, water in the filters and all that. Got it home, did a thorough clean. Looked like some excess substrate had made it's way onto the edges of the stand/aquarium and basically everywhere after he tore it down. So I expected it to leak out a little for maybe a week or two. Just because of humidity and the cracks and crevices in a stand/canopy.

Same sand stuff kept leaking out....for 5 months and with the cooling weather got worse. And then there's a bunch of little drilled holes in it that weren't there before when I picked it up and have had it in my garage the entire time. Yep. Termites and the guy had to have known about it and probably why he was selling it at his old place, literally across the street, with only that tank/stand/canopy and equipment in the place. Not where his 180, 220, 40, and 125 gallon tanks were already. And obviously there for quite some time as well as his 4 dogs.

So, after seeing that, knowing there's at a bare minimum of 5 months termite damage there's no way that I'd trust a 120 gallon full of water gravel decorations canopy and all that on it. And thankfully I kept it in my rather hot florida garage. Not where it was going on my wood floor in cool weather where I 100% know that I would've had a major major problem. Because I have yet to find any evidence and I've torn into everything in my garage where I have about 2000lbs of wood in there. 6 inches away and 2 feet away I have yet to see anything anywhere else. But of course I'm no pro and need a service. But maybe the heat kept them solely in that stand and canopy, though a dresser was 6 inches away I've seen nothing on it at all.

Ironically. After setting it on the curb and taking a huge sharpie writing TERMITES on it. Someone took it. Don't even have to wish something bad on them when people do it to themselves.

That being said, anyone buying somethin from a "Elliot Randon" in Brandon florida, beware. He also said in the email that the tank never leaked but I never leak tested it and it looks like it needs a reseal Glad I didn't even bother and I was going to use the other 120 that I had already leak tested and felt confident with.
 
the problem with the stand.. is that the guy who took it is likely to sell it as good ,, but , next time at least you will know .. it's a shame that you got a bad deal:( good luck in your future fishkeeping
 
Thats a bummer =\ what a prick. I am sorry you had a bad experience and I hope no termites come of it. I have bought many things used and have met a lot of cool people along the way, but it always sucks when that one douche comes a long and ruins it.

Also thank you for the informative post, Brandon is 20mins down the highway from me.

As for selling it on, that is terrible, termites is not something you should just nonchalantly pass a long...
 
Thats a bummer =\ what a prick. I am sorry you had a bad experience and I hope no termites come of it. I have bought many things used and have met a lot of cool people along the way, but it always sucks when that one douche comes a long and ruins it.

Also thank you for the informative post, Brandon is 20mins down the highway from me.

As for selling it on, that is terrible, termites is not something you should just nonchalantly pass a long...

Hence why I put it at the street with "TERMITES" written on it. I won't care what so ever if someone doesn't heed my warnings. They need to learn from their own mistakes. But I'm not about to treat that stand and trust it with over 1200 pounds of weight inside my home.
 
Thankfully a 2 hour inspection took place today, nothing outside of the garage. At all. Even the dresser 6 inches away, or the literal TON of wood in my garage. Guy spent over an hour in my garage and another hour around the rest of my house.

Normal stuff found for FL. Cockroaches, sugar ants. Still paying for an additional treatment as I was wrong about what type of termites. They were drywood termites. Not subterranean like I had expected. But had they swarmed in my garage as the weather cooled, I'd be so screwed. And even more screwed if I put this tank in my house.
 
So, wait...I understand your frustration with the guy knowingly selling you the infested stand and leaky tank...But did you toss the tank too? Why not just tear it down and re-seal it, and build a stand for it so you could at least get some enjoyment out of it. Glad you don't have termites, but maybe could have salvaged some good from this experience. Just my $.02
 
So, wait...I understand your frustration with the guy knowingly selling you the infested stand and leaky tank...But did you toss the tank too? Why not just tear it down and re-seal it, and build a stand for it so you could at least get some enjoyment out of it. Glad you don't have termites, but maybe could have salvaged some good from this experience. Just my $.02

Working 60-70 hours a week 5-6 days a week inhibits me from building a stand. Though I know how to build a top notch stand and canopy. My time is more valuable than the cost to buy it and I have a vast amount of patience for that.

I never said it leaked, because I never leak tested it. But it doesn't look to be worthy. And no, There's nothing wrong with the glass other than standard gravel scratches and it's in my shed now. Friend of mine is going to be purchasing a house as soon as he can, and I told him he can have it for free because I believe it needs the reseal. And of course I'll help him shop for stand/canopy, filtration, etc etc.
 
No offense and sorry for your troubles, but you could build a stand in about an hour and a half for less than $50.

My time is valuable too, but it takes me a lot less time to earn $50 than to earn and lose $500 on a bad CL deal.




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No offense and sorry for your troubles, but you could build a stand in about an hour and a half for less than $50.

My time is valuable too, but it takes me a lot less time to earn $50 than to earn and lose $500 on a bad CL deal.
Some people are just different. But I don't like the idea personally of having a 2x4 stand. Trustworthy? Absolutely. Aesthetically pleasing, not really.

Bad CL Deal? Happens more often than we'd all like. I needed to vent and of course try and warn people against a guy. Some might not remember, some might. I know I'll remember the guy.

Having the ability and patience to earn enough money and plan out the aquarium entirely before jumping in is a virtue. Rushing and spending 50 bucks to set it all up and not be happy isn't worth while to me.
 
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