Tips on Finding Cheap Fish Tanks Online
In the article it is spoken about Tips on Finding Cheap Fish Tanks Online. An aquarium or a fish tank is an enclosure for water dwelling animals and has at least one transparent side. It also consists of some water dwelling plants. The fish tank users keep fish, amphibians, turtles, invertebrates, marine mammals and aquatic plants in this enclosure.
Used fish tanks have also become popular these days for reasons that are discussed below. Keeping marine animals as pets is not a simple task and aquarists who consider this serious business understand the complexities associated with this activity. It is both a laborious and an expensive hobby.
Buying a brand new big fish tank or aquarium to display and provide a safe habitat for the marine pets may be liked by many. This is quite an expensive option and may not be affordable by many people. Also, one needs to understand how to decorate the fish tank appropriately by placing the equipments, plants, substrate and fish specimens in a suitable place. In such circumstances alternative options can be considered.
Buying fish tanks from a wholesale dealer could be a more affordable option or better still, second hand aquariums or used fish tanks come in handy. However, there are certain tips and suggestions that one needs to consider before a purchase is made. These include the following:
(1) One must find out the age of the used tank that is on sale, confirm whether any repairs have been made to it, details about the earlier inmates of the tank and if any fish have died in the tank due to some disease.
(2) One needs to ensure that the tank does not have broken glass. Spending money on a broken pane is not worthwhile.
(3) One should take care not to buy a used tank with chipped corners. It is possible for glass to run from a chip. It will eventually break. To avoid such a situation, one must buff all the edges of the chip with an emery cloth.
(4) It is recommended to avoid purchasing bare tanks. It does not make much sense to engage in additional spending for the equipments. Lighting, filtration, heater, gravel and UGF cost a lot and used fish tanks up for sale with these necessary equipments make a better deal.
(5) The used tank must be checked thoroughly for a few details like the state of silicone. It should not have become brittle and changed to a yellow color. When in doubt, one must scrape out this silicone and replace it with a new one. Mixing old and new silicones does not work because they do not bond and can cause a leak.
It is important to clean used tanks thoroughly after the purchase. One must ensure that cleaning is not done using Windex or soapy water; hot water works best. Vinegar does the trick for the aquarium hood and should not be used on glass. The tank must subsequently be tested for leaks. This can be done by filling up water in the tank and leaving it for a few days. If the tank has overcome these checks, it is ready for the fish.
