Not to be an ass, but...

[FINWIN]

Something's been bugging me for awhile and I don't know what the answer is. What's the deal with so many cheap and large (like 300 gallons and up) tanks available in California? It seems as though everywhere I look whether here, Ebay, or some other site people are going hard to unload these tanks with supplied equipment. And then none of them ship so...who are they selling to and what's their market, other people trying to unload? I don't get it.

And here on the east coast anything over 125 gal is gonna rake you for min 2K with a full setup.

IT DON'T ADD UP.

 

[tlindsey]

Something's been bugging me for awhile and I don't know what the answer is. What's the deal with so many cheap and large (like 300 gallons and up) tanks available in California? It seems as though everywhere I look whether here, Ebay, or some other site people are going hard to unload these tanks with supplied equipment. And then none of them ship so...who are they selling to and what's their market, other people trying to unload? I don't get it.

And here on the east coast anything over 125 gal is gonna rake you for min 2K with a full setup.

IT DON'T ADD UP.

View attachment 1548306

I think it may be so many large aquariums available that makes them cheaper than other states.

 

[phreeflow]

Move to Cali and find out. We have some of the highest gas and energy rates, water is expensive, food is some of the highest across the nation, sky high housing costs, $16 minimum wage, $20 for fast food workers, high sales tax, fees on top of fees, etc etc etc

Hobbies are a luxury and sometimes you gotta dump stuff fast to pay the bills. There are way more sellers than buyers here.

 

[ken31cay]

Here is pretty bad; small aquarium setups offered at ridiculous prices. Buying new costs even more, and this goes for basically everything here, necessities and luxuries. Here's an example of a typical aquarium sales ad: used 30gal setup - $300. That price is in KYD$ Dollars so you can also add approx 18% to convert to USD$ which would be around US$ 365.85 depending on the conversion used by seller, I used the mid rate.

 

[skjl47]

ove to Cali and find out. We have some of the highest gas and energy rates, water is expensive, food is some of the highest across the nation, sky high housing costs, $16 minimum wage, $20 for fast food workers, high sales tax, fees on top of fees, etc etc etc

Hobbies are a luxury and sometimes you gotta dump stuff fast to pay the bills. There are way more sellers than buyers here.

Hello; Very good points. Another might be that so many are leaving the state. At least such is what I see reported. I personally have met folks who moved from California to TN recently. One couple I met a few years ago told me all their children have moved here as well. One story going around is renting a U-Haul out of CA is difficult & expensive but getting one to go there is easy and costs less.

Guess I am lucky that my house is paid for as the cost of a house has been going up a lot. I am told it is because so many are moving here. Not only CA to be sure. Heard that Knoxville TN, about 60 miles south, is among the fastest growing cities. I try to be out of there before 4:00 PM anymore as traffic is bad. Some folks even commute from here to work.

EDIT- Guess i should add the point. Folks leaving who have big tanks cannot or do not take them. So more for sale at cheap prices.

 

[esoxlucius]

Used aquariums, especially the big ones we all crave for, are an unusual commodity really. Big heavy awkward cumbersome things.

What buyer wants to be paying a huge lump of money for a second hand tank they've got to collect themselves, not many I wager.

And what seller, in their right mind, is going to charge a small fortune for their tank, and expect the buyer to happily collect with about 10 of his mates, not many I wager.

Due to this, I find in the UK that many classified ads for big tanks have a huge carrot dangling as bait. And that is these big tanks are often free, but they've got to be collected.

Not always free, don't get me wrong, but if you want shut of a big tank to make way for a nice new shiny one, and quick, then that is a good compromise to ensure it happens.

When you pay a fortune for a brand new relatively small tank, as in FINWIN case, you aren't just paying for the tank, you're paying for the tank, safe delivery, sometimes set up, and of course warranty.

 

[skjl47]

Used aquariums, especially the big ones we all crave for, are an unusual commodity really. Big heavy awkward cumbersome things.

What buyer wants to be paying a huge lump of money for a second hand tank they've got to collect themselves, not many I wager.

And what seller, in their right mind, is going to charge a small fortune for their tank, and expect the buyer to happily collect with about 10 of his mates, not many I wager.

Due to this, I find in the UK that many classified ads for big tanks have a huge carrot dangling as bait. And that is these big tanks are often free, but they've got to be collected.

Not always free, don't get me wrong, but if you want shut of a big tank to make way for a nice new shiny one, and quick, then that is a good compromise to ensure it happens.

When you pay a fortune for a brand new relatively small tank, as in FINWIN case, you aren't just paying for the tank, you're paying for the tank, safe delivery, sometimes set up, and of course warranty.

Hello; An interesting take. Does not address the part of the question about why used tank asking prices are high on the east coast.

And here on the east coast anything over 125 gal is gonna rake you for min 2K with a full setup

 

[tlindsey]

I told my wife if we sold our house the 180 gallon would stay for one of the reasons mentioned above.

 

[FINWIN]

I tell you one thing: Id hate to take someone's used 500 only to find it has a leak! Not to mention the logistics of moving/shipping/installing the sucker. I'm aware of Cali's prices in the land I call "Shake and Bake USA". Don't know if some of those people got tanks before cost of living skyrocketed or not. I spent a whole summer in a student internship out there in San Fran/Berkeley/Oakland/Livermore and prices were nuts with several people sharing homes. And on the tanks they want to unload BIG fish too half the time. By the time you go through all that you may as well save up for a year and go new. Maybe someone posting her from Cali selling a big tank can explain their situation.

But I loved Frisco, though.

Here's typical east coast prices. To show how whack it all is my 225 tempered with a metal/paneled stand total was about $4750 four years ago. Your numbers may vary...

 

[tlindsey]

$4750

Probably double that price now.