Major Reefing Scores!! I got this for $600!!!

[saturn13]

Got my tank and stand for free, just had to reseal it and refinish the wood. Lol.

Nice, how many gallons?

 

[ScottR]

I got a Red Sea nano for $50. Tank, cabinet and sump included. A few pieces of hardware. There are deals out there.

 

[Jpconer]

My best deal was to break down and haul away a neglected 28g nanocube...took me about an hour...found a home for the lone purple dottyback....and was paid $60....I'm currently using the tank cuz I just moved across town and it's hold 1/2 of what was in my red sea 250 that I'm setting up again fm scratch.

 

[Recycledreefer]

I am somewhat new to the hobby (1 and a half years) and certainly love it, but i'm trying to do the whole thing as sustainably as possible, so both of my reef tanks have been second hand and i got both for a great deal. My first tank was a JBJ 29 gallon cube aio system . I got the tank 2 sets of lights (stock lights from a biocube long story lol and a set of hanging led lights, not sure what they were called), along with a wyoming white and phantom clown, a fuzzy lionfish, zebra moray and CBS a frogspawn, kenya tree, a couple zoa colonies, and kenya tree along with some other goodies, all for 200! My second tank is where I really came up though, I got a Redsea RS250 (the older AIO model), a custom built drop in chiller, an MP10 50 lbs of rock and Stunnerstrip Leds all for 500! Heres the rs250

 

[LadyMac]

My best reefing score was my tiger pistol shrimp. She was given to me for free cause the store clerk knew she wouldn’t live long there. My best overall aquarium related score was an Oceanic stretch hex for $5.00 I used it for several setups(including my reef for a bit) and it was a great tank.

 

[Jobsafish]

I got my current tank, EA Reefpro 900S, for a bargain £835. It was only a year old (retails at £949 new) and came with Skimmer, Glamorca (read Icecap) Gyre, return pump, ato, biopellet reactor, UV steriliser, Live Rock, 12Kg unopened bucket of salt, Aquaforest Alk/Ca/Mag supplements, refractometer and test kits.
The only drawback is the murderous Bi-colour Angel that came with the tank.

 

[Salt_Creep]

When I decided to look into starting a larger tank than my nano, a local sold me a brand new in box trigger sapphire 39 sump for $200.

 

[gotmesalty77]

I got back into the hobby 8 or ten months ago and bought a used system that had been running for 3.5 years. The equipment was pretty decent but not quite the type of stuff I like to use I still actually had all my Ecotech equipment from when I had to abruptly break my last tank down fast forward about two and a half months and I'm just perusing different Buy Sell Groups and I came across a guy who has a bunch of really nice wrasse that I was interested I get to talk to him and he's about to break down his Red Sea and he needs to get rid of everything he's got and then turn pretty quickly and sell it basically I only wanted to rest but as we got to talkin he said that he has three Radion xr15 mounts diffusers as well as two brand new mp40s all the Hanna Checkers that I was looking for tons of chemicals and the rest he told me that if I can come up with $1,040 by Friday all of that could be mine now he's our Gen 4 xr15 and none of them are older than April of last year And So It basically I only wanted the rest but as we got to talk and he said that he has three ready on acts AR-15s mounts diffusers as well as two brand new MP forties all the Hannah checkers that I was looking for tons of chemicals and he told me that if I could come up with $1,040 by Friday all of that could be mine. 3x gen 4 xrs15 and none of the equipment is older than April of last year so I did what I had to do and I came up with cash and now my tank is a total ecotech system. Minus the bubble magus D8 and kessil h380 that I paid $200 for both total. I've been very lucky.

 

[Greybeard]

With the failure rate of new hobbiests, even new aquarium shops, being what it is, deals are out there. Problem is... it's a hobby. If I don't buy PRECICELY what I want, I'm unlikely to be happy with my purchase, and very likely to end up buying what I wanted in the first place, having now paid for the item twice.

Live and learn.

I bought 2x Kessel AP700's, one used for about 3 months, the other brand new in box, along with a brand new Apex EL, from a former aquarium shop owner who had gone out of business. Think I gave him $500. Yeah... I stole the stuff, but... I already had an Apex Classic, worked fine, and I already had a light (8 bulb T5), so I really didn't NEED any of it, just a bit of an upgrade

 

[MombasaLionfish]

Yes. I went to my lfs to buy some aiptasia. I saw some so I asked if I could have it. They said yes but it is two dollars. When I got hoe little polyps started opening up. In the end I got a good 1.5-2 inch piece of gsp for 2$.

 

[AwildcatsZ]

My wife and I won our Red Sea 250 in a raffle which we bought $100 in tickets. This was then followed by scoring the following equipment from someone who was moving:

- Neptune Apex
- Neptune EB832
- Neptune DOS w/ Container
- (2) Reef Octopus Various 4 return pumps
- Reef Octopus 150INT skimmer
- Reef Octopus 152 skimmer
- (2) MP40s with quiet drive (including 2 spare wetsides)
- (2) Radion Gen4 Pro w/ mounting arms
- Trigger Systems ATO reservoir
- Skimz Algae Reactor
- (2) GEO Media Reactors
- BRS RO/DI three chamber unit
- 90 gallon Deep Blue tank/stand (sold for $450)
- Acrylic sump (sold for $150)

I paid $1,000 for all of the equipment, but after selling the tank and sump it came out to $400...plus a $100 for a tank...$500 for a brand new RSR 250 and all of the equipment necessary.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My 660g began at $3700
This is what I got for the price/how I received it

 

[ceruleanspiral]

I bought a polka-dot hermit crab that had some zoas on it- about 9 polyps. They might be scrambled eggs? But in any event, they're neato and yellow and they gave me the crab for $2. The crab switched out of the shell on like the 5th day and now the zoa shell is glued to my rocks- and growing like crazy. Probably 20+ polyps on it now.

 

[Ferrell]

Don’t know if this is a great score but I’m happy
IM 30L
APS stand
Return pump (replaced)
Mesh cover
IM upgraded caddy
2-AI prime lights with rigid arms
Icecap gyre which is too big for tank
$400

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Neighbor was running and found a box of old pet supplies, with a gigantic canister filter and some reptile heat pads, etc. I also got my Cespitularia for $15, and a toadstool for $15.

 

[Jamesnorwood860]

46 ga
46 gallon bow front one for $20 other $25. Offerup

Don't forget NPS forum

Nps??

 

[Jamesnorwood860]

11 gold indo torches for $275

Howwwwwe

 

[Idoc]

I found a 57w Aqua UV for $150... in great condition.

 

[Dorinda]

I got into the hobby in April of 2004 and from the very beginning I was always on the hunt to score amazing deals on equipment and livestock. Being in the hobby for so long and involved in the industry my hunting days are pretty much over but I do have a couple of good stories to share. I also thought that this would make a great QOTD (question of the day) that we could all participate in. So today's questions are as follows.

1. Do you actively hunt for awesome reefing deals on equipment and livestock?

2. SHARE one or more of your Major Reefing Score stories with us!


Now for my story. I started the hobby with a 75g and I had always wanted a bigger tank for room for tangs. At the time money was a "huge object" and I wasn't able to just go out and buy any tank I wanted much less the equipment, rock and livestock to fill it. I was moderating on a forum called AquariumAdvice.com. It was the first place I had googled when I was trying to learn how to keep and maintain a saltwater aquarium. Almost 1 year to the day I came across a listing on the forums that blew me away and this was the beginning of my first major score! HA!

For sale? This was the original post. BUT I had come across this post almost a MONTH later and the price had dropped from $900 to $600! It was a miracle and had to be for me! HA! Not only did it have all in the description but it was like brand new, fish were beautiful and healthy and had several corals and other odd and ends with it.

This was the tank:

That's a great deal! Looks beautiful

 

[madweazl]

I usually find a smoking deal on something I'm looking for shortly after I give up and buy it new.