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So, I've been following Craigslist, and I've found what I think is a good deal on a 125 gallon tank.

I've corresponded with the owner and he says it has been dry about 3 months.

I understand that if a tank has been dry too long, there is a concern about the silicone. Is there any obvious way to tell? What should I be looking for?

Do I offer more money if he would be willing to fill it for my viewing?

The price is good enough that resealing might still make it a good deal.

I'd appreciate any advice.

Silicone does not need to be wet to maintain a good seal. Exposure to extreme heat can cause the silicone to become brittle and crack.

You can remove a bad silicone joint and replace it with a fresh bead of silicone. Most petstores will carry aquarium silicone for fairly cheap.

Look for cracking, peeling or gaps. You can also ask the seller if he or she is willing to put a little water in the tank for a leak test when you go to buy.

If the glass is in good condition, the rest can be repaired.

VeipaCray wrote:
If the glass is in good condition, the rest can be repaired.

Thanks! That's the answer I wanted.

Now I just have to explain to the wife why I'm spending hundreds of dollars on a 6 ft long aquarium for a tiny turtle.

Don't suppose anyone has advice on that?

ljapa wrote:
Don't suppose anyone has advice on that?

[/quote]

haha had that also there no good way to do it.

Your tiny turtle won't be tiny for long.

Two big reasons for the large tank requirement....
1. Aquatic turtles need the swim space. It's our duty as responsible turtle keepers to replicate the turtle's natural habitat to the best of our ability.

2. Turtles produce a large amount of ammonia from their waste. Ammonia in high concentrations is toxic. You need the large volume of water to dissipate the ammonia to a safe level until your filter can deal with it.

How much and does it include anything else?

Checked it out tonight. I think I'm going to pass.

It was a 135 gallon tank 72x18x24. Asking price was $300 for the tank, stand, glass top (3 sections) and 2 3ft lights.

The seal was on good shape. The stand was pressboard, but there was no sign of leakage. However, there were cracks in the plastic frame at the bottom, on the front where the bottom supports hit. The crack on the left went front to back. The crack on the right didn't seem to, but was there top to bottom in the front.

I figure it is only a matter of time before it goes all the way through--maybe when it's carried up the basement stairs to get it out, which would involve standing it on end.

The guy was willing to knock $50 off for that, but not knowing anything about aquariums, I was leery.

Did I make the right call?

It's unusual for those to become damaged, so I wonder what happened and if there is any other potential issues. I think I would have passed too.