Talk about bad luck

[LowDrag]

So, I have or had a 135 gallon freshwater aquarium that I put on Craigslist to sell for my OW Cert fee last week. A guy calls up and says he will take it and when he can come by. I am thinking, "great, this guy is gonna buy my tank so I can get my cert fee together". Today while at work he texts me and says, 'Dude, I just wanted you to know this tank is leaking". I know my tank was not leaking, it has been sitting in the same place for ten years and not one leak. So as you can probably figure, the conversation via text went down hill to the point where he is threatening to take me to small claims court. Has anyone esle ever dealt with anything like this? I was going nuts today because he was threatening to come to my house and dump the tank and all of it's contents in my driveway. On top of that my wife is home with a bunch of daycare kids. Aaaarrrggghhhhh!!! What rotten luck.

 

[SparkE79]

Longtime aquarist, new diver here. Tank leaks (assuming standard glass/silicon tank) are almost always because of improper support. If it did not leak when you sold it, I believe it was likely either damaged during transport (not unheard of for a 135) or the stand it was placed on was not leveled/straight/plumb/otherwise adequate.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

If you didn't give any warranty, or false advertisement, it's more than likely an as-is sale. Check out the laws in your state, but most sales between private partys are as-is unless otherwise implied.

 

[LowDrag]

Longtime aquarist, new diver here. Tank leaks (assuming standard glass/silicon tank) are almost always because of improper support. If it did not leak when you sold it, I believe it was likely either damaged during transport (not unheard of for a 135) or the stand it was placed on was not leveled/straight/plumb/otherwise adequate.

Yep...definitely a glass/silicone tank. I gave him the stand with it as well. You are absolutely right about leveling out the stand. I did not level the stand the first time I bought a big tank and cracked the bottom of it. Luckily for me the pet shop guy that sold it to me was a friend and he got it replaced under warranty but said that is not the norm in 99% of the cases where a tank breaks.

If you didn't give any warranty, or false advertisement, it's more than likely an as-is sale. Check out the laws in your state, but most sales between private partys are as-is unless otherwise implied.

We are hoping that this holds true. I did not guarantee anything or implie that there was any kind of warranty in any way shape or form. He claims his father-in-law is a lawyer, I guess I will find out.

 

[scottb27]

There are many things that could have caused the leak in the tank since he took possestion of it. As mentioned the stand might not be level, or he could have carried it improperly and twisted it and popped a seam. He is pissed and threatening you with action he will never take.

 

[DiveMaven]

As is sale, let him take you to small claims court (which he won't if he really does have an attorney in the family...the attorney would tell him he doesn't have a case and is wasting his time).

 

[Doubler]

If the glass isn't broken, the leak is repairable. Level the tank and seal the seam.

 

[p1p]

Get him a tube of silicon tank sealer. As posted above,if its not broken,it can be sealed. Most likely a seal got tweaked during moving it. Help him seal it, shows good faith.

For a few hundred bucks, its not worth going to small claims court.

 

[LowDrag]

Get him a tube of silicon tank sealer. As posted above,if its not broken,it can be sealed. Most likely a seal got tweaked during moving it. Help him seal it, shows good faith.

For a few hundred bucks, its not worth going to small claims court.

Ya know, I get the good faith thing and would be fine with it if he wasn't being an A$$ about things. I feel bad for the guy but "AS IS" means "AS IS". I don't know if he is blowing steam or not, maybe I will go to small claims we will see. I have not had any contact with him since his last text to me.

 

[Doubler]

Good faith sometimes does work against you in a court of law. Could be implied that you knew it leaked. I'd leave it alone and see what happens.