Where would you go to buy a custom tank

[jtaylor]

Going to upgrade from a 90 gallon tank to a custom reef ready tank 72x24x24 or something close. Also want to have three sides with starphire glass. I got a quote from Mircle aquariums and was wondering where others have or would purchase a reef ready tank, stand and sump. I have no plans on up grading after this and this would be my aquarium hopefully for years to come. Also where would the best place be to place the overflow on a custom tank? Thanks

 

[JTM4UG]

Glass cages

 

[reef87]

miracles, reef savy, glasscages <<============these are the very popular ones

 

[reefstarter]

I'd put the overflows in corners.

 

[STiTCH87]

I bought my old 40g breeder from glasscages. Awesome price, awesome customer service, amazing build quality (don't give into the BS you may read about them). Got it with 3 sides starfire. black silicone, and solid oak stand. Loved it and the only reason I sold it was because I am stupid and when I moved thought I couldn't have an aquarium that big in my apartment. Guess what? I could've... Found out after the fact. =(

I didn't use their overflow kit though. I went gl**************s, and HATED it. So loud and ugly. Id agree with corner overflows somehow. Glasscages will install these for you if you want. Or atleast drill the holes in the bottom for you.

For what you asked, glasscages wants $1,081 and that's including the sump that's like $275. Build your own for $50 or so and save over $200 I say. You can also add a canopy for $150.

 

[reef87]

i had a tank built by glasscages a few years ago. they build good & quality tanks. (off course not as good as elos ).
The tank construction was great. Silicon was great. customer service was great.
they use 1/2" thichkness on most rimless tank. yes corner overflow is a way to go.
The price is okay but when you add in the other options like starphire, reef ready..., they do add up and can be expensive.

Miracles build very excellent tank as well. I had one from Miracles last years and I really love it.

check them all out, if the price is not much of a different then go with miracles over glasscages.

i am sorry, I have no experience on the reef savy tanks so i can't say much.

there are other company that makes rimless tank (just not custom) such as marineland, deep blue, ada, elos......

 

[STiTCH87]

Do keep in mind though, nothing beats a nice ReefSavvy overflow. Full tank-length overflows? Mmm...Mmm...Mmm...

 

[PSU4ME]

I have a miracles tank and really like it. Clean lines, eurobraced, center overflow etc. Seems pretty quality to me.

I have no experience with glass cages but I would not disregard what you read online rather I would take it as that persons experience. GC seems to have more vocalized miscues vs other companies but other companies have them too. A lot of a tank's build quality comes from the people actually building it......and a companies reputation is built on what they allow out the door. They are connected so that says something about "GC tanks".

Personally, and this isn't to say the above advice is any more or less solid, you couldn't pay me to use a GC tank on that size of a tank.....just my personal preference. I'd go with a stock 180 over a GC tank considering the dimensions listed.

Again, just my personal thoughts.

 

[jtaylor]

Thanks for the input it is helpful. Miracles is easy to work with and recieved a quote of 2,290.00 with a center overflow that they thought would work best. Reason I asked a the question on overflow was I thought corner overflows seemed to be the way to go and curious of others experience. I sent a quote request to reef savy this afternoon with a ghost overflow since this was a recommendation recieved here and looking into them a little they have a great reputation. I am sketchy on glass cages because of the stories but I plan on at least getting a quote form them also.
The price of the tank from Mircle was a little higher then I expected but not by much, what caught me off guard was the cost of the aquarium stand for the tank...... Thanks again for the input and hope to have a tank on order within the next couple of weeks

 

[PSU4ME]

That does seem a little pricey. My 120 has a center overflow and I paid $1,200 shipped in 2012 with 3 sides starphire. This is a center, internal overflow right?

I recently asked RS for a quote on a larger tank....2 weeks and i'm still waiting to hear back.

Good luck

 

[jtaylor]

Hee is the quote from Miracle
72x24x24
All edges machine polished
1/2" starphire front and ends
Tempered bottom with 4 holes
Internal 3 sided rectangular black acrylic overflow
Black back
Eurobraced
Crating and shipping included to the depot in West Bridgewater
$ 2295.00
was also looking for a quote on a 150 but in order to notice saving I would need to go with a standard 18 width, I am looking for a wider width and less height then what the standard 150 gallon tanks offer.

How do you like the center overflow and is there an advantage over the corner overflows? Let you know if I hear back from ReefSavvy
...said 5 days guess I will not expect that now

 

[PSU4ME]

That quote is likely Canadian dollars which last time I checked is like $1.20:$1.00 so it's a little cheaper.

Tank is basically the same as mine except you have one extra hole drilled. The center overflow works well for my 120

 

[reef87]

If you comsider Miracles tank. Keep in that unless you across the boarder and pick up your tank over in canada. Otherwise you will be required to provide a social security number or taxid in order to get the tank into the usa. Hope this helps.

 

[Bobbofin]

I bought my old 40g breeder from glasscages. Awesome price, awesome customer service, amazing build quality (don't give into the BS you may read about them). Got it with 3 sides starfire. black silicone, and solid oak stand. Loved it and the only reason I sold it was because I am stupid and when I moved thought I couldn't have an aquarium that big in my apartment. Guess what? I could've... Found out after the fact. =(

I didn't use their overflow kit though. I went gl**************s, and HATED it. So loud and ugly. Id agree with corner overflows somehow. Glasscages will install these for you if you want. Or atleast drill the holes in the bottom for you.

I have STiTCH87's 40 breeder now and love it. I actually fixed the noisy overflow issue by reducing the the pipe from 1-1/2" to 1" right after the elbow and only running 250 gph through it. You only need 3-5X through the sump and rely on powerheads for in-tank flow. The large pipe with not a lot of water going through in and splashing makes a lot noise. A 700 gph overflow on a 40B is way to big for that application. I would have gone with the Super Nano Dientes 300 gph overflow. IMO you want to put 75% of the overflow's capacity through it so it won't be noisy.
I have seen some GC tanks that the silicone is sloppy and others that are fine, it's a crap shoot from what I've read. And you don't get to inspect it until you meet the delivery truck and it's already paid for! The rimless ones seem to be better. Would I have bought my tank from CG knowing it could be a crap shoot on the neatness of the silicone with it already being paid for at pick up? Probably not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VYPFvLwqhc

 

[reef87]

Nice tank bobofin. Thanks to Stitch for selling you his lovely tank.

 

[STiTCH87]

I have STiTCH87's 40 breeder now and love it. I actually fixed the noisy overflow issue by reducing the the pipe from 1-1/2" to 1" right after the elbow and only running 250 gph through it. You only need 3-5X through the sump and rely on powerheads for in-tank flow. The large pipe with not a lot of water going through in and splashing makes a lot noise. A 700 gph overflow on a 40B is way to big for that application. I would have gone with the Super Nano Dientes 300 gph overflow. IMO you want to put 75% of the overflow's capacity through it so it won't be noisy.
I have seen some GC tanks that the silicone is sloppy and others that are fine, it's a crap shoot from what I've read. And you don't get to inspect it until you meet the delivery truck and it's already paid for! The rimless ones seem to be better. Would I have bought my tank from CG knowing it could be a crap shoot on the neatness of the silicone with it already being paid for at pick up? Probably not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VYPFvLwqhc

All this time thats all I had to do?! LMAO

 

[jtaylor]

after doing somehomework I am going to stay away from a rimless tank and curious if deep sea aquatic tanks are worth looking into too

 

[Jb83]

Just out of curiosity why stay away from rimless tanks?

 

[jtaylor]

I have a couple of fish that are known jumpers which I built a screen top on my current tank, putting a screen top on a rimless has mixed reviews from what I read. also escaping snails, all i need is a snail to catch one of my dogs attention coming out of the tank and have them jumping onto the side of the tank which also makes me nervous about purchasing starphire glass. I am also very happy with my current tank which is not rimless and only considered rimless when miracle gave me a quote on one so it is not a big selling point for me although they are very nice looking tanks. and last probably just over thinking everything

 

[fishmommy]

I ordered a custom DSA tank through my LFS
expensive, long lead time, but top quality.