Best Brand for aquariums on a budget?

[Patrick M Bodega Aquatics]

Hello! I am looking to start my first saltwater aquarium. I have a 35g freshwater that I am going to turn into a saltwater but I am always thinking into the future. Do you think that it is better to buy an average priced / quality aquarium and add a canister filter or spend the money on something like a red sea or waterbox aquarium with a sump, protein skimmer, etc? I LOVE the look of rimless red sea and waterbox aquarium but I was wondering if there is a cheaper alternative? The tank that I'd be buying would be about 75-125 gallons. Thanks!

 

[Specific Ocean]

Once you find success in reef keeping, you'll want to upgrade from that 35g.

I would definitely consider spending the money and getting the Red Sea or Waterbox aquarium.

check Craigslists. They'll need some TLC but you save $$$

 

[Doctorgori]

no, not really,
and please don’t get a rimmed Marineland or Aqueon
...I have both and regret it

 

[Acros]

Here is how I decided.

Am I moving in next 2-3 years ?

Yes : Petco aquarium with the metal stand and a DIY sump (I used Fijicube diy kit).

No : Get a Red Sea/Waterbox/Innovative Marine.

Edit: I saw a lot of really cheap Red Sea/Waterbox/Innovative Marine on Facebook marketplace. It is worth looking at.

 

[LegendaryCG]

You might not want to hear this but please listen anyway, the cost of the aquarium you select is likely to be one of the least expensive parts of the hobby so select a good quality one.

 

[Patrick M Bodega Aquatics]

Once you find success in reef keeping, you'll want to upgrade from that 35g.

I would definitely consider spending the money and getting the Red Sea or Waterbox aquarium.

check Craigslists. They'll need some TLC but you save $$$

Thanks! Down the road I have a 75 that had some discus. How does that sound?

 

[Rjmul]

no, not really,
and please don’t get a rimmed Marineland or Aqueon
...I have both and regret it

Why

 

[Rjmul]

Thanks! Down the road I have a 75 that had some discus. How does that sound?

Sounds like the 75 should be the display and the 30 should be the sump

 

[Doctorgori]

Why

Small rant but rimmed tanks look dated in comparison, NTM the Aquascape has to work around those space ruining overflows. I have a 210 Aqueon and the two center braces totally block about 10-20% of the light ...
I might sound a lil forceful but do yourself a favor, go rimless, avoid the regret

 

[Super Fly]

Hello! I am looking to start my first saltwater aquarium. I have a 35g freshwater that I am going to turn into a saltwater but I am always thinking into the future. Do you think that it is better to buy an average priced / quality aquarium and add a canister filter or spend the money on something like a red sea or waterbox aquarium with a sump, protein skimmer, etc? I LOVE the look of rimless red sea and waterbox aquarium but I was wondering if there is a cheaper alternative? The tank that I'd be buying would be about 75-125 gallons. Thanks!

check out Prostar aquariums, new'ish aquarium builder with quality tanks and even more amazing prices.

ProStar Rimless | pro clear aquatic systems

This rimless glass aquarium sits on a modern cabinet, available in black or white. This aquarium is designed for saltwater use freshwater use. In addition, it includes sump filtration made of glass.

www.pro-clear.com

 

[tehmadreefer]

You might not want to hear this but please listen anyway, the cost of the aquarium you select is likely to be one of the least expensive parts of the hobby so select a good quality one.

Not true

 

[PatW]

Don’t use a canister filter. They filter particulates. But unless you clean them VERY frequently, the nutrients in the particulates will just get released into the water. For reef aquariums, you need to practice nutrient export. You add nutrients inescapably by feeding your fish so you have to have an export system to escape a buildup.

Yeah, you can get by with a less expensive aquarium.

You can just go buy an inexpensive glass aquarium. Using a sump is generally preferred in the hobby. It is an easy place to stick your equipment. It is hard to have a too big sump for your aquarium. You can drill an aquarium yourself and install a DIY overflow for a sump.

Or you can go to step two and get a pure drilled aquarium. There are quite a few brands out there. Most of these are normal glass and normal glass has a very noticeable green tint to it.

The third option is go with low iron glass and water box and red sea aquariums are of this type. They also come with sumps which is nice. Low iron glass has a slight green tint but it is almost unnoticeable.

The fourth option is to have a custom aquarium made but that is pricy.

For your situation, you can go with option one. But I strongly suggest a sump, filter socks, and skimmer. You would have to DIY a sump. For that, you might get the aid of your local fish store or get into the local reef club and hope that one of the old hands will help you.

The second solution is to go with option two. It is a bit more expensive but more fool proof and is the safest option.

If you can get a good price, the red sea system might to pretty reasonable. I suggest you price out a system on option one or two with comparable equipment and see how much you save.

Another option is buying used system. Here you will not get exactly what you want but you can get the best bang for your buck. But you have to know what you are getting. Having someone with knowledge check it out for you might be a good thing. Reward them with beer and pizza (At least).

 

[Patrick M Bodega Aquatics]

Waterbox or Redsea?

 

[Doctorgori]

put that phrase in youtube ….I saw a side by side vid on RedSea vs Waterbox ….
OR short version: Waterbox has some better feature but “fit and finish” on RedSea was deemed better, also different sumps with different pros and cons

 

[homer1475]

Red Sea = 99% marketing and hype. Not worth the price IMO. Red Sea is the LG of the aquarium world(LG = Looks Good).

Many other builders out there that build better quality tanks for a fraction of the price. They may not look as nice, but will probably out live the inhabitants.

Many polls around about red sea tanks, and the general consensus is they are 99% marketing hype, and there is always something people wish they would have done different(ATO for one).

 

[DE FISH]

Red Sea = 99% marketing and hype. Not worth the price IMO. Red Sea is the LG of the aquarium world(LG = Looks Good).

Many other builders out there that build better quality tanks for a fraction of the price. They may not look as nice, but will probably out live the inhabitants.

Many polls around about red sea tanks, and the general consensus is they are 99% marketing hype, and there is always something people wish they would have done different(ATO for one).

Agreed Red Sea is the Apple of the reefing world however I still find myself buying their products guess their marketing is good lol however I wouldn’t purchase a tank for the money they ask for. I would look for a reefer who’s given up after a year and get one for the fraction of the price if I were to buy one.

 

[homer1475]

I dang near bought one when I got back in, just because they do look so nice. They look more like a piece of furniture in a modern living room, then a tank on a stand. U started doing some research into customer reviews, and found them mostly negative.

The price of the max nano compared to the biocube(what I eventually bought) was a no brainer for me.

 

[Acros]

It’s near impossible to buy anything cheaper than a Red Sea and make it look furniture quality. Some people have insane woodworking skills and they might be able to, but most can’t. I would not hesitate to get Red Sea or waterbox unless I am spending an insane amount of money on a custom tank. From what I can tell, Red Sea has the best customer service and continuously improve their tank design. There are cases where custom builders either send tanks which are a few inches short or send a tube of silicon to fix issues. lol.

Looking good matters in this hobby. After all, 90% of the people would not have gotten into this hobby if reef tanks didn’t look cool.

 

[OrlandoAIOReef]

Once you find success in reef keeping, you'll want to upgrade from that 35g.

I would definitely consider spending the money and getting the Red Sea or Waterbox aquarium.

check Craigslists. They'll need some TLC but you save $$$

Why those 2 over innovative marine?? Both cost more than IM by a few grand for same size aquariums

 

[Greg D]

Red Sea = 99% marketing and hype. Not worth the price IMO. Red Sea is the LG of the aquarium world(LG = Looks Good).

Many other builders out there that build better quality tanks for a fraction of the price. They may not look as nice, but will probably out live the inhabitants.

Many polls around about red sea tanks, and the general consensus is they are 99% marketing hype, and there is always something people wish they would have done different(ATO for one).

So what is a brand that sells direct, for a bargain? I ordered a 108 gallon fijicube through Bulk Reef Supply. Fujicube emailed me asking me to agree to the shipping instructions, which is no problem. I did reply, and about 5 days later got an email from "postmaster" saying their system rejected my email, and it wasn't sent. I assume it is because of the attachment they sent me with the instructions. (inspect for damage, ect) So I emailed them again twice without the attachment, and after no reply for days, messaged them through the website, and called BRS asking them to help. Still no reply. I'm thinking it's not such a value price. I thought they were out of Michigan, but I just read they ship from China to distributors, and then to the retailers...so ultimately there is alot of markup.

I called Prostar and they only sell through websites. Their acrylic tank would be cheaper than fijicube if I wasn't forced to buy the stand. I don't want a fancy stand, but want to make my own.