Euro bracing vs rimless large tank

[Ehder]

Woah it's been a while! Looking for some advice from the new community.

Looking to buy a large tank that is the end all be all for my new house.

It's been a wild ride in this hobby! Been in the hobby since 2005 give or take. My latest display was a RedSea 650 rimless peninsula that i had for 5 years between 2018 and 2023. I absolutely adored it. Acropora garden. Dream fulfilled. It ended up failing in October 2023 (water everywhere in the basement) and i had to store my fish and corals over the past ~2 years in various emergency systems. I was lucky i had emergency setups in storage (always keep your old stuff!!!)! All fish made it but the acropora...well we all know how they do with environment fluctuations...

Anyways, I've done a lot of window shopping the last few months into the general large tanks available today. I've narrowed it down to getting a WaterBox for oh so many reasons (metal framed stand that actually looks nice and doesn't rust is high on that list). I'm looking specifically at:

- Infinia Reef 230 (Rimless)
- Reef LX 290 (Eurobrace)
- custom! (If i have to)

I've cut out all other manufacturers for various reasons. Cade was a serious contender but after seeing their stands in person, i wasn't a fan. I will never purchase a Red Sea ever again as long as they have wooden stands that cause fantastic tanks to fail! Not bitter i swear!

Trying to decide if the euro bracing is worth an extra $2k investment. I absolutely love the rimless look but after experience with my last large rimless, it concerns me. I want this tank to last (so does my wife).

Anyone out there that has experience with either version, i would love to know your thoughts!

 

[W31Olds]

I have one of the few Eurobraced Red Sea Tanks and if and when I upgrade later this year will go with Eurobraced again, looking a Glass Cages. I don't see why you're looking at an extra $2k for a Eurobraced tank.

 

[UncommonSense]

Rimless tanks look fantastic, there is no doubt…

But, the math doesn’t lie… you need thicker glass for a rimless tank, and it’s still typically not as strong as a tank with a euro…

I would think the marginally thinner glass used for the viewing panes on a eurobraced tank would offset the additional cost of the few square feet of euro glass? Or is this just a classic case of an overpriced option?

 

[FernBluffReef]

Woah it's been a while! Looking for some advice from the new community.

Looking to buy a large tank that is the end all be all for my new house.

It's been a wild ride in this hobby! Been in the hobby since 2005 give or take. My latest display was a RedSea 650 rimless peninsula that i had for 5 years between 2018 and 2023. I absolutely adored it. Acropora garden. Dream fulfilled. It ended up failing in October 2023 (water everywhere in the basement) and i had to store my fish and corals over the past ~2 years in various emergency systems. I was lucky i had emergency setups in storage (always keep your old stuff!!!)! All fish made it but the acropora...well we all know how they do with environment fluctuations...

Anyways, I've done a lot of window shopping the last few months into the general large tanks available today. I've narrowed it down to getting a WaterBox for oh so many reasons (metal framed stand that actually looks nice and doesn't rust is high on that list). I'm looking specifically at:

- Infinia Reef 230 (Rimless)
- Reef LX 290 (Eurobrace)
- custom! (If i have to)

I've cut out all other manufacturers for various reasons. Cade was a serious contender but after seeing their stands in person, i wasn't a fan. I will never purchase a Red Sea ever again as long as they have wooden stands that cause fantastic tanks to fail! Not bitter i swear!

Trying to decide if the euro bracing is worth an extra $2k investment. I absolutely love the rimless look but after experience with my last large rimless, it concerns me. I want this tank to last (so does my wife).

Anyone out there that has experience with either version, i would love to know your thoughts!

Not to cause trouble. But RedSea wise. If you were not aware. All of the RedSea Reefer-S series have metal stands and are euro braced on the top and bottom. At times I regret getting my 525, wanting larger but I was overly conservative on weight (should have just bite the bullet on a bigger tank)

Con to a euro brace is IMO a bit harder to clean / keep clean but if doing again I’d probably try a braced tank just for the extra comfort

 

[Ehder]

Woah it's been a while! Looking for some advice from the new community.

Looking to buy a large tank that is the end all be all for my new house.

It's been a wild ride in this hobby! Been in the hobby since 2005 give or take. My latest display was a RedSea 650 rimless peninsula that i had for 5 years between 2018 and 2023. I absolutely adored it. Acropora garden. Dream fulfilled. It ended up failing in October 2023 (water everywhere in the basement) and i had to store my fish and corals over the past ~2 years in various emergency systems. I was lucky i had emergency setups in storage (always keep your old stuff!!!)! All fish made it but the acropora...well we all know how they do with environment fluctuations...

Anyways, I've done a lot of window shopping the last few months into the general large tanks available today. I've narrowed it down to getting a WaterBox for oh so many reasons (metal framed stand that actually looks nice and doesn't rust is high on that list). I'm looking specifically at:

- Infinia Reef 230 (Rimless)
- Reef LX 290 (Eurobrace)
- custom! (If i have to)

I've cut out all other manufacturers for various reasons. Cade was a serious contender but after seeing their stands in person, i wasn't a fan. I will never purchase a Red Sea ever again as long as they have wooden stands that cause fantastic tanks to fail! Not bitter i swear!

Trying to decide if the euro bracing is worth an extra $2k investment. I absolutely love the rimless look but after experience with my last large rimless, it concerns me. I want this tank to last (so does my wife).

Anyone out there that has experience with either version, i would love to know your thoughts!

Not to cause trouble. But RedSea wise. If you were not aware. All of the RedSea Reefer-S series have metal stands and are euro braced on the top and bottom. At times I regret getting my 525, wanting larger but I was overly conservative on weight (should have just bite the bullet on a bigger tank)

Con to a euro brace is IMO a bit harder to clean / keep clean but if doing again I’d probably try a braced tank just for the extra comfort

No way! I was not aware! I will look into this! Didn't look due to my bitterness

 

[Ehder]

Rimless tanks look fantastic, there is no doubt…

But, the math doesn’t lie… you need thicker glass for a rimless tank, and it’s still typically not as strong as a tank with a euro…

I would think the marginally thinner glass used for the viewing panes on a eurobraced tank would offset the additional cost of the few square feet of euro glass? Or is this just a classic case of an overpriced option?

Everything is overpriced these days. I just want something worthwhile honestly

 

[Ehder]

I have one of the few Eurobraced Red Sea Tanks and if and when I upgrade later this year will go with Eurobraced again, looking a Glass Cages. I don't see why you're looking at an extra $2k for a Eurobraced tank.

I've heard other stories about glass cages - any experience with them?

 

[UncommonSense]

I've heard other stories about glass cages - any experience with them?

I do know that many long-time reefers love glass cages tanks! In fact, @Joe Glass Cages is a forum member, and would likely be happy to work with you directly!

(I myself merely have a secondhand glass cages acrylic rimmed 60g sump, which is very nicely built!)

 

[W31Olds]

No personal experience, but they are American Made and have positive reviews on this forum. And FYI, the pea brains at Red Sea discontinued all the Max-S series Tanks with the aluminum stands. Probably a cost/sales decision to discontinue the tanks that don't fail.

 

[FMF0331]

I just picked up IM 170ext. Super impressed with the build

 

[Harpo]

Unless it is a very shallow tank going rimless is too risky for me

 

[lbacha]

I have an almost 1 year old 300g #glasscages tank and an Alufab 80/20 aluminum stand (I’ll never go a different route than 80/20 for big stands) and I love the build on the tank. It is eurobraced and I am so glad I went that route. It made adding screen tops easy and I never splash water even with crazy flow.

 

[JohnNYC8]

Woah it's been a while! Looking for some advice from the new community.

Looking to buy a large tank that is the end all be all for my new house.

It's been a wild ride in this hobby! Been in the hobby since 2005 give or take. My latest display was a RedSea 650 rimless peninsula that i had for 5 years between 2018 and 2023. I absolutely adored it. Acropora garden. Dream fulfilled. It ended up failing in October 2023 (water everywhere in the basement) and i had to store my fish and corals over the past ~2 years in various emergency systems. I was lucky i had emergency setups in storage (always keep your old stuff!!!)! All fish made it but the acropora...well we all know how they do with environment fluctuations...

Anyways, I've done a lot of window shopping the last few months into the general large tanks available today. I've narrowed it down to getting a WaterBox for oh so many reasons (metal framed stand that actually looks nice and doesn't rust is high on that list). I'm looking specifically at:

- Infinia Reef 230 (Rimless)
- Reef LX 290 (Eurobrace)
- custom! (If i have to)

I've cut out all other manufacturers for various reasons. Cade was a serious contender but after seeing their stands in person, i wasn't a fan. I will never purchase a Red Sea ever again as long as they have wooden stands that cause fantastic tanks to fail! Not bitter i swear!

Trying to decide if the euro bracing is worth an extra $2k investment. I absolutely love the rimless look but after experience with my last large rimless, it concerns me. I want this tank to last (so does my wife).

Anyone out there that has experience with either version, i would love to know your thoughts!

I think if you aren’t going with a canopy a eurobrace tank looks better. It also gives you a little shelf to rest things on when you’re working in the tank.

 

[Ehder]

Thank you all for your comments! I'll definitely take a gander at glass cages more than before. I have been leaning euro brace but the price tag on some of these tanks is a little steep from what they used to be.

 

[UncommonSense]

Thank you all for your comments! I'll definitely take a gander at glass cages more than before. I have been leaning euro brace but the price tag on some of these tanks is a little steep from what they used to be.

Hmm… well, I did just get a quote for $107 for 3ft2 of 12mm annealed glass plate…

That might help you put things in context for how much value the eurobrace actually retains in materials!

 

[Garf]

Thank you all for your comments! I'll definitely take a gander at glass cages more than before. I have been leaning euro brace but the price tag on some of these tanks is a little steep from what they used to be.

Any un-braced tank makes me shudder (and my wife has one). I had an experience a long time ago where the centre brace broke, and that tank failed, catastrophically. I've got a two foot cube now and even that is braced, ott.

 

[Freenow54]

Not to cause trouble. But RedSea wise. If you were not aware. All of the RedSea Reefer-S series have metal stands and are euro braced on the top and bottom. At times I regret getting my 525, wanting larger but I was overly conservative on weight (should have just bite the bullet on a bigger tank)

Con to a euro brace is IMO a bit harder to clean / keep clean but if doing again I’d probably try a braced tank just for the extra comfort

only caution most add on accessories are made for rimless

 

[Uncle99]

Love the look of the rimless always have.
Now that I have a lid (to defeat the jumpers) not sure it matters as much.

I have the Pro-Clear, Pro Star, 230. Pro-Clear at least at the time, was located in Jacksonville, FL.

Comes with all the initial setup stuff, an aluminum framed matching stand, thick, 19mm low iron glass and what has proven over 7 years to have solid seams.

What I liked the most as each size was 1/3 lower in terms of cost than all others. So, in Canada, this 230 complete was $2700 in comparison to say Red Sea at $4200

Of course more expensive now.
https://www.pro-clear.com/copy-of-prostar-rimless

 

[Garf]

only caution most add on accessories are made for rimless

No idea what this means, can you clarify? Thanks

 

[Garf]

Love the look of the rimless always have.
Now that I have a lid (to defeat the jumpers) not sure it matters as much.

I have the Pro-Clear, Pro Star, 230. Pro-Clear at least at the time, was located in Jacksonville, FL.

Comes with all the initial setup stuff, an aluminum framed matching stand, thick, 19mm low iron glass and what has proven over 7 years to have solid seams.

What I liked the most as each size was 1/3 lower in terms of cost than all others. So, in Canada, this 230 complete was $2700 in comparison to say Red Sea at $4200

Of course more expensive now.

You've got the water very near the top. Does that ever cause issues?