Marineland 300 Gallon DD?????

[Coronus]

Hi all,
So I am in the market for a new tank and want to get this one with the Monterey Black Stand.
If you have this tank and stand, please comment on wether or not this is a good purchase. I have read some negative reviews and would like to form a more informed opinion.
Please lmk your thoughts, good or bad!
Thank you

 

[rossco]

I have 2 friends with that tank. The tank is awesome but both had custom stands made because the factory stand is too short, if I remember correctly 29 inches. The reason is the 36 inch width. Any taller and stand won’t fit through a lot of home’s exterior doors.

That height gives a poor viewing angle unless you want to get on your knees or sit in a chair to view the tank. It also really limits your skimmer height. I personally like my stand height at 40 inches.

One friend had his stand made so it can be disassembled with bolts, the other made it the height he wanted and then we took out his whole sliding glass door to get it in.

Make sure you have lots of help getting it up on a taller stand though. That tank is a heavy beast.

 

[InkedReefLady]

My husband and I were going to go with the marine land 300DD for our upgrade, but after doing our research (check these forums) a lot of them end up blowing out due to poor manufacturing. We ended up having a custom tank made by MRC (same dimensions) and a custom stand (36 to where the tank sits on it) built by driftwood aquarium furniture.

Piece of mind is everything, IMO. Good luck with your choice!

 

[PmCarbrey]

They leak. Over the years I've replaced multiple 300dd and 250dd, I don't even sell them at my store any more. Some people have them last forever, some don't. It's really not worth the risk when nicer options from other brands aren't that much more. If the seam goes out in a 300 you're talking water damage in the thousands if not tens of thousands.

 

[Coronus]

I keep hearing that. I thought maybe since marineland sells alot of Aquariums. Like 10 more times than custom builders, the percent of leakers might still be very low.
Marineland tanks are sold everywhere and in all kinds of stores and online.

 

[jasonrusso]

I have 2 friends with that tank. The tank is awesome but both had custom stands made because the factory stand is too short, if I remember correctly 29 inches. The reason is the 36 inch width. Any taller and stand won’t fit through a lot of home’s exterior doors.

That height gives a poor viewing angle unless you want to get on your knees or sit in a chair to view the tank. It also really limits your skimmer height. I personally like my stand height at 40 inches.

One friend had his stand made so it can be disassembled with bolts, the other made it the height he wanted and then we took out his whole sliding glass door to get it in.

Make sure you have lots of help getting it up on a taller stand though. That tank is a heavy beast.

Unfortunately the warranty is only valid with their stand.

 

[rossco]

True, forgot to mention that -sorry

 

[Rob.B.]

Hi all,
So I am in the market for a new tank and want to get this one with the Monterey Black Stand.
If you have this tank and stand, please comment on wether or not this is a good purchase. I have read some negative reviews and would like to form a more informed opinion.
Please lmk your thoughts, good or bad!
Thank you

I had two of them, the last one I bought used (Starfire) had it for 6 years without issue.

Sold it to my buddy he has had it without issue.

The biggest thing with larger aquariums is making sure they are properly supported underneath and that they are level.

We bought the stock stand and made an 8 inch cap that sat on top of the main stand so it sat higher. This was done so I could cut out an access hole on the far right bottom to put in a larger skimmer.

Worked great...

 

[ca1ore]

I thought maybe since marineland sells alot of Aquariums. Like 10 more times than custom builders, the percent of leakers might still be very low.

I think that is probably true. If the incidence of failure was a high as the online stories suggest, these tanks would be unprofitable for ML and they'd have discontinued them. Unfortunately there is no way to know failure rates; plus keep in mind folks who had problems are far more likely to socialize their experiences than those that have not. I've seen many of them up and running, and I don't personally know anyone who had one fail. The build quality is observably inferior to a custom tank, but they're a lot cheaper too. I think if you plan properly, and support the floor so that it doesn't deflect and put twist pressure on the tank it'd be just fine.

 

[Rob.B.]

I think that is probably true. If the incidence of failure was a high as the online stories suggest, these tanks would be unprofitable for ML and they'd have discontinued them. Unfortunately there is no way to know failure rates; plus keep in mind folks who had problems are far more likely to socialize their experiences than those that have not. I've seen many of them up and running, and I don't personally know anyone who had one fail. The build quality is observably inferior to a custom tank, but they're a lot cheaper too. I think if you plan properly, and support the floor so that it doesn't deflect and put twist pressure on the tank it'd be just fine.

I’ve had both and will say you’ll be hard pressed to find a better made aquarium.

The one thing about the larger aquarium manufacturers like Marine Land / Red Sea is they have quality control implemented in their manufacturing process.

Most of these custom aquarium builders do not.

I’m lot into bashing a company but I spent thousands more for a 8 x 36 x 24 Starfire.

Tank was on a cement slab that was level, on a steel stand that was level, with leveling feet on it..

Seal let loose on the right side less than 48 hours later..

So currently I’m in the Process of Red Sea Peninsula build.

With the custom companies you have one guy building the tank cradle to grave.

The big ones have it dialed in [emoji6]

 

[ca1ore]

Though not a DD tank, I did run the ML265 for four years without incident. Did worry a bit that the 12mm glass seemed a tad thin (it's 19mm on the bottom) but was a very good tank.

 

[jasonrusso]

The build quality is observably inferior to a custom tank, but they're a lot cheaper too.

Just because something is "custom" and more expensive doesn't make it better, in my opinion it leads to a much higher opportunity for mistakes.

I'll take a tank made with a high level of automation any day over a "handmade" tank. Also, a mass manufacturer has to account for shipping stresses as well.

I have a 210 aqueon on an Aqueon stand (it's 28 inches tall , my skimmer fits, but it'd tight. However, all skimmers seem to max out at 28", coincidence?). I think the tank is very well made and for $1500 for the tank, stand, and lids it can't be beat.

 

[Rob.B.]

Just because something is "custom" and more expensive doesn't make it better, in my opinion it leads to a much higher opportunity for mistakes.

I'll take a tank made with a high level of automation any day over a "handmade" tank. Also, a mass manufacturer has to account for shipping stresses as well.

I have a 210 aqueon on an Aqueon stand (it's 28 inches tall , my skimmer fits, but it'd tight. However, all skimmers seem to max out at 28", coincidence?). I think the tank is very well made and for $1500 for the tank, stand, and lids it can't be beat.

Shipping is huge also.. The engineering Red Sea incorporates in the process is top notch..

Yet their is still shipping damage occasionally.

And you mentioned stand height, my read Sea comes in at 39 inches..

 

[ca1ore]

Just because something is "custom" and more expensive doesn't make it better, in my opinion it leads to a much higher opportunity for mistakes.

I'll take a tank made with a high level of automation any day over a "handmade" tank. Also, a mass manufacturer has to account for shipping stresses as well.

I have a 210 aqueon on an Aqueon stand (it's 28 inches tall , my skimmer fits, but it'd tight. However, all skimmers seem to max out at 28", coincidence?). I think the tank is very well made and for $1500 for the tank, stand, and lids it can't be beat.

I said 'observably inferior' which is a relative term. I did not say ML or even Aqueon were not well made. I've owned many from both, in sizes from small to very large; they're good tanks. BUT, both of the custom built tanks I've owned were observably better - thicker glass, better bracing and bottom seam bracing. Look at C2C as an example.

Do you 'know' that ML, for example, are made on an automated line? They all come with an 'assembled by xxxx' sticker on them LOL; thus all hand assembled. All tank manufacturers have to account for shipping stresses, so don't really get your point.

 

[oldenred]

This was my new 265 Marineland. They did replace it but this was a brand new tank.

 

[Rob.B.]

I said 'observably inferior' which is a relative term. I did not say ML or even Aqueon were not well made. I've owned many from both, in sizes from small to very large; they're good tanks. BUT, both of the custom built tanks I've owned were observably better - thicker glass, better bracing and bottom seam bracing. Look at C2C as an example.

Do you 'know' that ML, for example, are made on an automated line? They all come with an 'assembled by xxxx' sticker on them LOL; thus all hand assembled. All tank manufacturers have to account for shipping stresses, so don't really get your point.

Have you ever owned a C2C?

Because my experience with their aquariums wasn’t a pleasant one..

 

[ca1ore]

Rather missing the forest for the trees I think; though yes I had a second hand one a few years ago ..... well more than a few.

 

[Rob.B.]

Rather missing the forest for the trees I think; though yes I had a second hand one a few years ago ..... well more than a few.

No I see the the entirety of everyone’s point of view. But I am clearly speaking from my experiences with the manufacturers and purchasing the aquariums new.

I can can say that I will take a mass produced aquarium, made in a factory on production line than any custom tank builder..

You will find a higher rate of failure, on the custom side per volume produced.

 

[ca1ore]

You will find a higher rate of failure, on the custom side per volume produced.

You 'know' this how? Are you privy to manufacturer failure data, or is it just your opinion. Too many opinions masquerading as facts on these boards. I highly doubt it actually, particularly if one could look at failure rates per volume by tank size. My guess is that custom tanks will be larger, on average (who buys a 10 gallon custom tank), and that large tanks are more prone to user-error failures. Doesn't mean a custom tank cannot fail, but even a cursory look at a C2C versus a ML reveals that the former is more robustly made (I too have owned both). Every manufacturer will have failures, it's the nature of the beast.

 

[Rob.B.]

You 'know' this how? Are you privy to manufacturer failure data, or is it just your opinion. Too many opinions masquerading as facts on these boards. I highly doubt it actually, particularly if one could look at failure rates per volume by tank size. My guess is that custom tanks will be larger, on average (who buys a 10 gallon custom tank), and that large tanks are more prone to user-error failures. Doesn't mean a custom tank cannot fail, but even a cursory look at a C2C versus a ML reveals that the former is more robustly made (I too have owned both). Every manufacturer will have failures, it's the nature of the beast.

Are you privy to manufacturing data? And you are correct about these boards, there are many pompous individuals on them.