Shallow reef tank manufacturers - need advice

[Elfer1]

I’m wanting to upgrade my 30g deep blue reef to a more substantial shallow reef setup - somewhere around 50 - 75 gallon display with a sump. I’ve been looking into IM, FijiCube, Cade and going full custom by Miracles Aquariums. Are there any other manufacturers that I should be looking into? Ideally, I’d like a 4ft wide tank and no taller than 16” (I’m not set on a depth) - no AIO and preferably an internal overflow.

I appreciate any and all suggestions!

 

[black huracan]

im interested as well

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

Tenecor. Acrylic for the win

 

[fishguy242]

@Joe Glass Cages for the customer service ,quality work and price...

 

[Joe Glass Cages]

@Joe Glass Cages for the customer service ,quality work and price...

@fishguy242 thanks so much for the mention and support. I am really proud of the team!

 

[albano]

Acrylic for the win

Absolutely… don’t even think about glass!

 

[CBonito]

Go to Advanced Acrylics man.

I built this system sourcing all my own stuff with their tank. Couldn't be happier.
Stand is from Alufab and sump is a Reef Octopus. You wont be able to get something of this quality buying someone else's pre-made system. They all have some kind of irreconcilable flaw.

 

[CBonito]

Absolutely… don’t even think about glass!

Yeah, from my own experience, glass sucks. With a good acrylic tank, once you get it set up, it ain't going anywhere for a long time. It holds in the heat better so your heater isnt working all the time, it's strong, has no seams to leak and it's "low iron". lol No regrets.

 

[Troylee]

Go to Advanced Acrylics man.

I built this system sourcing all my own stuff with their tank. Couldn't be happier.
Stand is from Alufab and sump is a Reef Octopus. You wont be able to get something of this quality buying someone else's pre-made system. They all have some kind of irreconcilable flaw.

Have you put water in that tank yet? It’s gonna have a nice bow after a couple weeks lol…

 

[CBonito]

Have you put water in that tank yet? It’s gonna have a nice bow after a couple weeks lol…

Yeah, it's all setup. I can barely notice the bow. It's 3/4" inch acrylic. Pretty straight.
It's only 12" tall man. If it was 16 inches or more, I wouldn't do it.

 

[Troylee]

Yeah, it's all setup. I can barely notice the bow. It's 3/4" inch acrylic. Pretty straight.
It's only 12" tall man. If it was 16 inches or more, I wouldn't do it.

I know exactly what it is… I build them and not fan of rimless lol… it bows and the acrylic is so thick your stuck to using suction cups for power heads etc.. not to mention the price of acrylic lol.. if I was building that for myself I would use 3/8 and a 2” euro and have zero problems..

 

[CBonito]

I know exactly what it is… I build them and not fan of rimless lol… it bows and the acrylic is so thick your stuck to using suction cups for power heads etc.. not to mention the price of acrylic lol.. if I was building that for myself I would use 3/8 and a 2” euro and have zero problems..

I have nero powerheads and the magnets aren't super strong, but hold fine enough. Again, I have little to no bowing. Something isn't lining up here. It's only 3 feet long.
If I had the tank built from glass, it would have cost more than acrylic. I priced it 7 months ago before going with this one.

 

[Elfer1]

Go to Advanced Acrylics man.

I built this system sourcing all my own stuff with their tank. Couldn't be happier.
Stand is from Alufab and sump is a Reef Octopus. You wont be able to get something of this quality buying someone else's pre-made system. They all have some kind of irreconcilable flaw.

That’s a nice looking setup. I’ve had acrylic before and I can’t stand how easily it scratches. That’s my biggest gripe with acrylic.

 

[CBonito]

That’s a nice looking setup. I’ve had acrylic before and I can’t stand how easily it scratches. That’s my biggest gripe with acrylic.

Thank You!

I've got Novus on standby. LOL
This is my third acrylic tank and I've had pretty good luck so far.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Figi cube. I have 76 int couldn’t be happier with it

 

[david8125]

The innovative lagoon tanks are 50% off right now about the pull the trigger on a int 150

 

[InsaneClownFish]

I’m wanting to upgrade my 30g deep blue reef to a more substantial shallow reef setup - somewhere around 50 - 75 gallon display with a sump. I’ve been looking into IM, FijiCube, Cade and going full custom by Miracles Aquariums. Are there any other manufacturers that I should be looking into? Ideally, I’d like a 4ft wide tank and no taller than 16” (I’m not set on a depth) - no AIO and preferably an internal overflow.

I appreciate any and all suggestions!

You’re really quoting three different animals there.

For off the shelf nothing beats IM
Especially with the huge sale going on. The quality is way better than a Fiji Cube.

Cade is the next level off the shelf. Their setups are really slick. I have heard their glass isn’t actually as super clear as they are claiming. I’m also not a fan of AlgaeBarn- their us distributer. I have nothing against them, it’s just that they’re understaffed, so if I’m spending that much money on a tank it’s not going to be with a company that it takes 3 days to get on the phone.

Glasscages is another option. They’ve upped their game tremendously in the past few years. Imho opinion, and absolutely nothing against Joe, I don’t think they’re the best value in the custom game. With their increase in quality has come an increase in price(we all know prices have gone up), but relative to quotes I received on market I felt that I’d save a little more and go with Felix @ Reef Savvy. The other thing that always bothered me about the glasscages business model is the option to buy an extended warranty on the tank. Do some research though, there are tons of people who love Joe’s tanks.

Miracles is a bit of a roller coaster company. I remember when I first got into the hobby they were some of the top tier tanks. Then I ran into a local reef store- very high end- after speaking with the owner he admitted that he wouldn’t have chosen Miracles a second time for some of his tanks. Interestingly enough, I still see tanks popping up from them that are innovative. That being said I’m not sure they’re the force they were and I don’t see as many people recommending them.

SCA- I’d rather buy an Innovative Marine

Coast to Coast Customs in NJ- ludicrously priced and from what I understand spotty on quality.

Exotic Aquariums out of Miami- they’ve built tanks for 40yr if I remember correctly. This is who Tidal Gardens used for their latest 500g frag systems. They look really nice. Another short warranty though. Reasonable quotes. Generally good communication.

Custom Aquariums out of Wisconsin is another sleeper company that we hardly talk about here because they’re not the hip kid on the block. We have a local reefer that owns one and swears by them. Their overflow designs are fairly unique. They also don’t have many of the reef oriented niceties, and they will only do rimless or aluminum braced- no euro. The nice thing is their tanks are lifetime warranty. The only requirement is that you use their stand. The rub is that their stands are overpriced. So pick your poison with the business model.

Red Sea- I’d rather attempt my hand at building a tank myself

Eshopps new line- not impressed at all. Overpriced imho

Elos- beautiful tanks. Horrendous relationship with the US market. There have been reports of silicone delaminating on certain models. Their Diamond glass or whatever they call it is supposedly the same crystal glass on Rolexes. Interestingly enough I saw a post by a guy who was comparing the glass on the different tanks he had owned and noted that CDA’s was as clear(I know a bit of here say but still interesting info).

Waterbox- pass. With an *they can do some amazing custom work, but this only seems to be with big you tubers

Advanced Acrylic and Acrylic Habitats are both great choices if you go Acrylic. John @ Advanced is very communicative. Like all other companies, they’ve had a few misses, but people seem to be happy with their work.

James @ Envisions moved away from the reefing hobby over the years. IE having the time or patience to build for the end user.

Tenecor- I haven’t seen one of their tanks in years. I don’t like their extrusion stand design.

New Wave- if you want to go ham on acrylic this German company is sick. They will ship to the us but it will cost you.

I’ve owned many tanks in my time- both acrylic and glass. I highly recommend glass at this point. Feel free to message me if you’d like a break down of the advantages.

Planet Aquarium- these are the guys from Oceanic. Their tanks are I’d say decent to really nice. My biggest problem is they only deal directly with the stores. This makes communication challenging- well actually impossible. If I’m spending this much money I want yo be able to speak with someone at the company. They can be ok with their prices on custom frag tanks in relatively typical dimensions, but if you do anything custom their price soar. They’re extremely slow with quotes.

CDA(Crystal Dynamics Aquarium)-
They’re out of Cali, and they’re going to be building my tank. Zoya is great to deal with. My decision to go with them really came down to the fact that they’re a known quantity- they built my last tank and they’ve been fairly popular with Connecticut reef keepers, so I’ve had the opportunity to see and move their tanks. Their quality is really nice, a good value, and a 5yr warranty with their stand. They’re just nice tanks. Are they perfect? No. One of the areas they do fall short is in how heavy their tanks are. They use a ton of glass. While I appreciate a beefy tank, some would argue their engineering is lacking.

I really don’t think you can go wrong with Miracles as long as you’re comfortable with the communication.

I also don’t think you can go wrong with
-
Joe @Glasscages
Zoya @CDA Fish Tanks
John @Advanced Acrylics
Felix @Reef Savvy

All have a high level of communication- and besides quality, price, and standing behind their product- communication is everything. All of these companies fit a space.

Reef Savvy is the only S Tier work of art company out there. I also believe Felix has a great care for what he does. That being said most of the time having that level of quality I would save for the special of special builds, because at the end of the day we all want to see what’s IN your tank.

I hope this helps, and I hope I was able to provide you with an honest assessment of what I see as currently going on with the industry.

And at the end of the day, always remember, what do I know?

 

[Elfer1]

You’re really quoting three different animals there.

For off the shelf nothing beats IM
Especially with the huge sale going on. The quality is way better than a Fiji Cube.

Cade is the next level off the shelf. Their setups are really slick. I have heard their glass isn’t actually as super clear as they are claiming. I’m also not a fan of AlgaeBarn- their us distributer. I have nothing against them, it’s just that they’re understaffed, so if I’m spending that much money on a tank it’s not going to be with a company that it takes 3 days to get on the phone.

Glasscages is another option. They’ve upped their game tremendously in the past few years. Imho opinion, and absolutely nothing against Joe, I don’t think they’re the best value in the custom game. With their increase in quality has come an increase in price(we all know prices have gone up), but relative to quotes I received on market I felt that I’d save a little more and go with Felix @ Reef Savvy. The other thing that always bothered me about the glasscages business model is the option to buy an extended warranty on the tank. Do some research though, there are tons of people who love Joe’s tanks.

Miracles is a bit of a roller coaster company. I remember when I first got into the hobby they were some of the top tier tanks. Then I ran into a local reef store- very high end- after speaking with the owner he admitted that he wouldn’t have chosen Miracles a second time for some of his tanks. Interestingly enough, I still see tanks popping up from them that are innovative. That being said I’m not sure they’re the force they were and I don’t see as many people recommending them.

SCA- I’d rather buy an Innovative Marine

Coast to Coast Customs in NJ- ludicrously priced and from what I understand spotty on quality.

Exotic Aquariums out of Miami- they’ve built tanks for 40yr if I remember correctly. This is who Tidal Gardens used for their latest 500g frag systems. They look really nice. Another short warranty though. Reasonable quotes. Generally good communication.

Custom Aquariums out of Wisconsin is another sleeper company that we hardly talk about here because they’re not the hip kid on the block. We have a local reefer that owns one and swears by them. Their overflow designs are fairly unique. They also don’t have many of the reef oriented niceties, and they will only do rimless or aluminum braced- no euro. The nice thing is their tanks are lifetime warranty. The only requirement is that you use their stand. The rub is that their stands are overpriced. So pick your poison with the business model.

Red Sea- I’d rather attempt my hand at building a tank myself

Eshopps new line- not impressed at all. Overpriced imho

Elos- beautiful tanks. Horrendous relationship with the US market. There have been reports of silicone delaminating on certain models. Their Diamond glass or whatever they call it is supposedly the same crystal glass on Rolexes. Interestingly enough I saw a post by a guy who was comparing the glass on the different tanks he had owned and noted that CDA’s was as clear(I know a bit of here say but still interesting info).

Waterbox- pass. With an *they can do some amazing custom work, but this only seems to be with big you tubers

Advanced Acrylic and Acrylic Habitats are both great choices if you go Acrylic. John @ Advanced is very communicative. Like all other companies, they’ve had a few misses, but people seem to be happy with their work.

James @ Envisions moved away from the reefing hobby over the years. IE having the time or patience to build for the end user.

Tenecor- I haven’t seen one of their tanks in years. I don’t like their extrusion stand design.

New Wave- if you want to go ham on acrylic this German company is sick. They will ship to the us but it will cost you.

I’ve owned many tanks in my time- both acrylic and glass. I highly recommend glass at this point. Feel free to message me if you’d like a break down of the advantages.

Planet Aquarium- these are the guys from Oceanic. Their tanks are I’d say decent to really nice. My biggest problem is they only deal directly with the stores. This makes communication challenging- well actually impossible. If I’m spending this much money I want yo be able to speak with someone at the company. They can be ok with their prices on custom frag tanks in relatively typical dimensions, but if you do anything custom their price soar. They’re extremely slow with quotes.

CDA(Crystal Dynamics Aquarium)-
They’re out of Cali, and they’re going to be building my tank. Zoya is great to deal with. My decision to go with them really came down to the fact that they’re a known quantity- they built my last tank and they’ve been fairly popular with Connecticut reef keepers, so I’ve had the opportunity to see and move their tanks. Their quality is really nice, a good value, and a 5yr warranty with their stand. They’re just nice tanks. Are they perfect? No. One of the areas they do fall short is in how heavy their tanks are. They use a ton of glass. While I appreciate a beefy tank, some would argue their engineering is lacking.

I really don’t think you can go wrong with Miracles as long as you’re comfortable with the communication.

I also don’t think you can go wrong with
-
Joe @Glasscages
Zoya @CDA Fish Tanks
John @Advanced Acrylics
Felix @Reef Savvy

All have a high level of communication- and besides quality, price, and standing behind their product- communication is everything. All of these companies fit a space.

Reef Savvy is the only S Tier work of art company out there. I also believe Felix has a great care for what he does. That being said most of the time having that level of quality I would save for the special of special builds, because at the end of the day we all want to see what’s IN your tank.

I hope this helps, and I hope I was able to provide you with an honest assessment of what I see as currently going on with the industry.

And at the end of the day, always remember, what do I know?

Wow, that was a really nice summary of a ton of options. When I first created this thread, I hadn’t had a chance to look into all of these manufacturers, but ended up finding some older threads with pretty good info.

Ultimately, I decided to have Miracles build my tank. Derek has been easy to work with and communication has been pretty good. If time and money weren’t a factor, I probably would have gone with Reef Savvy.

Thanks again for your insight, it will be a great resource for others in the same boat.

 

[InsaneClownFish]

Wow, that was a really nice summary of a ton of options. When I first created this thread, I hadn’t had a chance to look into all of these manufacturers, but ended up finding some older threads with pretty good info.

Ultimately, I decided to have Miracles build my tank. Derek has been easy to work with and communication has been pretty good. If time and money weren’t a factor, I probably would have gone with Reef Savvy.

Thanks again for your insight, it will be a great resource for others in the same boat.

Great choice. You know it’s always easy to say the company is up and down, but tbh that also comes with success. Sometimes they really are that busy. I’m looking forward to seeing your tank. What dimensions did you finally go with?

 

[Elfer1]

Great choice. You know it’s always easy to say the company is up and down, but tbh that also comes with success. Sometimes they really are that busy. I’m looking forward to seeing your tank. What dimensions did you finally go with?

It’s not going to be a very big tank because I know I’ll be more likely to keep it going if the maintenance isn’t too time consuming. I ended up going 48x18x14 with a single central internal overflow. I debated between internal vs external overflow, but didn’t want to have the extra space between the back and the wall with external. I’m going to build my own stand out of aluminum extrusions and then have wood panels fabricated to my design. I’ll probably start my own build thread for this one. I’m open to any and all recommendations/suggestions!