YouTuber launched a reef tank kit, scam or no?

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Hello All! Many of you may know one of the most influential reef aquarium YouTubers, CoralFish12g. He is actually quite a positive influence on the hobby, but recently launched a reef tank starter kit, and I am calling scam.

basically it is a 15g ( being marketed as a 12g, apparently to factor in sand, rock, and other water displacement ) rimless AIO fish tank, with a light marketed to grow even sps coral, and a return pump along with some filtration.

it all seems merry and well, until you take into consideration it is almost $500!

I really doubt he had any of this custom made, but I was unsuccessful in finding the parts he used, so I am turning to you guys, what do you think? Does anybody have one? ( there are only 50 of them out there right now, so I doubt it, but we will see. )

here is the link to it: https://www.coralfish12g.com/pages/12g-tank-kit

 

[Jekyl]

If it's on the internet it must be true.

 

[Reef_prop88]

jekyl's right.

 

[Jekyl]

Sorry, I just view everyone on YouTube the way I view clowns at the circus. Entertainment not to be taken seriously.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Sorry, I just view everyone on YouTube the way I view clowns at the circus. Entertainment not to be taken seriously.

This. Unfortunately people take that stuff literally.

 

[polyppal]

Can't blame the guy for having a hustle, but looks like a cheap Chinese knockoff of an Innovative Marine Nuvo10. Lol I could build that setup with high end name brand components for less... I do like his tank tour vids though.

Nuvo 10 kit w mighty jet and media basket - $200-220
Kessil A80 - $130

Done!

 

[FishyFishFish]

What do you mean by scam?

He clearly has the tanks; his videos show them being delivered. He shows what you are getting and tells you the cost.

If you don’t like it, you don’t have to buy one.

A scam is if he takes your money and doesn’t send you anything, or doesn’t send you what you’ve paid for. That clearly isn’t what is happening here.

$500 might be a lot for a mass-produced item, but it seems he has only had 50 kits produced so far. Even if they are just re-badged, simply having them made with his branding and in his boxes would have cost a lot, just in shipping and fees, for such a small shipment.

If you think it’s too expensive then buy something else!

 

[damsels are not mean]

Maybe not a "scam" but considering you can get a 28 gal like the nanocube or biocube for that money I would say this is gonna screw some people over who likely don't know it's cheap crap. The JBJ 15 is half that price then you can blow that extra money on a real LED puck.

 

[FishyFishFish]

What do you mean be ‘real’ LED puck?

An AI Prime is $259 with the gooseneck. The JBJ (which isn’t museum quality) is $255. That is a total of $514.

Despite what the OP has stated, this Coralfish tank is $450 (which I wouldn’t say is quite ‘almost $500’) and it also comes with a media basket.

I agree it’s not for everyone (it’s not for me), but I don’t agree it is a scam and am not sure you can say that anyone is ‘getting screwed over’.

I could say buying a JBJ 15g is ‘getting screwed over’ as you can get a Fluval Evo, with a light, for about $150 all in. But I wouldn’t say that as the Evo isn’t for everyone, neither is the JBJ, bio cube or this Coralfish tank.

 

[Someshmuk]

A scam would imply you didn't know what you were getting for the money you were putting down. It's all listed there and its just enough to run a saltwater tank. Maybe not a great tank but enough to dip your feet in.

I personally don't feel like its a good deal but hey, he told them what they'd get, how much it'd cost, and people bought it. Why complain about what other people spend their money on?

 

[Tamberav]

Not sure what you mean but it is not a good item to buy at that price point. I guess he’s trying to make money off his fame but kind of embarrassing to be selling that blue and white light with it under his name. That light belongs in 2008.

 

[Sean Clark]

For some reason I find myself thinking of Doc's Eco Systems... Did anyone ever get their order?

 

[damsels are not mean]

Despite what the OP has stated, this Coralfish tank is $450 (which I wouldn’t say is quite ‘almost $500’) and it also comes with a media basket.

No AIO is without a media basket. Anyways that light is not growing much. Maybe mushrooms and zoas. You could buy a better one on amazon for $12 and if you want to grow SPS you need to do better. Genuinely this whole kit is worth maybe $200 if you made it yourself out of stuff you bought at petco, and that's without you having wholesale material prices like they do. It's not any better in quality or features than that but it's $500 which again is enough to buy a tank 2x that size that can grow most corals...

What irks me is that this guy will encourage his followers to buy this tank, which is absolutely overpriced, and absolutely won't deliver on promises even if those buyers manage to develop a "blue thumb". It's not a "scam" but considering that this channel caters to newbies it's kind of sleazy. Would you tell beginners to spend $500 on a cheap AIO and an amazon clip-on quality LED lamp?

 

[PBar]

Hello all,
as information, it might be interesting. Discussion on Reefing Report by @Terence and Mark.
Episode 3, as from minute 21:

 

[Grumblez]

ITs acrylic witch honestly is nice if your gonna be moving the tank a bunch. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/rimless-nano-cube-aio-aquarium-advanced-acrylics.html. THis similar acrylic all in one is 270$ without a pump or filter media thats like 50 - 100$. Is that light worth another 100$? Probably not but I don't think its that terrible a price.

Still loking for someone with the "Biota Aquarium"

Deluxe Aquarium Package

The intelligently-engineered all-in-one Biota Aquarium comes complete with tank, all required equipment, sustainably bred marine life, and a 30-day livestock guarantee. 4 live corals 13.5-gallon smart tank All required equipment built in 1 month food supply 2 Clownfish 1 Rainford’s Goby 1 live...

shop.thebiotagroup.com

 

[A Young Reefer]

I mean even if its a scam or not, people are buying it. biggest proof that it was sold out within the first few hours. what might not be ok for us is ok for others. I think its more of a; "I bought a limited edition tank made by my favorite youtuber" than "I am a beginner and I need a tank". if they are selling good then good for him, you cant blame him or blame companies like WWC if there are people buying.

 

[a hill]

There are many Chinese companies trying to get US businesses to sell these kit tanks. They’re usually around $300 wholesale depending on specs.

He’s maybe making $150 per unit.

Light quality is the real question here. Price it’s high but his brand can pull it off.

Not a scam, however I won’t be buying one.

-Andrew

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Didn’t expect this to be so controversial! I guess I did say “scam” when what I really meant was “ripoff”, but glad to hear people are thinking similarly to me, it is for sure overpriced, and that light is not gonna grow sps.

 

[FishyFishFish]

No AIO is without a media basket. Anyways that light is not growing much. Maybe mushrooms and zoas. You could buy a better one on amazon for $12 and if you want to grow SPS you need to do better. Genuinely this whole kit is worth maybe $200 if you made it yourself out of stuff you bought at petco, and that's without you having wholesale material prices like they do. It's not any better in quality or features than that but it's $500 which again is enough to buy a tank 2x that size that can grow most corals...

What irks me is that this guy will encourage his followers to buy this tank, which is absolutely overpriced, and absolutely won't deliver on promises even if those buyers manage to develop a "blue thumb". It's not a "scam" but considering that this channel caters to newbies it's kind of sleazy. Would you tell beginners to spend $500 on a cheap AIO and an amazon clip-on quality LED lamp?

The Evo doesn’t come with a media basket (I’m not counting the sponge). I’m not sure about the JBJ referenced earlier but their website doesn’t mention a media basket either.

The Coralfish tank doesn’t cost $500!

What light is he using? Does anyone know? In any case, quite a few people are having good success with the lesser-known LED brands on Amazon. You don’t have to have something from AI, Ecotech or Kessil to grow corals.

 

[JakeAndAmanda]

It’s like complaining it only costs $50 to produce a $1300 smartphone. I say if people are buying his tanks, good for him. Good for us too, more people in the hobby means more demand for innovation. Really, how many people that buy a small tank stick with a small tank forever? They either succeed and buy a bigger tank or fail and sell everything off.