# Tank Brand Recommendations?



## Salinger (Jan 1, 2018)

Hi, as a newbie, just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on brands when it comes to buying a new tank? Are any known to be better quality or more reliable than others? Perhaps more importantly, are there any brands that you'd advise staying away from? From what I'm reading, Fluval seems to get high marks as far as regular consumer tanks go though they are pricier. Is it a case of you get what you pay for?

I thought a tank was a tank, for the most part. But in doing some research in what to buy, I've found so many conflicting opinions and recommendations. Saw a Marineland kit that I thought looked decent (in my limited knowledge) and at a fair price, but when I followed a link to reviews on the Marineland site, there seemed to be quite a lot of people with the same complaint; seams letting go in a matter of weeks/months and the entire tank emptying onto their floor. Might there really be an issue, or do you think they have no higher a failure rate than any other, it's just they sell so many that the failures, in numbers, are higher?

Cheers!


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## Maple (Sep 14, 2016)

I had a Marineland bust on me. Would never buy one of them again. I tend to go for either Miracles or Starfire tanks now.


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

Miracles out of Orangeville. their stock pricing is competitive, their quality is top notch, they can custom make whatever you want with tempered or star-fire glass. I bought my tank used from the forum and it is all these years later still in immaculate condition, the silicone is neat and tidy, not sloppy like some cheaper tanks, causing them to have issues over time.

I believe there are a few custom acrylic tank makers about if you wanted to go that route.

Lots of people buy tanks from the LFS without issue, it is a valid option. just make sure you inspect the tank thoroughly; is the glass cut neatly, are the joints aligned properly, is the silicone on the joints neat and tidy or does it look like it was smeared on by a toddler with a popsicle stick etc. No point in getting a tank home only to find that it is a lemon.

At a guess I would hazard that tank failures reported are a combination of inferior mass produced quality and from inadequate stands etc applying stress to the tank, and shitty tank quality. at 10lbs per gallon remember that your tank is HEAVY. it needs to be supported properly! that means it needs a solid base to sit on. follow the manufacturers specs to the letter. I like putting a layer of foam under my tanks for just that reason - it will cushion and equalize any load transfer from the tank to the stand, and it also insulates the bottom of the tank.


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## Salinger (Jan 1, 2018)

Great advice, thanks so much!


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## bruce845 (Mar 9, 2015)

Most will do fine, but any "budget" tanks like topfin or so Id stay away.



Salinger said:


> Hi, as a newbie, just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on brands when it comes to buying a new tank? Are any known to be better quality or more reliable than others? Perhaps more importantly, are there any brands that you'd advise staying away from? From what I'm reading, Fluval seems to get high marks as far as regular consumer tanks go though they are pricier. Is it a case of you get what you pay for?
> 
> I thought a tank was a tank, for the most part. But in doing some research in what to buy, I've found so many conflicting opinions and recommendations. Saw a Marineland kit that I thought looked decent (in my limited knowledge) and at a fair price, but when I followed a link to reviews on the Marineland site, there seemed to be quite a lot of people with the same complaint; seams letting go in a matter of weeks/months and the entire tank emptying onto their floor. Might there really be an issue, or do you think they have no higher a failure rate than any other, it's just they sell so many that the failures, in numbers, are higher?
> 
> Cheers!


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## zenster (Jan 16, 2017)

I'm biased towards tanks made from starfire glass because of their clarity. After owning a couple of ADA tanks I don't want to go back to tanks made from "normal" glass.


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## Salinger (Jan 1, 2018)

The Miracles tanks seem to be highly recommended in everything I've read here and just about everywhere else.

I went to their website but it doesn't seem it's meant for retail customers. Do any stores stock them? Tried googling but nothing came up other than the website of the manufacturer itself. They have a price list on their site, but it's from 2016 which leads me to believe they don't sell direct to consumers. ...or maybe they're just bad at updating their site.


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## kem (Oct 19, 2015)

They sell directly to the public. They usually don't have a stock and build the tanks on order. They are located in Orangeville, and can deliver (for a fee).

For a very large aquarium, they can build it on-site. They can also build irregular shapes.

If you have the opportunity, pay them a visit, it's well worth it.

If your mind isn't set on a particular tank shape/size, they sometimes have discounts on unsold tanks (built to order but customer changed his/her mind).

However, keep in mind that they are significantly pricier than tanks from LFS.


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## Salinger (Jan 1, 2018)

Quick question. One of the tanks I'm considering is the Fluval Vista 23 gallon. It has rounded bent glass on the front instead of seams. I think it looks really sharp.

The dimensions are listed as 30"x12"x18"; those are the exact same measurements for a standard 29 gallon tank. Just wondering, is that possible or might they have made a mistake? Surely if a glass cube has the exact same dimensions, it must hold the exact same volume of water, no? ...and it is a regular rectangular tank ie no portion separated out for filtration.


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

Salinger said:


> The dimensions are listed as 30"x12"x18"; those are the exact same measurements for a standard 29 gallon tank. Just wondering, is that possible or might they have made a mistake?


if it is a bowfront tank - the likely reason the volume is less is that the dimensions listed are the maximum footprint of the tank - ie the width at the widest point, whereas the sides may only be 10" or so wide. Thus accounting for a 6 gallon difference. Just a guess though.

I'm not personally a fan of bow fronts - it can be harder to clean glass.


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## Salinger (Jan 1, 2018)

I don't think it's a bowfront, from what I can see at least. I couldn't find one in the wild to actually see in person. It looks to be a standard rectangular tank but for the bent glass corners. Though maybe that does have something to do with it.

Here's an image of it:


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## Salinger (Jan 1, 2018)

Been out of commission for a bit but finally getting back on track. 

I reached out to Miracles, and they will deliver downtown for $60 fee + tax.

What say you guys? Is the quality of a Miracles tank that much better than I'd get at, say, Big Al's, that you think it's worth the extra $60? I certainly don't mind paying it. I think that's reasonable for delivery from Orangeville. But I'm just wholly unfamiliar with tank quality of any brand. Cheers!

ETA: Okay, so after thinking about it a bit more, I have pretty much answered my own question. As I don't have a car, I'm going to have to either bother a friend, or rent a Zip car for a few hours to get something big like the tank. So in the end, I'll probably pay as much as the delivery fee, and not end up with a tank that is as good as the Miracles from pretty much everything I've read. So, will go with the Miracles tank, and just checking with them also on their pricing for glass canopy and stand. I'm going with a 23 long, so it's a slightly less common size and I think might be a bit more difficult to find proper fitting top and stand elsewhere. Hopefully they'll be reasonably priced. I definitely feel their tanks are more than reasonable.


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## geonut (Jun 24, 2012)

*Tank Brand Recommendations*

Miracles tanks are much better quality than most other tanks, and are worth the extra money, in my opinion.

I have a 20 G long which is 12 years old and still running with no problems.


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## geonut (Jun 24, 2012)

*Tank Brand Recommendations*

Miracles tanks are worth paying a little extra for, in my opinion.

The glass thickness and quality of workmanship are second to none.

I've found that they last far longer than many other brands, and without mishaps.

They service customers which are not wholesale.

You can visit their facility in Orangeville and observe how their tanks are made.

They deliver to you.

To see their current prices, just add 20% to the prices listed for 2016.


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