Today we would like show you a very interesting marine aquarium; it is a very well made cabinet-tank system with a special feature: the hidden deep sand bed (DSB) beneath it.

This system was designed and built by Italian company Crystal Reef, and we first saw it during the annual PetsFestival fair, held at the Piacenza Expo.

From the outside, the aquarium looks no different from thousands of tanks we have seen before. But hidden beneath the bottom glass is 12-14 cm of Deep Sand Bed. The only visible sand is a few centimeters worth within the cantilevered peripheral glass; the other 90% is hidden in the center of the tank.

As you can see from the pictures, there are two layers of glass at the rear of the tank, one is the peripheral glass of the tank, the other is a big overflow, and the small hole in the rear center is where the water comes up, from the sump to the tank.

The cabinet itself is extremely interesting as well.

The tank pictured above is cantilevered on three sides.

The cabinet is very intriguing too; very well made, built entirely of wood, and accommodates the sump and all its plumbing. It also has a space for the RO water and an electrical space for all the power adapters, power cords, and so on.

The doors have a retractable mechanism so they can be hidden inside the cabinet, providing easy access to sump and a great aesthetic improvement.

The back of the tank/cabinet is ready for plumbing, power cords, and hydraulic pipes; when the system is set up, everything is hidden.

The idea of a hidden DSB is a great idea, and we have never seen anything like it in Italy.

For more information, price, and availability, visit the builder’s website: Crystal Reef