Think I am going to order a glass cages tank

[Ben1]

Aquarium: 190 - 4 Wide 48 x 36 x 25 Tall for $725
Starphire on front panel only for $92
Use black silicone for $35
Reef-ready addition: 1 overflow(s) with 3 holes/o.v. for $100
3 bulkheads for $45
Acrylic covers for $35
Oak Stand: 48 x 36 x 30 Tall for $425
Extra side door on stand for $50
DELIVERY ON OUR TRUCKS(cmb.): AR Little Rock for $138

Total: $1645

I added the delievery to AR by mistake I am PA so that wouldnt work lol. I am tired of having a small tank and want an achiles tang. I would build two new sumps for under it out of acrylic one for a fuge and one for the actual sump. I don't know how long it will take them to build and ship but would like it for my x-mas present. Then I can take after x-mas vacation to set it up. I was going to go visit my sister in hawaii but the plane tickets are 1400 each and I need one for me and one for my some, plus hotel and spending money would have set me back around 4k. This tank is only 1600, plus I would need anouther vortech. Otherwise I am good on equiptment. I think my current skimmer would be fine its a mini BK 200 v2. I have my old one still so worse comes worse I would run both.

So trip to HI or new cool tank?

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't if I were you.

 

[Anonymous]

. I am tired of having a small tank and want an achiles tang.

While I absolutely LOVE my 48x36 temp tank I don't honestly think I would put an Achilles in there (even though they are quite cool), maybe if it's the ONLY tang I might be tempted... but I'd probably still shoot for 72"x36" if it were me.


BTW, you might want to ask your LFS or what not about the Marineland "Deep Dimensions" tanks. They are all 3' wide, come in sizes IIRC 3', 4', 6' long and do have starphire as an option on the front glass. While it most likely will be more expensive than the glass cages, it worries me that a "custom" tank is cheaper than "stock" tank (even if they aren't being shot off the production lines as a "normal" tank), and I've heard enough bad things about glass cages to make me be wary of them like Bingo points out.

 

[Anonymous]

But holy cow $1400 per person for Hawaii? And I thought I was being cheap because it was $600ish RT from here, there's no way that it could cost $800 to fly cross country.. .unless you chose a "bad" day to fly (i.e. expensive)... I just checked dates from Dec-30 to Jan 6.

 

[Ben1]

Yeah my problem with flight is I have to go when my son is on break from school, and so does everyone else. I can't leave earlier b/c I own a toystore and have to be there to finish up the busy time. And I think I want a new tank more then a vacation. I didnt buy the tickets when they were cheaper either lol.

I will ask my LFS about the marineland tanks. Is there any other poeple that ship custom glass tanks to the US? The achilles is one of my dream fish, and I would go a bit larger to accomadate if needed.

I sent information for a qoute on a similiar aquarium to miracleaquarium.com from toronto, are they the same as miracles in glass? is there anyone else I should email for a qoute?

Thanks!

 

[Ben1]

K I emailed Aquarium Obsessed also, who else is out there?

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't if I were you.

Ditto!!! +!

 

[Ben1]

Aquarium Obsessed got back to me with a very reasonable qoute and did so pretty fast.

48x36x24
The front 12mm starphire glass
The sides and back 12mm regular glass
The bottom 19mm regular glass
An internal overflow greylite glass
3 holes
All glass ground and polished
1 year warranty on tank
Your cost is $1476 + shipping to your residence with a
forklift $298

They also offered me a discount of 10% of the tank and 20% on the shipping if I put a deposit down now so I think this is the route I will go. This dimension would out to a rough 179.5 gallons. If the tang is a no go on this size so be it but I want this size I decided since it fits in the spot I want the tank nicely.

Whats everyone think about them?

 

[Ben1]

Now I need a new T5 lighting system too, and need to build the new stand and sump. Should give me a nice setup, and room for more SPS lol.

I recently just bought a BK mini 200 v2, and think that can be used still on the new tank. I also switched from a shuran jetstream1 CA reactor to 2 part dosed through my LM 3, I still have the reactor in the closet if I decide I need to go back to that. I have a 36" Tek 8 bulb fixture right now so will switch to a 8-10 bulb 4' T5 unit like a http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Flu ... lbs_by_ATI

So the total upgrade cost would be,

1229 for the light
1800 for the tank
250 for the sump (cost of acrylic and supplies for either 1 lg or 2 med sumps I will build)
I can build a cheap stand but have to look into wood cost I am not good at est. that.
I will probably end up upgrading my chiller in the summer, after I see how the old one works out.

I guess total would be around $3500. About the same cost as my trip to HI, I think the tank will last longer lol.

 

[Anonymous]

What did they say would be on the top? Eurobrace? Glass panels?

But having a tank of that size, I do say that it's a nice size.

 

[Ben1]

Eurobracing

 

[Anonymous]

*choke* $1200 for a light fixture? Man guess people don't want to DIY anymore

 

[Ben1]

lol funny part is that would leave me with a 3' 2 x 400 watt PFO hood, 4' 2 x 250 watt PFO hood, and 3' 8 bulb tek light all in my closet and all the ballast and rubbermaid tubs filled with loose parts of old pumps, plumbing parts, dried up old LR, etc...I am a bit of a pack rat, but hey who knows when i might need that stuff lol.

FWIW I went ahead and put a deposit on the tank today. They seem like a decent company so I hope no one comes along and tells me to stay away from aquarium obssesed lol.

 

[Anonymous]

NY to PA isn't too bad on the shipping, wouldn't even want to know what it'd cost to ship to SF

 

[SnowManSnow]

BEN,

glass cages makes very good GLASS TANKS. their acrylic tanks leave something to be desired.

if you can live with some sloppy silicon joints I don't think you'll be disappointed. For the price you can't beat them IMO.

I've had a 65g cube from 5/8 glass (built like a TANK) for over a year now and it is a GREAT tank! Any other company would have charged me DOUBLE the price. Given it would have probably been nicer... but my glass cage was just that.. meant to be a glass cage to house all my cool stuff.

I know you've ordered already, but amidst all the negative feedback glass cages has always treated me good and left me with a good product.

B

 

[SnowManSnow]

BTW if you're still looking at T5s I just purchased a Aquactinics Constellation and LOVE it. It's a bit short of the powermodules, but WAY better than the TEK lights.

B

 

[Ben1]

Well the tank from AO was about $500 more then GC, I also got a qoute from Miracles in glass and they were 2k for the saem tnak so the most expensive of them all. I also read that GC uses a genaric form of Starfire, I dont know if theres a difference or not, maybe not. I knew you were happy with your Snow which is why I almost went that way but decided I didnt mind paying a bit more if I didnt have to worry about it. I can't wait for the tank they said it was a 8-10 week build time so its abit of a wait but will giv eme time to build the stand and tile the floor where the tank is going to sit.

 

[SnowManSnow]

cool. Hope you enjoy your tank.

b

 

[Dewman]

Let me know how their customer service was? I didn't have such a great experience with them. http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=90756&start=40

 

[Ben1]

Let me know how their customer service was? I didn't have such a great experience with them.

I ended up ordering through aquarium obsessed.