# Aquarium manufacturer



## Fisher2007 (28 Feb 2018)

I think I've pretty much settled on a rimless tank - 1440mm long by 420mm width and 450mm tall.  That size works well with an existing oak cabinet I have and allows for a nice long tank, which in turn should work well for the Denison barbs I want

Next is where to get it made? 

NQ Aquatics - never used them but know they've been around for while from my reef keeping days and have a good reputation.  That said, I've read recently, on here and elsewhere, that the build quality has gone downhill a bit - although that's only what I've read.  Any got any experience of them?

Fit Filtration - again a company I'm familiar with from my reef keeping days.  Never had a tank from them though but heard good things.  Anyone used them?

Alternatively any other suggestions for a reputable manufacturer with a proven track record for rimless/braceless aquariums?

I did consider the ADA or EA tanks but the sizes don't quite work (max width I can go is 420mm)

Cheers


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## Andrew Butler (28 Feb 2018)

Fisher2007 said:


> NQ Aquatics


Do you mean ND? They have gone downhill big time; I had a couple of tanks from them around a year go and when they finally got the size of the aquarium right on the 3rd attempt the glass was a different thickness to the invoice, silicone was awful and I mean really awful, another one of them had a blemish inside the glass, the glass did not line up and also had a chip out of the top.
I've put a couple of pics at the bottom for you just to give you an idea although it was worse in real life and doesn't show the silicone.
It's not just me either, if you look on the reef forums you will soon see people have a very similar view.




Fisher2007 said:


> Fit Filtration


I visited here after a chat with the owner Paul when I was going to get my marine aquarium built but his front of house guy was a bit rude so i thought I'd take my trade elsewhere.
Put the feelers out on ultimate reef.

If you are willing to stump the money up then aquarium connections are great; they are truly stunning tanks - Vince on the other hand is not so be warned!
I had one for my reef tank with a eurobrace and mitred corners.
If you were to ask me would I buy one again I would say yes if I had the money.

The money you would end up paying it might well be cheaper to buy a new cabinet and go ADA or EA! (Assuming the width restraint is your cabinet)


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## Fisher2007 (28 Feb 2018)

Thanks Andrew -  and yeah, I did mean ND, not NQ

Those pics don't look good do they.  It always amazes me when aquarium manufacturers make these mistakes.  I ordered a 6ft tank a few years ago and there was a scratch on the inside of the front panel.  The manufacturer in question told me (after me arguing) it would buff out.  It did but left a concave shape in the panel and something that looked like a circus mirror when you looked through it.  I rejected it but they argued again and it was only after a fight did they take it back and replace it as they should

Mmmmm - not sure who to turn to now.  I did have my heart set on one for the cabinet I already have


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## AverageWhiteBloke (28 Feb 2018)

I wish I had the equipment and know how to build optiwhite tanks. There's definitely an opening in the market for decent custom tanks in the UK, the one @Andrew Butler posted there would never have left my shop. Its glass for gods sake, not only that the purpose of it is for someone to spend a lot of time staring at it. What makes them think that someone receiving that is going to take it on the chin and put up with it. I was actually going to recommend ND before to someone looking for an ADA tank in here, that's not happening now. 

Crazy, there's two possible sales gone right there just on the strength of sending out that crap tank.


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## Andrew Butler (28 Feb 2018)

Fisher2007 said:


> Mmmmm - not sure who to turn to now. I did have my heart set on one for the cabinet I already have



I knew ND aquatics had a great name a few years ago and that's why I chose them but things sure have changed.

Marine tend to be the people who get custom builds so I'd hop onto ultimatereef.net and put the feelers out.


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## Andrew Butler (28 Feb 2018)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> Crazy, there's two possible sales gone right there just on the strength of sending out that crap tank


It wasn't just the one tank!
I ordered 2 sizes; they had 3 attempts to make the smaller tank and still got it wrong, the bigger one they said were within tolerances and the blemish in the glass was 'acceptable' and they just walked away in the end.

There are people that make amazing custom aquariums like aquarium connections but the cost is big.
Speaking to people in marines is the way to find out as I say.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (28 Feb 2018)

I wonder, if you left a chip that big in an expensive kitchen worktop at their house whether they would deem that as "acceptable" I'm guessing not.


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## Angus (28 Feb 2018)

Andrew Butler said:


> It wasn't just the one tank!
> I ordered 2 sizes; they had 3 attempts to make the smaller tank and still got it wrong, the bigger one they said were within tolerances and the blemish in the glass was 'acceptable' and they just walked away in the end.
> 
> There are people that make amazing custom aquariums like aquarium connections but the cost is big.
> Speaking to people in marines is the way to find out as I say.



I would have gone to small claims if they didn't give a replacement or full refund for sure.


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## ian_m (28 Feb 2018)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> I wonder, if you left a chip that big in an expensive kitchen worktop at their house whether they would deem that as "acceptable" I'm guessing not.


We refused the kitchen worktop when we moved into our new house, due to a "large chip" that they had bodge filled with coloured resin. Worktop was replaced (chipped worktop now installed in garage, result).

Wish we had pushed to get a chipped bathroom sink replaced. They enamel filled the chip, but may years later the enamel has started yellowing and now shows.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (28 Feb 2018)

ian_m said:


> Wish we had pushed to get a chipped bathroom sink replaced. They enamel filled the chip, but may years later the enamel has started yellowing and now shows.



Never accept sub standard work even if they offer money off especially when it's visual. I have a policy in my business where if I wouldn't have it in my house I wouldn't expect anyone else to even if I have to rip the whole lot. I usually do all the work in my own house but I was that busy with work I got someone else to fit my bathroom. Didn't want to stand over the guy all the time so pretty much left him to it and he was highly rated round our way. Warned him before I went to work one morning to not set off with a full tile on the bottom because the bathroom floor ran out by 15mm from end to end. Got home that night and you guessed it.  He put a massive bead of grey silicone around the bottom edge as the floor was Gray tiles and a bead of white silicon above that to split the difference. Every time I was in the bath I couldn't stop staring at it, it was driving me nuts. I put a white plastic trim round the bottom to take my eye off it but that still annoyed me, in the end up I lost it one day and chiselled off the bottom row of tiles off and replaced them a totally different tile which was wider so I could run out the cut with the floor.

OCD is an expensive thing to have


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## mort (28 Feb 2018)

Nd tends to go either very well or very bad. Their customer service has deminished of late but I've seen excellently made tanks from them as well as Friday night knockoff early rush jobs.

Fit filtration gets good reviews but is slightly more expensive and I've heard the same from aquariums 4 life.


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## MarkyP (28 Feb 2018)

I got a quote for 10mm optiwhite braceless tank from Aquariums4Life last week and they sent me a confirmation by email and some close up pics, they look well made and neat silicone work, i will be ordering


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## Kalum (28 Feb 2018)

MarkyP said:


> I got a quote for 10mm optiwhite braceless tank from Aquariums4Life last week and they sent me a confirmation by email and some close up pics, they look well made and neat silicone work, i will be ordering



Just had a look on their website and the prices look pretty good considering its custom sizes (£0.90 per inch for under 24" tanks), sent for a quote on just a small nano tank so will see if that's the price they come back with


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## Fisher2007 (1 Mar 2018)

Looks like I'm taking a trip to aquariums4life in the near future then.  They'e not too far from me


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## Kalum (1 Mar 2018)

Anyone had one of the Green Aqua opti white tanks? 

https://www.greenaqua.hu/en/akvariumok/opti-white-akvariumok.html


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## Andrew Butler (1 Mar 2018)

fozziebear said:


> I would have gone to small claims if they didn't give a replacement or full refund for sure


If you've ever been that route before it really isn't worth the hassle for the amount of money and I paid by bank transfer instead of credit card so couldn't go down the section 75 route.
I did get my money back for the smaller aquarium but apparently the top of the glass being that far out was within tolerances. I would expect +/- 1mm per metre but this was over that.



AverageWhiteBloke said:


> CD is an expensive thing to have


Tell me about it!


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## Angus (1 Mar 2018)

Andrew Butler said:


> If you've ever been that route before it really isn't worth the hassle for the amount of money and I paid by bank transfer instead of credit card so couldn't go down the section 75 route.
> I did get my money back for the smaller aquarium but apparently the top of the glass being that far out was within tolerances. I would expect +/- 1mm per metre but this was over that.


i totally see your point, it is effort vs reward, i would always recommend to buy on a credit card to cover yourself, but if the tank is worth anywhere upwards of 400 quid small claims is viable, if you keep letting companies get away with blahblahblahblah like this then they will keep on doing it to hobbyists.


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## Fisher2007 (4 Mar 2018)

Just an update to this thread.....

Yesterday I took a drive to aquariums 4 life and had a chat with them. First off, what lovely people. Happy to spare as much time  as I needed despite clearly working. Their setup in a manufacturing facility which was interesting to see. Various tanks and sumps in a variety of build stages.  These was a couple of rimless tanks there that had just been put together and they looked great.  I'm no expert but have kept tanks on enough to know the difference between bad and good.  There silicone work looked top notch!  There were no true display tanks but enough for me to know they are the people for my build.  They told me that they are in the coming months extending and setting up a new display area 

Tank is going to be ordered early next week so watch this space!  Well a new thread....not here exactly...haha!


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## webworm (4 Mar 2018)

Certainly following this with interest, website http://www.aquariums4life.co.uk/ certainly has lots of info, and pictures looks good. Was considering an EAReef Pro 1200s, but A4L might offer a similar system for the same price, but with a few more customisations.


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## Fisher2007 (4 Mar 2018)

Yeah, that's pretty much where I got too. I can get a tank exactly how I want it for similar price to an off the shelf tank


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## webworm (4 Mar 2018)

Quite like the idea of steel stand as well. Interesting that braceless tanks only get a one year warranty compared to three for braced.
From what I can see on the pictures / videos silicon work is really good.


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## MarkyP (4 Mar 2018)

A4L quoted me £304 for a 900x40x40 10mm optiwhite tank including delivery, i did ask about the cabinets and metal stands the very nice woman on the phone said it would push the price up to around £1000 which is £400 more than a aquascaper 900, the tanks are fair price but the cabinets/stands are expensive but they are metal framed


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## Smells Fishy (4 Mar 2018)

I've never heard of A4L until I clicked on this thread, glad I did now. For a 48x24x24 inch 450L it's £250 which seems a fair price. Not sure about the delivery charge tho. A4L is now in my bookmarks for future plans.

Cheers.


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## MarkyP (4 Mar 2018)

Smells Fishy said:


> I've never heard of A4L until I clicked on this thread, glad I did now. For a 48x24x24 inch 450L it's £250 which seems a fair price. Not sure about the delivery charge tho. A4L is now in my bookmarks for future plans.
> 
> Cheers.


is that for a braceless optiwhite tank? delivery for me was quoted at £39


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## Smells Fishy (4 Mar 2018)

MarkyP said:


> is that for a braceless optiwhite tank? delivery for me was quoted at £39



No just the bare bones deal. Not too bad for delivery then.


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