Where is the Best Place to Get a Large Tank (~400 gal)?

[TravelerBob]

I am planning a basement remodel and have been reading up on the saltwater hobby for several years now and have read nearly all of the posts in the large reef tank forum. I want to get a large tank, about 400 gallons and like the size of 72" x 36" x 36". I am thinking glass. What is the best place to get a tank this size? I live near St. Louis, MO. Is it better to order online and have it delivered or work through a lfs? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Adamc1303]

I think the most popular company is AGE for glass tanks these days. They're popular because of their quality. A few things to bare in mind though. Not everyone orders from the same manufacturers because of freight costs. If there's a tank maker that's closer you may want to go with them over another company. You sure you want to go 36" high? It will be very hard to work on the tank.

 

[dave.m]

36" tall makes an excellent display. They aren't too hard to work on if you: a). make sure you have access from both the front and back, and b). make sure you have lots of access space above the tank so you can get down in there. Maintenance gets dicey if access is restricted and you won't feel as enthusiastic about keeping the tank up to snuff.

Dave.M

 

[SS_Sean]

Just to add to what dave said. 30" tall is the most you will probably want to go if you don't have access to back of the tank. I don't, and I have to use tongs to even reach back to the back of an 18" wide tank.

 

[TravelerBob]

Thank you guys! Yes, I plan to have access in the front and from the back via a fish room in the basement. I really liked the 400 gallon tank on the forum from jdpiii3 (Our 400 gallon in wall natural sun-lit reef). That was a great tank and so I used his measurements (72"x36"x36") for my plan. I'm just not sure where to start looking at tanks for purchase. I assume this will have to be custom-made; so just not sure who to start talking to regarding the tank.

 

[dave.m]

Look local first. The freight charges can be a killer.

Dave.M

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

I used a local shop & went Deep Sea Aquatics in Texas for a custom 250,
72 x 30 x 27 & have no complaints on workmanship.

 

[albano]

Thank you guys! Yes, I plan to have access in the front and from the back via a fish room in the basement.

The problem is not only front and rear access, especially in a basement, you need to figure in 'overhead' access based on tank and stand height.
IME, it's not easy to be on a ladder, bending over a large tank, trying to place large rocks on the tank bottom (almost impossible, even at 30" tall)

 

[dave.m]

I've done it in a 36" tall 250 gal tank with only 12" of head room so I know it's doable. But you usually only place the rock once. Where it really becomes a pain is in regular maintenance like scraping the glass, vacuuming the sand bed or trying to retrieve a dead fish. The constant reminder of what a nuisance it is to get into the tank is what makes people start to slack off on maintenance and then the tank starts to get away from them.

The easier it is to service the tank the more likey you are to do it and keep it up.

Dave.M

 

[Dmorty217]

It will be a custom built tank at that size (400g). You will want to find a builder close to you since freight on a large tank can cost upwards of 1200$. Marineland makes a 300g DD that is the biggest prebuilt tank you can purchase before going with a custom builder. If used is what your looking for i would check out this site giantaquariums.com/

 

[TravelerBob]

This is great guys! I really appreciate all of the help and feedback. Reefcentral is a great site and I have really enjoyed reading through the forums and increasing my knowledge before actually starting all of this. Thank you again!!

 

[Black Mammoth]

I think the most popular company is AGE for glass tanks these days. They're popular because of their quality. A few things to bare in mind though. Not everyone orders from the same manufacturers because of freight costs. If there's a tank maker that's closer you may want to go with them over another company. You sure you want to go 36" high? It will be very hard to work on the tank.

Interesting....it hasn't been my experience. Mine failed and they had no idea why. I asked several times for a quote to repair it and a quote for a new one and they wouldn't respond. Their presale communication was also terrible. I'm currently looking for a new builder for my replacement tank. When talking with them, he guessed correctly where my failure was based on the design. My tank also bowed slightly, but I was told that was within spec. The other builder I talked to said in their opinion that glass should never bow. I might try one more time to get in contact with A.G.E., but I haven't been happy with them. The failure wasn't the breaking point; it was the lack of communication and the lies.

I also noticed that A.G.E. reduced their warranty from 3 years to 1. I'm wondering if they are experiencing more failures and reducing the warranty to compensate.