Where to get a custom built aquarium

[Kengar]

Wow Ken. That is nuts. I have been following your displeasure with them and I don't blame you one bit. I am shocked they threatened to sue you, if hey are worried about their name sake, they should make the product the way they customer orders it. I hope many ppl read your story before purchasing a tank from them.

Corey

I bought Starphire glass from local company, and it is stunning! I've just finished assembling the upper frame by siliconing together four strips. Will then attach the strips that form the lower frame to it using UV-cured adhesive. (It's water-clear and from test pieces I've assemble, strong as all get-out. I joined two 1/8-inch-thick pieces of 18"-long glass strips together using the stuff and supported the "beam" on a pair of blocks and stood in the middle of it without it breaking!) Once lower strips are attached and I've filled spaces between them with silicone, I'll attach the whole assembly to the top of the tank with black silicone. I plan to post to demonstrate the whole process (including how I removed the bracing despite CTC telling me it couldn't be done without breaking the tank) and to show the finished project when it's done. Will be SO glad to get the tank out of my garage, where it's sat since July preventing me from getting car in garage, now that it's winter and snow and ice are/have come.

But let's not hijack the post....

 

[fixmgood]

Ken,although I have not read your post,but plan on doing so, I can gather that the tank was not what you paid for or how you expected it to turn out. I can sympathize and you are welcome to check out "tank Disasters". We as consumers need to hold these companies responsible which I am doing at tremendous expense.So as not to seem like this thread is being hijacked,we all need to do serious research before shelling out large sums of money in return for poor workmanship and products,which in the end becomes very expensive.

 

[RadagastWizard]

I got quotes from a lot and miracles was the cheapest and the only one that could do the overflow how I wanted

Ultimately I decided to go with a stock tank but someday..

 

[Kengar]

Ken,although I have not read your post,but plan on doing so, I can gather that the tank was not what you paid for or how you expected it to turn out.

When working with them to order the tank, I originally requested starphire glass even for the bracing but was told that, given the relatively narrow dimensions of the bracing strips, the difference wouldn't be noticeable. So I took their advice and ordered it with regular float glass for the EB. As you can see from the videos and photos, it came in wavy and chipped in numerous places, and the greenish tint was definitely noticeable in comparison to the rest of the tank, which is starphire. Unfortunately, I did not fully appreciate how bad (in my opinion) it looked until I got the tank home from the freight depot and fully uncrated it. Unfortunately, at that point in time, their attitude was that I had inspected the tank, so there was nothing they could do about it. So I wouldn't say that what they sold me wasn't what I ordered. Rather, I would say that the workmanship was not what I would have expected, given the cost of the tank. When I first complained about it, they told me that you spend time looking at what's inside the tank, not the tank itself. In my experience, a crappy-looking tank detracts from the appearance of the whole thing, so for me, that assertion doesn't hold water.

 

[Kengar]

I should add that I had originally ordered from Reef Savvy but cancelled the order and went with CTC when the originally promised delivery date came and went. In retrospect, having seen the quality of RS tanks in many photos online and knowing that they are in the same price range as CTC, I wish I had simply waited a little longer and stuck with RS. If I had it to do all over again, that is what I would have done.

 

[Landshark61]

Only ones I would suggest is miracles in Canada. ..I hear very good but expressive things about reef savy too...I have seen some very nice glass cages tanks too

This is who I had build my 410 gallon all glass tank. They also built the stand. They did an outstanding job. Tank has been up and running since 2010.

 

[dr.nick73]

try "Get Pumped Saltwater".. ask for Lance he can build you anything you are looking for in acrylic... he over builds the tanks and have had my 375g for 3 years now and not a single issue

 

[afm32607]

I went with Miracles, the total volume is just a shade over 300 gallons, they are doing the sump and stand as well.

I'm thinking of starting an official tank build for it.

 

[swiftvision]

For acrylic:

James Steele
js@envisionacrylics.com

He builds tanks for Monterey Bay and other large national aquariums.

He made my custom 100g cube; work of art.