maw Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Hi Guys, I'm thinking of upgrading my 48x18x18, to a taller and 20 wide one, can you advise prices and tank construction contacts for: 1.48x20x24 2.48x20x28 3.48x20x30 Also, I'm inclined to use my existing back-less 48x18 standard stand...will this work? Thanks, MAW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 See the sponsor banners across the top? try asking them Unless you put a sheet of thick ply down - don't go putting a larger footprint tank onto a stand - not a cool idea What sort of tank is it? not many fish will use extra height anyway - I'd be tempted to mod the stand to take a 4x2 - anything less seems like more $$$ for little in the way of gain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maw Posted August 24, 2005 Author Share Posted August 24, 2005 Hi Ash, Yes 4x2 would be ideal...but I don't have the floorspace - or at least thats what my wife tells me!! Currently I have a 5x20x24 sitting on a 5x18 cabinet - no problems. I bought it from the shop in Engadine that since closed...he had it for a number of years as a display tank. I asked Audurn and they quoting high $400 hundreds, 10mm "aussie made" glass so he tells me...quite pricey. The extra height would make both my tanks sit somewhat at the same level, as the cabinet is higher than the standard stand. It would be ideal to approach the manufacturer rather than the go through the LFS's. Regards, MAW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlakeyBoyR Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Auburn don't claim to be the cheapest, we claim to be (and are) the best. The build quality is amazing, the tanks look nice, have sliding glass lids, they do use aussie glass rather than cheap chinese glass like other places and the tank looks fit for display, not sitting in a fishroom in a garage like so many other 'run of the mill' tanks around these days. You want cheap and nasty, Auburn probably isn't for you, but if you want something that's going to last you for years, won't leak and looks the goods, then I'd say we're your best bet. Our tank builder is exceptional at what he does, and is precise to the smallest detail. He won't pass on that tank until he is absolutely 100% content with the work he has done, and this is coming from a man that has built tanks for at least one large public Australian aquarium. I've worked at enough LFS and dealt with enough people to know where to find quality, and I got the 2' marine display tank in my signature from work. Not simply because I work there, but because I care about the quality of my tank and because I want the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyme Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Pilkingtons (Australia's only glass manufacturer) currently make glass in China as well as making it here. I my opinion Chinese glass makes better tanks than aussie made glass. It is clearer and harder. Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@nthony Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Pilkingtons (Australia's only glass manufacturer) currently make glass in China as well as making it here. I my opinion Chinese glass makes better tanks than aussie made glass. It is clearer and harder. Craig. ← Sorry Craig I have to disagree with you on this one Pilkingtons Australian made glass is far superior to any imported Chinese or Indian glasses. It has a higher silica content (hence the green tinge). While it is true that Chinese glass is harder this also makes it far more brittle (not a quality you are looking for when building tanks). Any tank builder worth his salt will tell you this. This very trait can even be seen when attempting to make long cuts when cutting down large sheets. Chinese glass is more prone to running off direction while cutting. This is also partly due to the high levels of impurities and imperfections in imported glasses (Also another reason why imported glass is not the ideal for fish tank construction). Craig, can you offer a 10 year guarantee against leakage/ breakage and faulty workmanship on your chinese glass constructed aquariums. This is the very guarantee Auburn Aquarium offer on their 100% Australian Pilkington glass constructed aquariums. If the market was not so price driven far more tank builders would be using Pilkingtons glass. But at basically twice the price, tank builders usually opt for the inferior product to make higher margins while trying to stay competitive on price. Instead tank builders IMHO should at last offer the consumer the option and give the reasons for using a superior quality glass. At the end of the day what is a couple of hundred dollars when you consider the value of the fish we fill out tanks with. Also no one wants the drama of cleaning up the mess created when something goes wrong. Hindsight can be a wonderfull thing sometimes. Basically as Blake already mentioned if you want a cheap and nasty tank for a garage or fish room go with the Chinese stuff. However if you want an aquarium that is built to stand the test of time and manufactured for its quality finish and user freindley features then Auburn is your shop. Not to mention the peace of mind. At the end of the day like anything you get what you pay for. Regards @nthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve24cro Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Id' have to disagree with Anthony, pretty much any glass is strong enough to build tanks, no matter where the glass is manufactured. Its how the tank is constructed. If you use glass that is thick enough for your tank, in my opinion, your tank will last you 20 years. There are numerous tank makers in sydney who make great tanks that will last a minimum of 10 years yet still at an afforable (reasonable) price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@nthony Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Id' have to disagree with Anthony, pretty much any glass is strong enough to build tanks, no matter where the glass is manufactured. Its how the tank is constructed. If you use glass that is thick enough for your tank, in my opinion, your tank will last you 20 years. There are numerous tank makers in sydney who make great tanks that will last a minimum of 10 years yet still at an afforable (reasonable) price. ← Steve, That is a broad and dangerous statement that has not been qualified in any way. I never said that you could not build a tank out of imported glass, nor did I say that all tanks built from imported glass will leak or break. To suggest you can use any glass is also very misleading. Aquariums should only be built out of float glass. Try use safety glass or even laminated glass and see what happens. I agree 100% when you say that glass thickness and quality of construction and silicone are paramount to a quality aquarium. However everything else being equal an aquarium built from Australian Pilkington glass is of superior quality to one built from Chinese or Indian glass. Words are also cheap, it is one thing to say that tanks SHOULD last you 20 years and a minimum of 10 but will they guarantee it? Regardless I was responding to a statement which claimed that Chinese glass was better suited to aquarium manufacture. In my opinion this is wrong as outlined in my previous post. If you have any facts to disprove the claims I have made please state them. Regards Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyme Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Well, as far as glass breakage goes I could offer a 10 year warranty, as does Strictly Aquarium whose tanks are nowhere near the finish of those sold by Auburn. Simply because the amount of failure due to glass breakage in anyone`s tanks is almost non existant. Tanks fail usually because of poor installation or bad furniture. I regret upsetting anyone here but I still think what I said is correct. Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@nthony Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Well, as far as glass breakage goes I could offer a 10 year warranty, as does Strictly Aquarium whose tanks are nowhere near the finish of those sold by Auburn. Simply because the amount of failure due to glass breakage in anyone`s tanks is almost non existant. Tanks fail usually because of poor installation or bad furniture. I regret upsetting anyone here but I still think what I said is correct. Craig. ← No worries Craig, I don't think anyone is upset. We are all adults and are all entitled to our own opinions. Even when opinions differ we are all mature enough to agree to disagree. As far as tank breakage goes bad furniture certainly will cause cracking but a poorly built aquarium either by workmanship, glass quality or thickness can cause cracking and blowouts also. However leakage is the most pressing issue for most people and this is where a 10 year guarantee really hits home. Peace of mind is worth the extra in my opinion. Regards Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnightexpress Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 there is a saying " you get what you pay for" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mianos Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 As said, how the aquarium is mounted is a major factor on how well the aquarium lasts. A basic cheap tank well mounted can last a long time. Either a well made tank or a bad made tank badly mounted will probably eventually leak after a period of time. That said, I've got one of those cheap Chinese tanks and everything except the 5 basic planes are as wonky as.. well something wonky. Even the lids don't fit (I trimmed them eventually myself). My locally made tanks are much better constructed. If you shop around you can get a locally made tank for as good price as the foreign made one. Ring around and get a few quotes. I was surprised at the variation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 mianos, I think the discussion was based on local tank builders using local or imported glass. However, on your point - you got a Chinese made tank? How would they go about importing this? Anyone? I mean, filling a shipping container with flat sheet glass is one thing, but surely packing tanks in would result in massive losses of product in transit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyme Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 You are right John, importation of tanks is very problematic. I can assure you however probably 1000s of fully made fish tanks are imported every year. Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phenomena Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Anyone knows any tank maker in Australia, Sydney in particular that uses ASAHI glass? I've never seen a tank advertised with details like: - glass made by such n such, grade such n such - brand of the silicone used - construction method - beveled edges, etc as their selling points. However, I found that it's the case with some really good tank maker overseas. This way they kinda set a standard for a well built tank. BTW, their prices are still cheaper compare to ours, lucky! Just a thought...Sorry if this is out of topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mianos Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 mianos, I think the discussion was based on local tank builders using local or imported glass. However, on your point - you got a Chinese made tank? How would they go about importing this? Anyone? I mean, filling a shipping container with flat sheet glass is one thing, but surely packing tanks in would result in massive losses of product in transit? ← The tank is fully made in China. The box has Chinese writing on it with a few shipping tags in English. Inside were some bits of Chinese newspaper that were used to wrap the lids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mianos Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Speaking of glass, imagine a Starfire glass tank. Hph here at work was telling me last week he knew someone who got a marine tank in Starfire because he did not like the green in the glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parrdog Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 I got my aquarium, cabinet and hood from Xtreme at Taren Point. The quality is outstanding and way cheaper than other aquariums. I went to another aquarium (and is a great shop), their tank and cabinet construction was very similar to mine but their price was almost double. Give Wayne and Rebecca a call, their tanks are unreal, Jamie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyme Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Grade, 1st quality toughenning grade should be used for all aquariums. I think this is covered by an Australian Standard? THis grade of glass is deemed defect free. Until someone can offer evidence to the contrary I reckon so long as this grade of glass is used its source of origin makes no difference to the outcome of a fish tank. Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wui39 Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 You still building tanks Craig? I remember almost ordering a 4x18x18 with drop sides from you almost 1.5 years ago. You has an awesome setup then, you still going strong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve24cro Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 I still disagree with anothony, i guess like you said we all agree to disagree. The chances of glass breaking whether it is aussie glass, chinese, african or who knows is extremely minimal. The glass of a tank will only break if it is mis-installed or knocked or something of that nature. I have had a cheap chinese glass tank for 15 years, never had a leak or anything. In my opinion the glass makes no difference at all, as long as it is right thickness for the tank dimensions. float glass obviously has different qualities, and yes aussie glass may be better overall quality than chinese glass, however that difference when it comes to aquariums is so small that it is pretty much irrelevant. It is the quality of the silicon, the amount used, the braces and how well it has cured that is important. also if the edges are square (i have seen some unever tanks) and plainly how much care has been taken when making the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlyme Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Yes Steve, glass from different places appears to have slightly differing qualities. I have used enough Turkish, Indian and Chinese glass to be able feel the difference. I guess its the sand it is made from. My understanding of the hardness of glass is that it is mainly determined by the unnealing (heating and cooling)process used to make the stuff, not the raw matterials used. I think Chinese glass is quiet different from the Indian glass I have used. I have only used Chinese glass from one specific maker, maybe it is not all as good as the stuff I got. I agree with you, all other things being equal the only one who can tell the difference is the bloke who cut up the glass to make the tank. I have only used small amounts of Pilks glass and it may have cut better than some of the Indian glass I have had but there really is not much in it. I still see an advantage in abtaining the best opacy you can get, so until I find otherwise I will retain my preference for Chinese glass. Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 I do not wish to add to the debate except I will say that a 10 year guarantee is only worth so much as the breakage factor is very small (although it does happen and can lead to a costly repair/replacement bill). However, the 10 year gaurantee would be worth something if they gaurantee to indemnify for the damage caused due to breakage and fish stocks and accesories lost due to the breakage ? Do Auburn Aquariums offer this kind of gaurantee ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OziOscar Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 That kind of indemnity contract / guarantee is really worth the expense, if it's available. Cheers - OziOscar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnightexpress Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 no one will offer that kind of guarantee,if they did they will try to get out of it some how. Like insurance company do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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