Tank availability

HJ99 · Feb 3, 2021

Just wondering what others have experienced buying a large mass produced tank lately . We have been trying to get a 180g since Christmas. We missed buying a Marineland at one LFS by two days as it had sold when we came back. So we decided to order from another long established LFS as they were a couple hundred cheaper. In the meantime, I had an email conversation with a CS person at Marineland. She told me it would be a very long time, perhaps never as the talk was not producing anything over 120g. I called the LFS and relayed this info and they said they actually had an Aqueon 180 scheduled to come in that week. So it didn't and it's been several weeks now. Is this normal and we are just anxious ?

Antics · Feb 3, 2021

Can’t comment on big box/ mass produced tanks but there are dozens of custom manufacturers and then companies like Red Sea, Waterbox, SCA and Planet Aquariums that build at the standard 180 footprint and are readily available. You’re going to get a better product going that route anyway as far as overflow design and glass clarity/rimless options.

Seamore2001 · Feb 3, 2021

I don't know about new tanks, but the market for used tanks, especially larger used tanks, seems to have dried up from 2020 where I am (North Carolina). I suspect that as more folks are staying home due to Covid-19, they are rediscovering the joys of reef keeping. There's also more disposable income for these kinds of things as folks are forgoing vacations and eating out and shifting their spending towards home improvement and hobbies - so the new large tanks that do come available are probably getting snapped up more quickly.

HJ99 · Feb 3, 2021

Antics said:
Can’t comment on big box/ mass produced tanks but there are dozens of custom manufacturers and then companies like Red Sea, Waterbox, SCA and Planet Aquariums that build at the standard 180 footprint and are readily available. You’re going to get a better product going that route anyway as far as overflow design and glass clarity/rimless options.

We did consider that route and checked with one builder. Considerably more expensive with shipping and options plus still 5-7 week time frame. I also didn't care for how the overflows were done. Guess we'll keep waiting.

muggle0981 · Feb 3, 2021

I am in process of upgrading to 180g

i was going thru planet aquariums but plans changed and i know marineland are out of stock until further notice or extremly hard to come by. The lfs i was now working with found an aqueon 180g for mass produced tanks, the tank stand from planet aquariums has been a hold up.

a glass shortage from what i gather is the issue and many companies are focusing their resources on producing best selling size aquariums to capture demand instead of one offs

maybe im off but i know finding a mass produce branded aquarium for 180g has been difficult

heck one place when i reached out to them about upgrading my tank made a big deal how finding the aquarium right now would be near impossible and never called me back-needless to say lost my business

secret_reefer337 · Feb 3, 2021

I not sure if there is really a shortage of bigger tank. My LFS just ordered a 210 gallon Aqueon tank for me last week. The warehouse that supply the Aqueon over CA and NV is holding the tank until my stand is built. The warehouse said they only have 5 in stock and don’t know if they are going to have more stocks coming.

HJ99 · Feb 3, 2021

muggle0981 said:
I am in process of upgrading to 180g

i was going thru planet aquariums but plans changed and i know marineland are out of stock until further notice or extremly hard to come by. The lfs i was now working with found an aqueon 180g for mass produced tanks, the tank stand from planet aquariums has been a hold up.

a glass shortage from what i gather is the issue and many companies are focusing their resources on producing best selling size aquariums to capture demand instead of one offs

maybe im off but i know finding a mass produce branded aquarium for 180g has been difficult

heck one place when i reached out to them about upgrading my tank made a big deal how finding the aquarium right now would be near impossible and never called me back-needless to say lost my business

That was what the woman at Marineland told me about glass and production issues and they are only building the small ones like you get at Petco etc. I was surprised when she said they were no longer going to produce anything over 120 ! The guy at the LFS was just as surprised and agreed that why would they take the order then ? Last time I dealt with anything like this was in 1999 buying a Harley. LOL