# Aqueon vs. Marineland tanks



## PlantGate (Aug 23, 2016)

They are virtually identical in all respects. Don't mistake anecdotal evidence for facts.


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## lksdrinker (Feb 12, 2014)

I've always put Aqueon tanks (formerly AGA or all glass aquarium) and marineland tanks (formerly perfecto) at about the same level insofar as quality, craftsmanship, etc. But if I recall correct, marineland might use black silicone on some tanks instead of the clear used by aqueon? At least on some tanks anyway. 

Now if you were trying to compare a tetra brand tank to one of these brands, then you might be able to see some much bigger differences in glass thickness, quality of the work, silicone lines, etc. The tetra brand tanks seem far less superior and tend to have some issues with leaks.


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## MCHRKiller (Jul 25, 2008)

I have Marineland, Aqueon, and TopFin tanks. My TopFin 75s are however actually Aqueon tanks as the box was just an inverted aqueon box so the plain side was out. lol Really any of these tanks will statistically be fine if you put them on an adequate stand and dont drop them. Leaks from any glass tank is rare and most can be contributed to damage or improper stands. Sometimes a tank will fail due to manufacturing flaws...but again any brand can have mishaps. Marineland if memory serves does have a lifetime warranty where Aqueon has a limited warranty. If you are that concerned with it buy a cell cast acrylic tank with an even lower fail rate


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## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

lksdrinker said:


> I've always put Aqueon tanks (formerly AGA or all glass aquarium) and marineland tanks (formerly perfecto) at about the same level insofar as quality, craftsmanship, etc. But if I recall correct, marineland might use black silicone on some tanks instead of the clear used by aqueon? At least on some tanks anyway.


I used to have a 56 column tank from Marineland which did have regular clear silicone. No problems with it at all though when I had it. It was a very nice tank. Both the tanks I'm considering from Marineland the 40 long and 40b have black silicone though too.



MCHRKiller said:


> I have Marineland, Aqueon, and TopFin tanks. My TopFin 75s are however actually Aqueon tanks as the box was just an inverted aqueon box so the plain side was out. lol Really any of these tanks will statistically be fine if you put them on an adequate stand and dont drop them. Leaks from any glass tank is rare and most can be contributed to damage or improper stands. Sometimes a tank will fail due to manufacturing flaws...but again any brand can have mishaps.


I was trying to setup a Top Fin 50 gallon tank awhile back and just couldn't because every tank I purchased, it looked like the silicone was bad. I then went out and purchased an Aqueon 55 gallon afterwards and noticed a huge difference in quality in the glass considering how much heavier the 55 gallon was despite only being 2-5 gallons worth more. That definitely says something in my opinion. I could barely lift it by myself where the Top Fin I could lift easily with no problem.


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## MCHRKiller (Jul 25, 2008)

The 50G is more of an offbrand kind of thing as it is a very weird size being short. So I can agree the construction isnt "as" good. I do however have one and the silicone is fine...it is much lighter and has thinner glass because of the height. Shorter tanks with a brace don't have to have as thick of glass. 

Check out the 75 topfins they have I have bought 3 so far and each one is simply a repackaged aqueon for whatever reason. Very good deal as they can usually be had on sale with glass tops and light for under $150.


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## IntotheWRX2 (Sep 13, 2016)

they both are the same. budget tanks. they work and get the job done for as little money as possible. that is their mission and it satisfies those who are looking for the best band for the buck.


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## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

Lol really they're budget tanks? Yeah don't think so. Maybe compared to more expensive branded tanks like rimless tanks. Other then that, no.


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## MCHRKiller (Jul 25, 2008)

Agreed..."regular" glass tanks do fine for most people. I will never personally buy into the whole starphire glass concept...if you want rimless and totally clear just get acrylic IMO.


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## Olskule (Jan 28, 2010)

Blackheart said:


> I was trying to setup a Top Fin 50 gallon tank awhile back and just couldn't because every tank I purchased, it looked like the silicone was bad. I then went out and purchased an Aqueon 55 gallon afterwards and noticed a huge difference in quality in the glass considering how much heavier the 55 gallon was despite only being 2-5 gallons worth more. That definitely says something in my opinion. I could barely lift it by myself where the Top Fin I could lift easily with no problem.


Just a little difference in the height of a tank can make the difference in what thickness of glass is required, because the pressure increases rapidly the taller you go past a certain point. Also, some tanks now are made from tempered glass, which is stronger than standard glass, so they can use thinner glass and have the same (or better) strength, which also makes the tank lighter. Older 55 gallon tanks did not have the center brace built into the frame, and required thicker glass, but they began making the plastic frames with the brace connecting front to back, and that gave enough support to enable them to use thinner glass. Manufacturers are always looking for a way to cut costs, and thinner glass is one way to do that. I have an old Hagen 10 gallon from the 80's, which has glass that is thinner than any other aquarium I've ever seen, and I suspect it must be tempered, to have survived so long without getting cracked.

As far as brands go, yeah, some lean more toward quality and some lean more toward competitive prices, but Aqueon used to be AllGlass, which for a long time was the leading aquarium producer, and Marineland used to be Perfecto, which was a little more expensive, and then there were a couple of other companies, O'Dell (I think) and Oceanic that used to be more expensive than the other two, and they (I think) began making the more odd-shaped tanks, like regular hexagonal and flat-backed hexagonal; they were considered the "premium" brands. But all companies these days are being bought out by other companies until the market ends up with only a couple of actual maufacturers, and everyone else buys from them and re-badges the product with their own name, so one brand may be exactly the same as another, or they may actually be made by the same place, but to different standards, so the best way to shop is by looking closely and asking questions. As for which aquariums are standard glass and which are tempered, the tempered glass cannot be drilled or cut after it is made (it is cut first, then tempered) and will often have a sticker (usually on the bottom) that says DO NOT DRILL. And just because one tank is lighter and has thinner glas than another doesn't mean it isn't as strong, it may just be made from tempered glass, and just as strong as the thicker-glassed tank that is not tempered.

But in the end, it's just a box that holds water and is made of glass (or plastic, plexiglass or acrylic) so we can get a "fish's-eye-view" of what's going on within it, and it doesn't matter if the frame is black, faux wood, real wood or cream-colored (or chartreuse), or even if it is made from special low-iron glass that is technically clearer than other glass, if you're satisfied with how well you can see inside it and it doesn't leak, what else matters?

Olskule


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

Blackheart said:


> Lol really they're budget tanks? Yeah don't think so. Maybe compared to more expensive branded tanks like rimless tanks. Other then that, no.



So what line of tanks is significantly cheaper?


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## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

Blackheart said:


> Lol really they're budget tanks? Yeah don't think so. Maybe compared to more expensive branded tanks like rimless tanks. Other then that, no.



you don't have to get offended by the term budget. im not down playing the tanks. they are great tanks that does the job. In the world of fish tanks. the aqueon and marineland hits the market at the low $$ end. which is fine because it satisfies the taste of the masses like you and me

even though i have an ADA tank, im more disgusted by their business model to mark up their prices high to feed the type of aquascapers who have pride and vanity for their material things. They think they are better than other humans because they have a better tank. I tried to contact Aqua Forest Aquarium for some damage on my tank. They gave me one sentence responses and never replied back. Hella snooty. 

I use ADA at home and a Aqueon at my parents. ADA costs 10x more, but is the quality 10x more? hell no. all that extra money people are spending for ADA is mostly for vanity.


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