Introduction:

A long time tropical aquarist, I have been keeping a saltwater aquarium for almost a year now (pictures of my Tenecor tank are at www.krob.com/aquarium ). I started with a 55 gallon glass tank that was a gift from a friend, but after "getting my feet wet", I felt the urge to move up to something grander. When I saw the eBay item that read "140 gallon acrylic aquarium, hardly used" and located in the same town, I knew it was meant to be!

As a savvy Ebay customer (and one who was burnt for an "impulse buy" once) I wondered if something was "fishy".
I did extensive research before bidding on this Tenecor tank.


Acrylic vs. Glass

Tank material is one of the first issues that must be decided when purchasing an aquarium. In the beginning all tanks were made of glass. Glass tanks are readily available, reasonably durable, and inexpensive (especially when it comes to smaller-sized tanks). Acrylic tanks offer greater clarity, lighter weight, increased strength and flexibility, and better insulation. In addition, the "glue" that is used to weld pieces of acrylic tank creates a chemical bond that is actually stronger than the acrylic itself. The downside of acrylic is that it is more prone to scratches than glass. You need to prevent equipment, coral, or other hard objects from contacting the tank walls. If your acrylic tank becomes scratched, you can buff out the scratches, even on the inside (even without draining!). Scratches in glass, although less likely, do occur and last forever.

For those hobbyists with less experience, there are two other issues that should be mentioned: (1) Acrylic is readily drillable; glass needs to be drilled by a pro (and tempered glass can not be drilled at all). This is an important issue for those who want to create a more esthetically-pleasing tank by moving most of the filtration and circulation machinery to the outside of the tank. (2) Most acrylic tanks have a welded-on top piece with cutouts for access to the tank. This can limit the size of objects you can put in your tank compared with a glass tank that has a removable top.

Size Matters!

In some things, size DOES matter. Although there are many successful "micro"-tanks (check out the web ring at http://nav.webring.yahoo.com/hub?ring=mymarineaquarium for a good variety of sizes), MOST aquarists prefer larger tanks. Most people will start with 120 gallon tanks (or larger!). Since there is more water in a larger tank, variations in temperature and chemistry will be blunted (easier on the fish), more species of fish can be accommodated, and fish have room to grow. Of course, the main reason to get a REALLY big tank is to impress your friends! The downsides of larger tanks are (1) increased cost (one vendor estimates the cost of a complete system to be $40 to $60 per gallon! -- I think this can be contained by prudent shopping), and (2) increased weight (you can count on about 10 pounds per gallon of water capacity -- I had to reinforce my floor before installing my tank).


Tenecor vs. Others

There are a number of acrylic tank manufacturers, these include: Tenecor (www.tenecor.com), Optimum (www.optimumaquarium.com), and Acrylic Creations (www.cquarium.com). Of these, Tenecor is probably the largest and most well-known. Like the most competitors, Tenecor offers a variety of sizes, shapes, and configurations, and offers a lifetime warranty against breakage. In addition, most companies can custom-build tanks to your specifications. Tenecor is a larger company, has a larger distribution network (many local fish stores have a stock of Tenecor tanks), has a great web site, and has great customer support (they helped me obtain some missing parts even though I bought a used tank). Tenecor offers tanks in over 100 standard sizes (from 20 gallons to 300 gallons) and 10 shapes.


Choosing a Tenecor Tank

After material and size, the choice of a tank becomes more difficult because Tenecor has so much to offer. Although most people will opt for a standard rectangular tank, Tenecor also offers several other shapes including hexagonal, convex ("Teneview" -- makes your teeny fish look really BIG!), and even a model that fits into a corner! Their web site shows all of these options.

In addition to shapes and sizes, Tenecor has 3 different filtration / plumbing options. The simplest is the "Show" aquarium. These have extra large access openings and filter slots designed to accommodate most hang-on filtration equipment, heaters, airlines, etc. A "Show" aquarium would be a good choice for aquarists who already have filtration equipment.

Another option is the "Simplicity Plus" (remember, each of these options is available in every shape of aquarium). These have a built-in wet/dry filter that is hidden in the back of the aquarium, and complete with bio-media, powerhead(s), pre-filter sponge, and centipede returns installed at the factory. You can also elect to have an optional Red Sea protein skimmer installed. (If you don't know what a protein skimmer is, check out my Skimmer review!)

The third option is the "Reef-Ready", which comes with pre-filters, external wet/dry filters, bio-media, magnetic drive pumps, and plumbing connections. My system is a "Reef-Ready" and I believe that it is the most flexible configuration.

Most Tenecor tanks have the option of dark blue, black, or clear back walls. It is thought that dark walls reduce the amount of algae build-up (and from experience, I think this is true). My tank has a black back wall, which helps to hide plumbing and powerheads (most of which come in black).

STILL NOT ENOUGH CHOICE? Well, Tenecor will custom build you a tank to any size and shape that you want.


Cost

This is the downside of the aquarium hobby. Fishkeeping is EXPENSIVE. The fish are expensive, the equipment is expensive, and the tanks are expensive. Acrylic tanks are slightly more expensive than glass, but the difference usually evens out as you get into larger tanks. I got my Tenecor 140 gallon tank for the ridiculous price of $400 on eBay. (Mine was missing most of the filtration plumbing, but Tenecor offered to sell me the complete plumbing setup for less than $100.) New, this tank would retail for over $1600 (but you can frequently find them for less). Prices are listed on Tenecor's site.


Usability and Reliability

The first thing I noticed about my Tenecor tank was how great everything looked. This was because the acrylic really is more transparent than glass. Also, the fact that the Tenecor Reef Ready has built-in plumbing means that all the ugly filters, heaters, etc. can be hidden from view. The only thing you see is your beautiful fish. Having access holes in the top of the tank was no problem. They are large enough to fit my largest pieces of live rock and coral. Also, despite a few accidents, my tank has no visible scratches. I follow Tenecor's advice and only use a special acrylic cleaner ($5 a can at PetSmart) to clean and protect the outside of the tank. NEVER use Windex on an acrylic tank as this will cause permanent discoloration.


Summary

Although my purchase of this tank was as much a matter of "luck" as a matter of choice, I researched this purchase extensively before "taking the plunge". Tenecor is a large manufacturer of quality acrylic aquariums and offers many sizes, shapes, and cofigurations to suit any aquarist. The quality of their tanks is excellent and is backed by a lifetime warranty. Recommended.

Readers may be interested in photos of this tank, which are located at www.krob.com/aquarium along with LIVE video of the tank.


"Tanks" for reading!

Recommended: Yes