Are 55 gallon tanks becoming harder to find? Seems to be, run from 40 to 75 gallons

[TwoTankAmin30]

Let me say this again{

Marineland tanks are manufactured by United Pet Group, which is a division of Spectrum Brands. They acquired the brand (formerly known as Perfecto Manufacturing) and continue to produce Marineland glass aquariums, including standard, ensemble, and LED kits.

Spectrum Brands Pet Group owns 20 pet related brands of which 5 comprise Aquatics: Tetra, Marineland, GloFish, Instant Ocean and Pmega One. They bought out Aquaria Inc, where Dr. Timothy Hovanec works as the senior research scientist for years.l He did not want to got to work for the new owner. So, he took bover the facility on CA and started Dr. Tim's. This is why Tetra can use the Nitrospira in their Safe Start line. The original patent is shared by Dr. Hoveanec and Aquaria Inc. which owned Marineland.

My first tanks was an AllGlass 45 set up the last week of Jan. - 1st week of Feb. 01. My second tank was an AllGlass 15 set-up in early 02 for the sword fry born in the 45. The 45 got a leak high up in the right front glass about 10 years later. The 15 having been moved several times and redone is still in use today.

I have had 2 x 30L tanks leak over the years but I have about 10 in total. Three were from glasscages.com and all the rest were AllGass/Aqueons some of which were purchased used. The leakers were one of each brand.

Finally, about 15 years ago I bought two used AllGlass tanks- a 150 and a 125. They cost me about $1/gal. with glass tops and one cane with a Fluval canister which sold. (I use only Eheim canisters.) These two tanks were pretty old with very thick glass and a raised plaque logo glued solidly to the front. I figure they had to be at least 15 years old or more at the time.

I did not fill them for almost 5 years when my in-wall 75 AllGlass tank bough used in the summer of 2003 sprang a leak. I had to moved the fish into the 150. The 125 was put into use for growing out plecos and drained in 2024. When the 150 developed a leak last year, I movedl all the contents anbd filters into the125.

I replaced the 75 with a new Aqueon 75 and it is fine today 10+ years later. Some of the new and used AllGlass/Aquon/classcages.com 33 longs are still in use. I have not bought aniy new ones in at over a decade.

I have at about 15 tanks now not in use with lids and filtration not in use. None of the tanks leak so far. They range in size from 5.5 to 75 gals and most are AllGlass/Aqueon a couple may be glasscages.com.

 

[anewbie]

Let me say this again{


Spectrum Brands Pet Group owns 20 pet related brands of which 5 comprise Aquatics: Tetra, Marineland, GloFish, Instant Ocean and Pmega One. They bought out Aquaria Inc, where Dr. Timothy Hovanec works as the senior research scientist for years.l He did not want to got to work for the new owner. So, he took bover the facility on CA and started Dr. Tim's. This is why Tetra can use the Nitrospira in their Safe Start line. The original patent is shared by Dr. Hoveanec and Aquaria Inc. which owned Marineland.

My first tanks was an AllGlass 45 set up the last week of Jan. - 1st week of Feb. 01. My second tank was an AllGlass 15 set-up in early 02 for the sword fry born in the 45. The 45 got a leak high up in the right front glass about 10 years later. The 15 having been moved several times and redone is still in use today.

I have had 2 x 30L tanks leak over the years but I have about 10 in total. Three were from glasscages.com and all the rest were AllGass/Aqueons some of which were purchased used. The leakers were one of each brand.

Finally, about 15 years ago I bought two used AllGlass tanks- a 150 and a 125. They cost me about $1/gal. with glass tops and one cane with a Fluval canister which sold. (I use only Eheim canisters.) These two tanks were pretty old with very thick glass and a raised plaque logo glued solidly to the front. I figure they had to be at least 15 years old or more at the time.

View attachment 381387View attachment 381388

I did not fill them for almost 5 years when my in-wall 75 AllGlass tank bough used in the summer of 2003 sprang a leak. I had to moved the fish into the 150. The 125 was put into use for growing out plecos and drained in 2024. When the 150 developed a leak last year, I movedl all the contents anbd filters into the125.

I replaced the 75 with a new Aqueon 75 and it is fine today 10+ years later. Some of the new and used AllGlass/Aquon/classcages.com 33 longs are still in use. I have not bought aniy new ones in at over a decade.

I have at about 15 tanks now not in use with lids and filtration not in use. None of the tanks leak so far. They range in size from 5.5 to 75 gals and most are AllGlass/Aqueon a couple may be glasscages.com.

The problem as i see it is around the pandemic there was a cheapening of how aquariums are made so talking about a brand made 10 or 15 years ago and comparing it to a brand new one is kind of pointless. I definitely saw a drop in quality in aqueon 29s and have given up on them. I'll grant you comparing marineland of 20 years ago to today is rough - my only marineland is a 120 purchased in early 2019 and it is pretty well made (and still in use).

When i talk about well made i'm referring the quality of the silicon used and how well it was applied; though i believe the quality of glass has also gone down.

 

[JCinPA1]

I emailed Marineland, and they do still make a 55 gallon. Apparently PetSmart does not carry that one size for Marineland, although they have it in Aqueon. Their reply is below:

=====

HI John,

Thank you for reaching out to us today about our tanks. No, the 55 gallon is not discontinued and still very much available through local fish stores.

Barbara Link

Consumer Relations
Spectrum Brands - Global Pet Division

 

[GaryE]

I have 3 large tanks (2 75s and a 120) - and I couldn't tell you the brand. A local store imported them from China. They looked solid, and are solid. All are between 15 and 20 years in use. Brand names? I question if they even have their own factories anymore.

The big problem with very large aquariums is poor siliconing around the base. I know a number of people with very large cube tanks (300 gallon types) that have leaked, and upon being taken apart, lack the proper silicone. That's a worry. A 55 gallon isn't in that league.

I'm making two 24 gallon tanks next week, so I'll be able to blame myself if I skimp on silicone around the base. I don't save a lot of money doing that, but I get to make a solid tank.

 

[JCinPA1]

I would be scared to death to make a tank and fill it with water. Good luck! Post pics when you make it!

 

[GaryE]

I have four that have been solid for a few months now. So I'll add two, and then have zero possible room for more. I was worried when I made the first one, but it worked. I knew a lot of old guys when I was growing up who made all their own tanks, and I had bought a few used ones from them back in the day. They were good.

I owe @MattW for the feed on how to do it easily. I like to pretend it's a craft project.

 

[TwoTankAmin30]

Almost any piece of equipment we use, including tanks, has decline in quality over the last 25 years. I paid $9.99 for my firs new AquaClear 100. I have every size they make and multiples of most sizes save the 500 aka 110. I bought most of them between 2002 and 2013. I noticed that the plastic got thinner at some point, But most of mine were bought before that.

There were some redesigns and most equipment became less "sturdy." The glass used got a bit thinner as well. And things also began o get more digital. I try to stick with as little of this as i can.

My oldest AquaClear has been in continuous use longer than I have kept fish - I git it used. I still have it going today. My oldest Eheim Canister is going for over 23 years. For the first 9.5 years id doubled as the diffuser for my pressurized CO2. My First Marineland Emperor 400 crapped out after less than a decade. I never replaced it. I have a small Tetra Whisper filter running for at least 20 years.

What is clear to me is we all have somewhat different experiences with the various brands. We have all developed out preferences along the way. I do not build my own tanks and do not reseal a leaker, I replace it. I try to follow the saying that that,"In the long run, the cheapest solution is usually the one that costs the most up front."

 

[GaryE]

Long ago in a land far away - I once got to visit the Fluval aquarium assembly line. I used to live in walking distance of their head office. They were building tanks that could have been 55s that day, and watching the tanks move along the assembly line was interesting. Frames (it was years ago) glass, silicone guns hanging from the ceiling, workers totally concentrated and moving them along like car manufacture. That was when tanks were still manufactured in Canada.

Those were solid tanks, with thick glass and good centre braces.

They had a person studying how the competition made their tanks, in those days in the US. Believe it or not, in the entire conversation we had that day, the words "profitability" or "monetize" never appeared. The entire discussion was about craftsmanship and durability - glass and silicone. They would take apart competing brands and analyze how the work was being done, and they'd talk about matching or surpassing all the elements. What a naive world view.

No doubt, profitabilty featured in the office discussions upstairs, and that line was soon shut down and contracted to places where the workers weren't paid as well.

 

[MattW35 151]

A bit unrelated, but can you buy the plastic frame separately from stores in NA? I've been searching for plastic top frames for ages, and the only frame listings are for nano tanks with 4mm glass imported from China. I assume rimless is more popular than framed tanks in the UK

 

[JCinPA1]

Hmmm. So Marineland still makes 55 gallon tanks, but Petsmart does not carry it, they go 10-40-75. They have six sizes for Aqueon, including the 55, however. Bizarre. Why would PetSmart carry fewer sized in Marineland tanks?

Anyway, 55's are still available, you just have to hunt for them a bit more. I don't see any at the local PetSmart.

 

[bgarthe36 53]

I had trouble finding a replacement 60/65g when mine started leaking. Had to go with a 55g and that tank was over60 miles away. My Petsmart 2 miles from my house had none. They are tougher to come by.

 

[Boundava10]

I went to PetSmart, WI this weekend and I saw that they had at least three Marineland 55 gallons in stock.

 

[anewbie]

I'm trying out this expensive thing:

Amazon.com

Not really relevant to the thread - but still when we talk about petco and petsmart - neither carry 15 gallon aquariums any longer - we have one independent store but i don't like it and they would charge $100 for a 15 so this was the only thing i could find that would both ship and had a lid.

What i really wanted was a seapora framed 15 but i would have to spend 8 hours driving (4 hour each way) to get one out of state. It was a soft 8 hour so probably closer to 6 but same deal. What the freak does no one sell a 15 any longer.

On the positive side the odd dimensions work better as a 20 high is just too long to fit on the counter and this is larger than a 10 by a little.

Anyway i would never get a 55 - throw your dresser away and get a 75 or 40B it is advice you don't like but a 55 just sucks too high too narrow. Even altums would hate it being so narrow. Of course you get get one way altum - they can only swim in one direction and never turn around

 

[Boundava10]

Anyway i would never get a 55 - throw your dresser away and get a 75 or 40B it is advice you don't like but a 55 just sucks too high too narrow. Even altums would hate it being so narrow. Of course you get get one way altum - they can only swim in one direction and never turn around

Agree 100%

 

[JCinPA1]

I went to PetSmart, WI this weekend and I saw that they had at least three Marineland 55 gallons in stock.

That's understandable. It is old stock. They won't get more, the company has rationalilzed what they will carry in inventory and for Marineland going forward, that's 10, 40, 75. I emailed them and they confirmed they will no longer stock them, but you may well see a few here and there.

About the furniture, it's not advice I don't like. It's I happen to be married. One makes compromises in these sort of things and the tank is going on that dresser, period. It's about 17" front to back.