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ADA tanks???

5K views 45 replies 18 participants last post by  Wwh2694 
#1 ·
I was just wondering what is so special about ADA tanks?
 
#4 ·
Some people don't like acrylic. It scratches easy among other things.


I was just wondering what is so special about ADA tanks?
Part of it is the name brand you are paying for. The other is the little things. Look at your video you posted and look at the silicone. It's perfect. It's not almost perfect, its not a thick link on either side of the glass like any mass produced tank. The glass is clear. It's perfect glass. It's not glass mass produced tanks buy when the manufacture says it's 85% defect free, and they say good enough. This is like 99% defect free. It's perfect. The cuts on the glass aren't close or almost flush or mostly smooth. They are exact, they are flush, they are smooth and not rough.

Once you do a few tank, it's not rocket science to cut and glue 5 pieces of glass together and even easier to make a machine do it and most for most people, that's good enough but to take it to the level of doing one perfect, is something else.

FYI, I don't have a ADA tank, not would I probably buy one because that's not my personality type, to care about those things, and to me a $100 tank or $20 tank is the same to breed some cherry shrimp in, but seeing some in person, I can appreciate the work and craftsmanship and if I had a perfectly planted showroom tank in my sitting room, I would get one. They are nice looking. Instead I'll still with petstore 10 and 20 gal's stacked in my bedroom. lol.
 
#5 ·
For the smaller versions, i think it's definitely worth going with ADA. Anything above a 90P seems to get pricier than having a tank custom-made with the same specs though.

You're paying for low-iron glass, clean silicone, excellent craftsmanship, and definitely the ADA brand name. You must see one in person to appreciate what great tanks they are.
 
#6 ·
For one, they have tanks with unique dimensions. I want a 60-f so bad, but it's $110 for an 8.9 gallon tank! I love that it's 2 ft long, but shallow, so it's wider than it is tall. If Mr. Aqua made a tank with those dimensions (24" x 12" x 6"?) I'd be all over it. I really don't care about the glass quality - I have a 12 gallon long by Mr. Aqua that suits me just fine even though it's not the best glass there is. Not a priority for me. Do!Aqua has the 60-f in lower quality glass but of course they're out of stock :p

To me, ADA means top quality glass plus unique dimensions.
 
#7 ·
Its suppose to be the Armani, Ferrari of fish tanks, but i dont see myself getting one with those price tags ! De-rimmed 10 gallon tank from walmart =$10..... FTW !
 
#10 ·
I bought my mom an ADA Mini-L for her Bday...it is nice, and yeah the glass is low iron. It is a nice little tank, I will never see the hype with them tho. My Seaclear tanks are more clear, and honestly have a more pleasing look IMO. Acrylic isnt really that easily scratched if you are careful and only use appropriate tools...plus its an easy fix if you do scratch it unlike glass :)
 
#24 ·
Besides, you can't see the scratches on the acrylic in 95% of the time. As for ADA? If you have the money, go for it. If you are talking about price versus values, I think ADA is on the low side (low values). Being a high quality and expensive tank, it does not make your plants to grow any more nicer. A $10 petco tank and the ADA one serve the same function. If the tank has some predrilled holes to add additional accessories, that's a whole different thing.
 
#12 ·
It's not a contest, you've got that right. $10 vs $100. It's apples and oranges really. But, some of us don't care!

I'd love a Ferrari, but my VW suits me just fine. Even my Mr Aqua with its "poor" glass is perfect to me. Yes, to each their own. My fiancé would think I was crazy if I paid that much for a tank! I was even considering it, but common sense wins if you don't have that kind of loot laying around. Shipping was another $50 :( I'm fine with settling.
 
#13 ·
Honestly, an ADA tank is a piece of art. You're paying for the high quality materials and craftsmanship, just like you would a handmade piece of pottery. There is absolutely no comparison between a de-rimmed standard 10G and a Mini-L, and its naive to make such a comparison. Not to mention that tanks with rims aren't structurally made to be rimless, which is why they have a brace in the first place... why anyone would de-rim one, regardless of size, is beyond me.
 
#14 ·
Yep, you're paying for aesthetics, quality and even customer service - particularly if you order from one of the TPT forum sponsors.

For me, personally, I want something that looks clean, modern and pristine if I've got a show tank in a living space. I usually go with ADA or Mr. Aqua (for the cheap, long 12gal) for small tanks. There's a world of difference in appearance when it comes to showing off what you love.

For a standard tank rank in my fish room that not everybody sees and that my other half doesn't have to look at all day long? $1 per gallon rimmed tanks all the way, hands-down.
 
#16 ·
10 gallons are fine de-rimmed. I personally wouldn't do it to a larger tank. Can we stop with the 10 gallons? We can't all have a $100 tank. They look nice de-rimmed, there's no doubt, if you do it right. You get the no rim look without the ADA price.

I love the look of rimless tanks vs. one with a rim. Standard 10 gallon tanks look so clunky, not half as elegant as a rimless tank. That's definitely part of ADA's appeal, the no rim look. That's why I went with the Mr Aqua 12 and 13.3 gallon tanks vs. a standard one.
 
#23 ·
True - it is extremely nicely packaged. I was lucky enough to get one for $5.25 shipping from Amazon - that spoiled me :) I'm eyeing the 11 gallon one next - $7.99 shipping, plus an $8 heavy weight fee, that really isn't bad, compared to the $50 ADA wanted to charge me (then again, that would be from Ca. to NC).
 
#22 ·
I've only seen the ADA tanks a couple times and placed side by side with a regular tank they really have that something. The seams look amazing, the different shapes and proportions are more pleasing and they just suit my desires for glass more perfectly.

If I have to look at this glass box everyday, I want it to look good and everytime I look at the sloppy seams on my marineland it bothers me a little. Granted, the scape and plants bother me too, but the seams are something I can't really fix without spending the money for something better.
 
#27 ·
True that there are cheaper tanks out there, but considering what you get for the price (excellent craftsmanship, iron-free and super clear glass, and dimensions well suited for a planted scape, I think they are worth it.

Plus, in the scheme of things, the price of the tanks is one of the cheapest components of the aquarium setup if you're doing CO2, canister filtration, etc. So, why not showcase it as best you can?
 
#28 ·
The "artwork" and "craftsmanship" is whats inside the tank , not the actual tank !
If the Mona Lisa painting was framed using a replica walmart frame would most of us notice ? I doubt it.... your eyes dont look at the frame !
If I was to aquascape an ADA tank and Takashi Amano aquascaped a $20 tank...... would mine look better....... Hell No ! So IMO i just wasted $100.....but hey, if you got it flaunt it ;-)
 
#30 ·
Is form follows functions. If the extra craftsmanship does not create additional or improve the function of the tank, the design has failed. Is like you paid the full price of a Porsche and the car looks like a Porsche, but it drives like a Ford Escort. If I paid extra money for a better tank because it can help my plants to thrive better, that's value.
 
#35 ·
This is a complete Mac vs Windows situation. It really is.

I consider a tank a work of art. Chances are, you do too. If you had a beautiful work of art, say, a painting, would you cut out a construction-paper frame and tape it haphazardly to your wall with scotch tape? Not likely. Aesthetically, it would be much nicer and add to the painting as a whole to have a beautiful custom solid oak frame cut for it and to hang it on the wall, leveled with the floor/ceiling.

So, at the same time, why would you not want a rimless low iron tank? It adds to the aquascape as a whole. Let me ask all of you this: do you view your tank from afar (a few feet away or from across the room) or do you get within inches of your tank? If it's the latter, fine.

But if you truly want a tank to compliment a room or household area, there is no match. Hands down.

I respect the simple disagreement with regards to price; but to say that because it doesn't help your plants grow you disagree is plainly foolish.

Another good example is the hobby of bonsai. You wouldn't keep a 30 year old specimen that's well trained and an absolute work of art in a plastic nursery pot -- you'd keep it in a Tokoname pot or similarly made pot. But that's a little different I guess.
 
#32 ·
MacBook Pro vs Toshiba laptop
 
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