Best Place for Custom tanks?

[Magma]

I have seen some work from bow valley, I have seen a tank built from jay and I have seen a bunch that red coral has made, also saw a tank that Wai's built and they look great..

I have to admit Wai's quality on the edges wasnt as great as others and he mentioned that himself that buffing the edges costs more and takes more time i understand that. I actually have a 35gal tank that bow valley built and I noticed the glass is a little over kill on it, in fact my power heads magnets dont have a lot of strength through it..guess thats what happens on 1/2" thick glass, the edges though look fine sure theres a few burs on the edge but nothing major.

[chris121277]

I just got had a custom built tank from Golds....not sure but I think BowValley builds theirs......and I would recommend staying away from them, I was very disappointed in the finishing.


I have been dealing with Denis for 10 years.....and I don't think I will ever go back there.


Horrible edges......caulking smudges all over the glass, returns in the wrong place.....and an almost unworkable over flow....but I guess you get what you pay for.

90 gal 48x22wx20h $425 and didn't even include the bulk heads

[Palmer]

I bought a tank used that was supposedly made by Bow Valley. No problems as far as I'm concerned. Granted I am not that particular, it was my first tank of its kind. No leaks, two returns one in each top corner, and a working external herbie overflow. There was a soap dish attached to the side but I was easily able to pull it off.....

I have seen one or two custom tanks at red coral and at least at a distance they looked really good.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by Palmer

There was a soap dish attached to the side but I was easily able to pull it off.....

Ok that was awesome haha.

[Aqua Man]

Originally Posted by chris121277

I just got had a custom built tank from Golds....not sure but I think BowValley builds theirs......and I would recommend staying away from them, I was very disappointed in the finishing.
I have been dealing with Denis for 10 years.....and I don't think I will ever go back there. Horrible edges......caulking smudges all over the glass, returns in the wrong place.....and an almost unworkable over flow....but I guess you get what you pay for.

90 gal 48x22wx20h $425 and didn't even include the bulk heads

I thought Denis and David stop getting their tanks from Mitch? I guess not. I am guilty of owning one of Bow Valleys tanks, it is an inwall so I didn't care about the finishing much. They did do a good job as far as I am concerned though. It is a 48x20x24 so a custom 100gal, with a smoked glass 65gal sump. Originally they threw in all the plumbing, bulk heads, pumps, unions, ball valves, bio balls, floss etc... The pumps where cheap and had to be changed out in like a few months, but all in all I though I got a good deal.

I personally want to get back into building large monster tanks, so I doubt I will get them again, as I will just do it our selves. After reading several posts on various topics Mitch has got some bad Juju. He is an odd fella, but when I delt with him personally he was a typical business man, just louder. LOL

Corey

[lastlight]

It's tough to compare tanks by this LFS vs tanks by that LFS. Maybe they don't all play builder swap but I know there is a lot of crossover in the industry. You basically find out that almost every tank is built by either Mitch, Gary or Jay. Better comparisons would be builder vs builder. I don't think any of them (Mitch included) build a bad tank. Some are cleaner than others and some can provide finishes that the others can't. Recently it seems that that splits the camp into Mitch on one side and Gary and Jay on the other. I would always ask my LFS who's working on my tank. If they wouldn't say I'd go elsewhere as that matters to me.

[globaldesigns]

Originally Posted by Palmer

There was a soap dish attached to the side but I was easily able to pull it off......

I am rolling on the floor, just too hilarious

Originally Posted by lastlight

It's tough to compare tanks by this LFS vs tanks by that LFS. Maybe they don't all play builder swap but I know there is a lot of crossover in the industry. You basically find out that almost every tank is built by either Mitch, Gary or Jay. Better comparisons would be builder vs builder. I don't think any of them (Mitch included) build a bad tank. Some are cleaner than others and some can provide finishes that the others can't. Recently it seems that that splits the camp into Mitch on one side and Gary and Jay on the other. I would always ask my LFS who's working on my tank. If they wouldn't say I'd go elsewhere as that matters to me.

Very well put, and I agree.

[RDNanoGuy]

I have to agree with the above comments.... I personally have many tanks built by Mitch/Bob at Bow Valley, all of them are well built servicable tanks. They may not be the epitome of quality finishing but they are on par with the likes of Hagen/Oceanic/Allglass/etc. Sure they may not be as nice as the ones Jay builds with the fancy edges and one piece eurobraces but they are a heck of alot more affordable.

Just my $0.02.

[RDNanoGuy]

Originally Posted by rjengen

materials that were designed for something else...say...shower doors?

Thats an old myth.... Mitch does use some textured glass but only in terrariums on the back to add visual interest. Also all his glass is new, he just gets a good deal on off-cuts from the glass manufacturing biz.

[fishytime]

Originally Posted by RDNanoGuy

Thats an old myth.... Mitch does use some textured glass but only in terrariums on the back to add visual interest. Also all his glass is new, he just gets a good deal on off-cuts from the glass manufacturing biz.

not true......I have personally seen with mine own two eyes a tank from there with frosting on the bottom pane