Anyone know about "Clarity Plus" acryllic tanks?? Cost??

[Mr James]

A friend of mine is selling his 125 gallon "Clarity Plus" acryllic tank, no stand, but it has a blue acryllic hood. It has not been drilled and he has never used it. He has had it for several years now and I plan to go look at it this afternoon. I want to make him an offer, but I have never heard of that brand!?! Any suggestions out there??

[mr_mbuna]

At the pet store where I work, we sell Clarity Plus tanks. I'll take a look at what the price of that tank is, and give you an idea tonight.

Ben

[Mr James]

I did a search on Clarity Plus tanks soon after I posted my question. I should have done the search first. I read about Kengar's <sp> experiences with Clarity Plus last year....Zoiks!! An Oceanic of considerable size (150 or greater) was always my first choice. I guess it is all clear to me now.

[mr_mbuna]

Originally posted by Mr James
I did a search on Clarity Plus tanks soon after I posted my question. I should have done the search first. I read about Kengar's <sp> experiences with Clarity Plus last year....Zoiks!! An Oceanic of considerable size (150 or greater) was always my first choice. I guess it is all clear to me now.

Oh goodness...

I know that I sell these tanks, along with Perfecto and All Glass and Oceanic, so I can't be totally impartial. But all I ask it that you not let a single vocal dissatisfied aquarist ruin an entire company's reputation. Clarity Plus tanks are excellent acrylic aquariums. They have a lifetime warranty. They use soft acrylic, which may get scratched a bit more, but is much more easily buffed scratchless. The problem that Kengar had last year was that a bad or ignorant pet store put an acrylic tank on a glass stand. This is warned against. CP may not have handled the situation properly - they should have forced Wet Pets to remedy the situation - but their product is excellent.

And as far as the quality equation goes, I believe it to be

Perfecto = All-Glass
Perfecto + All-Glass = Oceanic
Oceanic + (Oceanic / 4) = Acrylic (ie, Clarity Plus)

Meaning that Perfecto and All-Glass are on par in quality and price, Oceanic is perhaps twice as good and twice as expensive, and acrylic is even better than Oceanic.

Thanks,
And please don't suffer from Internet Mob Product-Bashing Syndrome (ie, Rio pumps, CPR Continuous Siphon overflows, Clarity Plus tanks, etc.),
Ben

[broken003]

I agree with mr_mbuna,

dont let one post sway your thoughts about a brand. I searched and searched and that was the only "horror" story I found. It didnt stop me from buying a 300 gal clarity plus tank this weekend. A local pet store also has a 600 custom clarity plus tank, I would imagine no problems and it looks great.

[mr_mbuna]

Broken003's post just reminded me. I had forgotten...

We have a brand new 220 gallon custom hexagon acrylic aquarium that we would like to get rid of. The tank is 52" corner to corner, has 30" long sides, and is 24" tall. It has two sharp corners - all four other four corners are the beautiful "bent" acrylic like usual. This tank was built for us to be a centerpiece display tank, but we ran out of room and money. It has been "in storage" - still wrapped up and everything. It is a one-off job by Clarity Plus. It will only put across its full effect if used as an island / centerpiece tank. We can work with you on setting it up as a reef or plant tank or discus or whatever you want.

There is no stand or canopy. These could be made for you by a cabinetry shop we "have relations" with, or by Clarity Plus, or however you want to do that. Shipping is an extremely expensive hassle from what I've found so far, so it would be best if you just came and picked it up.

Anybody interested, email me. I'm not trying to steal this thread or put up an ad here, but this is an example of an excellent piece of work, and if anybody is looking for a huge centerpiece acrylic reef, this is the custom way to go!

Ben

[Mr James]

Ben: A couple of things. You should post that hex in the selling forum, with a picture of course. I bet it would go!!

Secondly... I don't think you are stealing my thread. I know that is the proper thing to say but I didn't feel that you were.

Lastly... I have re-evaluated my decision and decided to go look at that tank after all. I am going to go look at it sometime this week. I know I shouldn't judge a tank by the post from one person. Regarding the Rio pumps, CPR overflows and such, I have seen a lot of opinions about all of them. One bad post about a CP tank shouldn't sway me, I just got a little nervous is all.

Back to my original question then, do you guys (or gals) know what a good price would be for that CP 125??

[Reefs-R-Us]

Hi Mr James.. Long ago we had a 125 Clarity Plus tank. It was a beautiful tank, it was RR. I must add that having that tank I definetly agree with mr_mbuna as it did seem to have the tendency to scratch pretty easily. After having it then changing to a glass tank I would never ever go back to acrylic :eek1:

[mr_mbuna]

Originally posted by Reefs-R-Us
... it did seem to have the tendency to scratch pretty easily. After having it then changing to a glass tank I would never ever go back to acrylic :eek1:

Just because I am still in a ranting mood...

These tanks are made of "soft acrylic", according to Clarity Plus' literature. Soft acrylic is easier to scratch, but is also easier to descratch. If they used hard acrylic, like the small Eclipse aquariums use, I believe, the acrylic would not be nearly as easy to descratch but still would not be as scratch-resistant as glass. So, this brings up a good point about acrylic tanks. It is especially important that your live rock or other structures does not touch the acrylic, or you can expect scratches - this is a rule with glass tanks too, but with glass it is for cleaning purposes.

If you don't beat the crap out of acrylic tanks, then they look like cubes of floating water. They are beautiful... I think you would have to do an all-sided-Starphire glass Oceanic tank to equal the look of an acrylic, and the cost for one of those is a whopping 2x Oceanic's already expensive rates.

Okay, now for some useful info... where I work, we charge $466.19 for a new, clear back 125 gallon and $568.99 for a new, blue or back back 125 gallon.

Ben

[CherryCat]

ben,

we gotta talk ... i'm in the market for "big" tank and everything around here (philly area) is way too expensive ...

i sent you an email about the tank y'all have for sale ...

jc

[spenick]

I would highly suggest doing research for glass versus acrylic. The only way I would ever use an acrylic for a reef is if were free or so cheap it was almost free. Probably still wouln't us it for reef though. I hate them. Way more pain to clean, especially coralline algae and it doesn't matter how careful you are, I gaurantee you will scratch it at some point. Wait till you mistakingly get a grain of gravel in the magnet cleaner.

[Mr James]

Ben, thanks for the pricing info on the CP 125!! I have a glass 125 reef tank, currently. If I were to buy that CP 125, I am not too sure what I would do with it. A FOWLR would be a possibility, as well as a predator tank?!?!?

[spenick]

I forgot to mention the drawback to fish only tanks being acrylic. Forget about keeping a puffer and some larger triggers. Both even scratch glass tanks, hate to see an acrylic.

[mgbrown66]

I have a three month old Clarity Plus, and LOVE the tank.

[XDrewX]

yeah i really perfer there tanks over any as in the name the Clarity is awesome

[Kengar]

Originally posted by mr_mbuna


Oh goodness...

I know that I sell these tanks, along with Perfecto and All Glass and Oceanic, so I can't be totally impartial. But all I ask it that you not let a single vocal dissatisfied aquarist ruin an entire company's reputation.



I, personally, am responsible for MY reputation by my actions and conduct; similarly, Clarity Plus is responsible for ITS reputation via ITS actions and conduct. I didn't ruin its reputation; I posted a FACTUAL account of the manner in which Wet Pets and then Clarity Plus chose to handle that situation. Moreover, there has been quite a bit of further information posted on the board shedding light on the history of the Clarity Plus company and, in my view, consistent with my experience with that company.

here's a link to my post: http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15887&highlight=clarity+plus

[mr_mbuna]

Originally posted by Kengar
I didn't ruin its reputation; I posted a FACTUAL account of the manner in which Wet Pets and then Clarity Plus chose to handle that situation

Kengar,

I'm not trying to fault you. I'm just saying that one experience shouldn't taint a company's entire reputation. I have read your story... sounds horrible. Sounds like Wet Pets caused the problem to begin with, but then CP f'ed it up too.

But it reminds me of some other things I've read, where Oceanic - the undisputed leader in custom aquariums - will void their warranty whenever possible, i.e. when not using an Oceanic/approved stand.

Good luck to you,
Ben

[Kengar]

Originally posted by mr_mbuna


I'm just saying that one experience shouldn't taint a company's entire reputation. I have read your story... sounds horrible. Sounds like Wet Pets caused the problem to begin with, but then CP f'ed it up too.



Ben, I understand your point and, IN GENERAL, would tend to agree with it. However, where that one experience involves the president or vice president of a company knowingly working with a local distributor to screw over the ultimate customer rather than standing up for doing the right thing by the customer, and where the president or vice president of the company provides documents to that local distributor that are 180 degrees contrary to stated company policy INTENDING FOR SUCH DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED IN A COURT PROCEEDING, that, in my view, shows stink through and through. In other words, in my view, conduct like that speaks volumes about the nature of the company and those who are running it and should put any other consumer (and distributor such as yourselves, as well) on guard for doing business with them. Ken.