New tank advice - Oase Highline?

[Oxfordblue]

Hi,
I’m looking at buying a new 250-300 litre aquarium plus cabinet. I had been looking at the Fluval Vicenza or Juwel Rio tanks. However, after visiting our local aquarist shop, my wife preferred the look of the Oase Highline 300 tanks (and a condition of me being allowed a new tank is that it has to look good in our kitchen!). I must admit, the Oase aquariums and cabinets did look very solidly built, but at nearly twice the price of the Fluval/Juwel tanks I’ve been looking at, I am trying to decide whether it is really worth paying the extra? I am struggling to find any reviews of the Oase Highline aquariums online. Just wondered if anyone had any experience with these tanks, and if so, what their opinion is? Alternatively, does anyone have any other recommendations for aquariums around this size (ideally looking for something ~120cm long).

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Advanced Aquarist]

I've heard that the Juwel cabinets are naff but the aquariums are almost bulletproof. Solid construction. Don't know if they have internal filters but from what I've seen it's pretty basic. Nothing wrong there for the price.

The Oase Highline is a terrible design IMHO, unless you really want the totally hidden away look. It has a silly hole in the bottom of the tank to connect the intake of the canister filter to - I mean, why drill a hole there? This is not a marine tank with close loop pumps is it? Also the corner weir is not a corner weir at all, it's a dry chamber for your piping and cables to make it neat, so that's sort of a good idea, but again it might not be depending on your circumstances because you got to be careful your water level doesn't overflow into it else it will fall into the cabinet. For the money this is an awful design. George Farmer is promoting this range in his videos because he's paid by them.

For the money you're better off getting a rimless tank from Aquariums4life. Don't get the steel framed ones since they'll weight a tonne, the double walled wooden cabinet range is good value if you want a rimless aquarium.

 

[Oxfordblue]

I've heard that the Juwel cabinets are naff but the aquariums are almost bulletproof. Solid construction. Don't know if they have internal filters but from what I've seen it's pretty basic. Nothing wrong there for the price.

The Oase Highline is a terrible design IMHO, unless you really want the totally hidden away look. It has a silly hole in the bottom of the tank to connect the intake of the canister filter to - I mean, why drill a hole there? This is not a marine tank with close loop pumps is it? Also the corner weir is not a corner weir at all, it's a dry chamber for your piping and cables to make it neat, so that's sort of a good idea, but again it might not be depending on your circumstances because you got to be careful your water level doesn't overflow into it else it will fall into the cabinet. For the money this is an awful design. George Farmer is promoting this range in his videos because he's paid by them.

For the money you're better off getting a rimless tank from Aquariums4life. Don't get the steel framed ones since they'll weight a tonne, the double walled wooden cabinet range is good value if you want a rimless aquarium.

Thanks for the advice/suggestions . I must admit I was slightly concerned by the hole in the bottom of the Oase tank for the filter intake- seems like an obvious weak point for leaks to develop at some point!

I actually looked at the aquariums4life tanks earlier today and emailed to enquire about the tank + steel framed cabinet option. I somehow missed that they also make non-steel frame cabinets. Will look into it. I also came across primeaquariums.co.uk and their prices looked pretty reasonable. Has anyone bought an aquarium from here? Thoughts?

 

[Essjay]

I haven't bought anything from that site but my larger tank is a custom built by ND Aquatics. It's 7 years old now so the company may have changed in qualtiy since I got mine, but it's been a great tank.

 

[Wills]

I'm really mixed on the Oase tanks, the look really good with a nice stand and hood and they come in really good sizes but that internal dry section puts me off for the same reason Juwel does with the internal filters it just takes up room. I understand the argument about them being able to go closer to the wall but usually with a kick plate on the stand and your skirting boards its not too much of an issue really.

I've got an Evolution Aqua tank from their Aquascaper range but their Freshwater range is the same but with a hood. I'm really happy with it and they come in a massive range of options.

If I was going for a big tank (4ft plus) I'd probably be going to ND or Aquariums4life though.

Wills

 

[Utar]

I don't know anything about Europe for an aquarium and what to buy. But here in the states, there are lots of places to buy custom-built aquariums and stands as well as the usual standard set-ups. These might be another option for you to look around and see if anyone builds customs stands, etc.

 

[Advanced Aquarist]

ND is lower quality, hence the lower price.

Aquariums4life is excellent quality and value, but I would never have their steel stand cabinet simply because steel stands are soooo heavy!!! They're very well designed but just too heavy for my liking. I'm looking into aluminium T-slot stands for my next aquarium cabinet.

 

[Oxfordblue]

The double walled wooden cabinet range from aquariums4life look v nice, but in all the photos I’ve seen they don’t have lids? We have two cats, so a lid is a definite requirement! I’m guessing they will supply these with lids if necessary? Or is there custom way of covering these rimless/braceless tanks? I like the simplicity of the ‘no lid’ look, so if it was possible to have a simple sliding glass lid, that might work?

 

[Advanced Aquarist]

these are aquascaper aquariums, following the ADA style. They are rimless and without lids by design. If you look at the ADA tanks they are all like this.

You can buy something like the stainless steel hooks that ADA tanks have and you can put a cover glass over them. Or better yet you can get one of those D&D jump guards:

D-D Jump Guard 120x75cm

Jumpguard Pro DIY Aquarium Cover There is nothing worse than coming down in the morning to finding your favourite fish lying dead and crispy on the carpet. Many fish, especially hatchets, have a tendency to jump from the tank when frightened or chased by another fish and so a solution to...

www.horizonaquatics.co.uk

available in various sizes and also customisable to fit the top of the tank, this will prevent fish jumping out and should deter curious cats from getting in.

Also making a lid yourself for these tanks should be easy, using thin wood that rests on the top of the glass like Jewel and the other makers do. Aquariums4life would definitely be able to make a lid for it at an extra charge. But if you're going to need a lid and sliding cover glasses there's no need to go rimless, so you can use thinner glass and the price will be lower.

 

[Wills]

I'd love those Aquascaping tanks from Aquarums 4 Life to have like a really minimal hinged glass lid or cover - like if they took as much care with them as they do the rest of the glass work but glass slider kits are always really utilitarian. Especially on the bigger sizes then people would use them for all kinds of tanks not just the aquascapers. I do think this range is very good value the big 4 foot is only £800 with the stand which if you compare to the Oase is nearly half - I have to admit when I recommended the Oase above I did not appreciate they are basically £1,500.

 

[Inaam]

I'm currently in a very similar dilemma to yours, plan is to buy a 200L fish tank, the short list we had was a Juwel Rio 180 or Fluval Roma 200, both in the Oak colour.

Then I made the "mistake" of taking and showing the wife an Oase High Line 200 in the Oak variant, I must admit, I'll be honest, the Oase High Line did look stunning, now she's hellbent on getting the Oase for our living room, but its £1,066, and that's without the lights, they're optional extra you've got to buy on top.

The Juwel Rio 180 and Fluval Roma 200 are on offer at my local aquarium centre for £400 all in, but after including the lights, the Oase would be about £1200, now I don't deny it, the Oase does look stunning, especially in the Oak colour, it's more a piece of furniture than an actual Aquarium! But is it £800 more than Rio 180 or Roma 200? I'm not soo sure. Decisions...Decisions.

 

[cdelly]

the a4l tanks are excellent, had a 4x2x2 marine tank with sump.

another to look at are the ea freshwater range, again had the 1200 in marine. they dont come with filters but have lights. the marine tanks are now part of D&D.

the tanks are well built and a good choice of colours, maidenhead aquatics used to stock them

 

[Oxfordblue]

After lots of toing and froing, we ended up going with the Oase Highline 300. Only had it for about a month, but so far so good.

 

[cdelly]

looks v.nice set up

 

[Inaam]

After lots of toing and froing, we ended up going with the Oase Highline 300. Only had it for about a month, but so far so good.

Looks fabulous, sometimes pictures don't do Oase justice, Looks even more incredible in the flesh.