Fluval Osaka Aquariums

[Simon]

Anyone have any experience with these?

I want to set up a natural tank. These look quiet stylish, come with decent lighting and filtration.

 

[Dan Crawford]

I've got one, a 260, it's quality! I've doubled the lighting too.

One very minor down side is that the doors and draw on the cabinet "snap" shut so i'd suggest putting some dampers on there.

Oh another minor downside, the braces that suspend the lights run up the back of the tank which isn't great for some styles of aquascaping.

 

[beeky]

Can you get cover glasses for them? I'm not sure I'd want all that evaporation!

 

[Rob Steer]

I've got one, a 260, it's quality! I've doubled the lighting too.

Dan,

Was there room to suspened the additional light unit from the frame alongside the other light unit? I'm toying with the idea of buying the Osaka 155L but I'm not convinced the T5's supplied provide sufficient light, total 2 x 24W?

Light required = 34 Gal (155L) x 2 = 68 Watts (based on a min of 2 wpg)

Therefore I would need to add another GLO T5HO unit and will only do so if there is room to suspend the additional lighting from the frame.

Also my fiancée is concerned about having an open top aquarium on the basis that she thinks it will create an unpleasant odour in the room it is located. She is quite happy with the current tank with a lid, but says that when the lid is opened or taken off (for cleaning etc) it does smell slightly (of warm pond water is her description) and is worried that if I get a tank without a lid, this smell will become permanent and it may cause condensation on our newly painted walls - would that be the case?

Regards,
Rob

 

[Tony Swinney]

Hi

I'm very interested in this thread too, as I'm about to order an Osaka - though I havent deicided whether it will be the 260 or the 155 yet ?

As Rob, I'd be interested to know if another light unit can be hung with the original one or not ? Can you buy the Osaka light units on their own, to add a second matching one ? Or if you replace the whole lot with a luminaire sat on the tank sides, could you then remove the whole suspension frame so that it wouldnt be seen through the tank ?

Also, is it possible to remove the aluminium trim from the tank top, to leave a clean glass edge, or is bonded, or are there bracings there ?

Sorry for the questions, but I cant fond one of these on display to go and look at.

Cheers

Tony

 

[Rob Steer]

Hi Tony,

You can definitely buy the light units separately, check out http://www.ukpetsupplies.com/Category.aspx?ParentId=1349&CatId=1350

Let me know which one you've gone for and how you get on?

Rob

 

[KeithS]

Hi
I got the 320 and bought an extra light for it, for which there are extra hanging holes in the
stand so no probs with fitting a extra light unit.

Also, is it possible to remove the aluminium trim from the tank top, to leave a clean glass edge, or is bonded, or are there bracings there ?

There is a centre brace on the 320 but I don,t know about the other models, think you would have a job taking off the alu trim.

Also my fiancée is concerned about having an open top aquarium on the basis that she thinks it will create an unpleasant odour in the room it is located. She is quite happy with the current tank with a lid, but says that when the lid is opened or taken off (for cleaning etc) it does smell slightly (of warm pond water is her description) and is worried that if I get a tank without a lid, this smell will become permanent and it may cause condensation on our newly painted walls - would that be the case?

I,ve never realy felt that you get a smell from open top tanks and no real probs with condensation.
Keith

 

[Tony Swinney]

Thanks Keith and Rob.

Paraquatics sell the cabinet / tank / lights separately, so I'm wondering about buying the Osaka cabinet and lights (assuming that the light hanger is supplied with the cabinet rather than the tank), then adding an optiwhite tank from AqLtd., this way I could have an 18" high rimless/braceless tank, rather than the 24" Osaka tank, which I think may be a bit deep for my arms to plant !!!

The tank/cabinet/lights price would work out much the same, but you wouldnt get the filter or heater, though I have a spare Eheim and Hydor I could use.

Tony

 

[Coiln3107]

Hi guys I also have the Osaka 260 with the original suspended lighting 2x39w HO t5 and sitting in front of it a second 2x39w HO t5 which sits on the supplied rim feet, great thing is the sit at exactly the same height without any adjustments so it looks great. I also have a strip of the new led lights hanging from AE suspended from the original overframe behind the standard light which you cant see from the front when viewing the tank but they come on first and go off last. The aluminium strip hides the brace and really doesnt look too bad once you have had it a while. If you need to see the setup mail me and I will sort out taking pictures of the cabinet with the CO2 setup all built in and of the lighting setup it really is pretty neat if I do say so myself!!!!!!!!! Regards Colin.