Cleair AquariumsHand Built To Last A Lifetime
Mitered glass. Pre-built cabinets. No flat pack.
Cleair aquariums are hand built by engineers who have made tanks for over 30 years. We went looking for something better than the same tanks every shop was selling, and we have backed Cleair for the last twenty years. Browse the full range below, or call and we will talk you through it.
Cabinets pre-built by the manufacturer's engineers. No flat pack, no self assembly.
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See The RangeA Closer Look At Cleair
We went looking for something different
Twenty years ago, every fish shop and every garden centre showed the same two or three makes of tank. We have always liked to find something different, something new, so we went looking for a better aquarium to offer our customers.
We found Cleair, and we have backed them ever since. Once you see the mitered glass edges and the flawless seams up close, it is easy to understand why.
We had already been supplying and fitting Cleair aquariums for 15 years when we moved to our new premises in 2017. One of the UK's foremost aquarium manufacturers visited. They hand craft aquariums themselves, and they were amazed at the quality.
"To be honest, we could not build our aquariums for what you are selling these Cleair aquariums for."
Vince, a UK specialist in premium hand built aquariumsThe Difference Is In How It Is Built
Plenty of tanks do a perfectly good job. The problems that carry real consequences tend to come from mass produced shortcuts. The premium makers have learned there is no substitute for a purpose made cabinet, built by the manufacturer in their own workshop.
Built in the workshop
A purpose made cabinet is built by the manufacturer, not shipped flat and put together at home. Joints can be sealed, so it arrives as one solid, finished piece.
Strength that is proven
When the manufacturer builds the cabinet themselves, strength can be tested and integrity can be proven, rather than simply assumed and left to chance.
The right amount of silicone
A telling sign is the seams. The rush for efficiency often means silicone laid on in excess. On a Cleair the right amount is used, with a minimal gap between panes, and the joints are all but impossible to separate.
"I have worked with aquariums and glass since I was a boy, and built many thousands of tanks by hand. These days I help people out when a tank fails on them. Richard asked me to replace a front panel on a Cleair aquarium that had been scratched in the showroom. The joints were that tight I could not even get my blade between the panes to separate them. I have done this many times with other makes, and the amount of silicone they use means I can cut through the joints like butter. Not with Cleair. I had to admit defeat. They are one tough aquarium."
Lee, an aquarium glass specialistBuilt Properly, From The Glass Up
Cleair has been hand building aquariums for over 30 years, more than 100,000 every year. These are a mid to high range system, and compared like for like the value is far better.
Mitered glass, flawless seams
Every tank is hand built from machine finished glass. The edges are mitered and the seams are flawless. Look closely at a Cleair and you can see the difference.
Cabinets pre-built by the manufacturer's engineers
Every cabinet is pre-built by Cleair's own engineers. No flat pack, no self assembly. It is ready to carry the weight the moment it arrives.
Materials that hold their integrity
Structure is metal, solid wood and treated wood laminate. Glass, acrylic and metal handle the style and finish. No MDF, no chipboard.
Custom builds to your spec
Want something specific? Cleair build custom aquariums to your own specification. Lead time is around 12 weeks. Talk to us and we will scope it with you.
Included As Standard
Cleair sets arrive ready to run. The matching cabinet, sump and pipework, and LED lighting come as standard across the range. On the Sargasso range you also get the circulation pump, digital titanium heater and light timers built in.
Matching Cabinet
Factory built, no self assembly required.
Sump & Pipework
High quality sump and pipework included.
Circulation Pump
Powerful pump for optimal water movement.
Sargasso rangeDigital Titanium Heater
Precise thermostat, corrosion resistant.
Sargasso rangeLight Timers
Automated control for a consistent schedule.
Sargasso rangeLED Lighting
Low running cost, variable colour outputs.
The three items marked Sargasso are standard on the Sargasso range and available on others. Inclusions vary by range, so ask us and we will confirm exactly what comes with your chosen model.
The sump, in plain English
Most Cleair sets run on a sump, which is simply a glass box that sits beneath the main tank. One pipe carries water down to it, a pump returns clean water to the tank, and on the way through, two things happen.
Mechanical filtration
Water descends through a rain box and down through foams that physically trap particles and stop them going any further. This is the part you can see doing its job.
Biological filtration
Below the foams sits the media chamber, where nitrifying bacteria grow. Those bacteria quietly deal with the dissolved waste your fish produce, the part you cannot see.
The heaters tuck neatly into the sump rather than cluttering the main tank. Set up well, the biological media rarely needs touching. On our display tanks it stays clean for a very long time.
"Let me explain it the way it finally clicked for me. I did a lot of diving around the UK at university, all of it in a wet suit. You get cold, you put up with it, and you never really question it. Then I tried a dry suit, and it changed everything. You stay dry, it is easier, and the whole experience is so much better. A proper sump is the dry suit of fishkeeping. Once you run a tank on one you wonder how you ever managed without it, and the people who start out this way are the lucky ones. They will never know the faff the rest of us put up with for years."
Richard Cook, Managing DirectorHeritage You Can Stand On
We have sold aquariums since 1939 and we are Europe's longest standing aquatic and reptile specialists. Cleair is exclusive to us, so you buy direct, with a shorter supply chain and a keener price.
The 2 year warranty covers the glass and seals when the tank is installed correctly on a level surface. Every model on this page is on display in store, so you can see the build for yourself before you decide.
Choose Your Cleair Aquarium
The current Cleair range, from gloss freshwater sets to rimless marine reefscapes and curved acrylic tanks. Tap any model to see sizes, finishes and full specification.
Sargasso
Our flagship glass set, available as the Sargasso Classic and the taller, deeper Sargasso 2.0 Deep. Optiwhite glass, a multi chamber sump and corner weir, and LED lighting by remote or computer, on a solid framed cabinet. A wide choice of sizes up to 725 litres, in finishes including Red Wine, Black and White.
Caspian
A gloss glass aquarium, sump and cabinet set with LED lighting, computer control and sump filtration. A popular all rounder, available from 250 litres upward.
Ionian
Optiwhite glass in a gloss finish. Computer control for the lights, pump and UV, an auto top up system, in aquarium side filtration and a three door cabinet.
Lavant
A double sided aquarium you can view from both sides, so it works beautifully as a room divider. Integrated pipework, sump based filtration and LED lighting. Four sizes from 145 to 390 litres. It can sit against a wall too, with an optional vinyl backing.
Pacific
A glass aquarium and solid wood cabinet in a choice of finishes. Remote controlled LED lighting and sump filtration, available in several sizes.
Orinoco
A rimless aquarium, sump and cabinet set with the clean lines of frameless glass, and another that works as a room divider since it can be viewed from both sides. Ideal for tropical, marine and reef. Available in 190, 240 and 280 litres.
Reefscape Midi
The compact rimless marine set, bonded with clear silicone for crisp lines and no black seam. Supplied with aquarium, cabinet, pipework, sump, reservoir and auto top up. Lighting and pump available separately.
Reefscape Maxi
The larger rimless marine set at 60cm wide, with the Xceed wider still at 65cm. The same clear silicone finish and the complete package of cabinet, pipework, sump, reservoir and auto top up, in lengths up to 180cm. Lighting and pump available separately.
The Acrylic Range
Acrylic can be moulded into shapes glass simply cannot, so these are curved, lightweight and crystal clear. Each is a single continuous piece of acrylic, easy to move and better insulated than glass.
Danube
A striking circular aquarium made from one continuous piece of clear acrylic, with the canopy and base in acrylic too, so it stays light and easy to move. LED lighting and filtration built in. Four sizes from 135 to 450 litres, with sump versions for marine, in black or white.
Arctic
A half circle acrylic aquarium with a flat back, so it sits flush against a wall while still giving you that curved front. LED lighting and filtration, with the whole filter tray lifting off in one piece for easy cleaning. 135 litres, in black or white.
Avon
An oval acrylic aquarium with soft, rounded ends and no hard corners, clear and lightweight like the rest of the acrylic range. A smart choice where a round or a square tank will not quite suit the space.
The Easy Bits
Every model on show in store. Come and see them in the flesh.
Sent out on our standard mail order service, anywhere in the UK.
Spread the cost with Novuna, subject to status.
Glass and seals covered with correct, level installation.
Talk to people who keep fish and know the range, since 1939.
Real Reviews From Real Customers
Here is a recent one, with our live Google feed from Trustindex below, so every name and rating is genuine.
"Ollie and Phil came to my house to fit a Sargasso 440 and did an excellent job setting up all the pipe work and reef rocks ready for the corals. They left everything clean and tidy. I would highly recommend Shirley Aquatics to anyone."
David B. · Verified Google review
"Twenty years ago we went looking for a tank that stood apart from everything else on the shelf. We found Cleair, and we still only put our name to tanks we would happily run in our own homes."
All ten models are on display at Becketts Farm. If you are ready to make the leap, come and see them in the flesh, pick your size and finish online, or call and we will talk it through.