EXCLUSIVE to Shirley Aquatics0% finance with NovunaUK wide delivery available30 day returns
Cleair, exclusive to Shirley Aquatics
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.
Our team walks you through the Cleair range, the build quality and how the filtration works.
How we found them
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.
"When we first opened, one of the UK's foremost aquarium manufacturers came in, looked closely at the build, and rated it. So it is not just us who trust these tanks."
The Shirley Aquatics story
The problem with most tanks
Why So Many Aquariums Let You Down
A tank holds hundreds of litres of water in your home for years on end. Most are not built for that. Here is where the cheaper ones fall short.
Flat pack cabinets
Self assembly cabinets are made to ship cheaply, not to carry weight. Joints loosen and panels bow under a load they were never designed for.
MDF and chipboard
MDF and chipboard swell the moment they meet moisture, and around an aquarium that is a matter of when, not if. Once they swell they never come back.
The same few tanks everywhere
For years most shops sold the same two or three makes. Little choice, little to tell them apart, and rarely anyone who really knew the product.
How a Cleair is built
Built 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.
1
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.
2
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.
3
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.
4
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.
Build detail imageMitered glass edge and seam
The mitered edges and clean seams that set a Cleair aquarium apart from a standard tank.
Ready to run
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 range
Digital Titanium Heater
Precise thermostat, corrosion resistant.
Sargasso range
Light Timers
Automated control for a consistent schedule.
Sargasso range
LED 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.
How it works
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.
Stage one
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.
Stage two
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.
A short walk through of how a Cleair sump filters the water, step by step.
"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 Director
Why buy yours from Shirley Aquatics
Heritage 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.
1939
Trading since
20
Years backing Cleair
2 yr
Warranty on glass and seals
100k
Built each year
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.
The range
Choose Your Cleair Aquarium
Ten Cleair ranges, from gloss freshwater sets to rimless marine reefscapes. Tap any model to see sizes, finishes and full specification on its product page.
ColdwaterTropicalMarineReefPlanted & Scaper
Adriatic
Adriatic CFD, wood finish in Cement Ash, Light Brown or Dark Brown.
CFD
Adriatic
Wood finish glass aquarium and cabinet with black edge detailing. LED lighting, computer control and sump filtration. Available in 120cm and 150cm.
Caspian BTD, gloss black, white or red with gold detailing.
BTD
Caspian
Gloss glass aquarium in black, white or red. White and red get gold edge detailing. LED, computer control and sump filtration. Four lengths from 80cm to 150cm.
Sargasso CAD, gloss finish, 50cm deep, black or white.
CAD
Sargasso
Gloss aquarium 50cm deep in black or white. LED lighting, computer control, sump filtration and a two door cabinet. Four lengths from 120cm up to 200cm.
Sargasso Wide CADW, the deeper 60cm version, black or white.
CADW
Sargasso Wide
The wider Sargasso at 60cm deep for more swimming space and scope. Same gloss finish, LED, computer and sump set up. Three lengths from 150cm to 200cm.
Ionian CCDL, optiwhite glass, gloss with gold side detailing.
CCDL
Ionian
Optiwhite glass in gloss black or white with gold detailing. Computer controls lights, pump and UV, plus an auto top up system and a three door cabinet. 150cm to 200cm.
Aegean EAD, white and walnut on a solid wood, metal framed cabinet.
EAD
Aegean
Glass aquarium in a smart white and walnut finish on a solid wood, metal framed cabinet. LED lighting and sump filtration with corner weir. Available in 100cm and 120cm.
Pacific MCD, six finishes including nanmu, rosewood and walnut.
MCD / CD
Pacific
Glass aquarium in six finishes from black to rosewood. Remote controlled LED lighting, sump filtration and a solid wood cabinet. Five lengths from 60cm to 150cm.
Mekong CLDB, a rich mahogany finish for larger rooms.
CLDB
Mekong
A statement glass aquarium in mahogany with a solid wood cabinet and push to open doors. LED lighting and sump filtration. Available in 150cm and 180cm.
Amazon AND, optiwhite glass on a polished, metal framed cabinet.
AND
Amazon
Optiwhite glass on a pre-assembled solid wood and metal framed cabinet, clad in polished acrylic and glass. Plumbing, LED, multi chamber sump and corner weir. Up to 200cm.
Reefscape Midi KFH, rimless marine set with optiwhite glass and sump.
KFH
Reefscape Midi
A rimless marine aquarium for reef keepers, with an open top so you add your own lighting, and a clear sealed side. Complete with sump and cabinet in black or white. 60cm to 150cm.
After the wider rimless marine set or an acrylic tank instead of glass? The Reefscape Maxi runs up to 180cm, and the Cleair acrylic range is lighter, more impact resistant and better insulated for tropical set ups.
See the Cleair acrylic range.
Every model on show in store. Come and see them in the flesh.
UK Wide Delivery
Sent out on our standard mail order service, anywhere in the UK.
0% Finance
Spread the cost with Novuna, subject to status.
2 Year Warranty
Glass and seals covered with correct, level installation.
Real Experts
Talk to people who keep fish and know the range, since 1939.
What customers say
Real Reviews From Real Customers
These come straight from Google through Trustindex, so every name and rating is genuine.
Trustindex Google reviews widget loads here
Richard CookManaging Director
Richard Cook, Managing Director, Shirley Aquatics.
"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.
