Description

Reefscape 2.0 Midi 165 Rimless Glass Aquarium with Sump

The Reefscape rimless aquarium range with sump from Cleair Aquatics is one of our favourite ranges of rimless aquariums on the market. Already extremely popular with aquarists in America and Asia, the range is now available in the UK exclusively from Shirley Aquatics. Reefscape aquariums are incredibly versatile and can be used for reef aquariums, marine fish-only systems, tropical aquariums, planted aquascapes, goldfish and even suitable turtle setups.

 

 

The KFH Reefscape 2.0 MIDI 165 is a premium rimless aquarium and sump system designed for aquarists who want the clean appearance of a modern aquascape without sacrificing the flexibility and filtration potential of a proper sump.

Measuring 60cm wide by 50cm deep, the MIDI 165 has a surprisingly useful footprint for a relatively compact aquarium. The additional front-to-back depth provides plenty of room for creative rockwork, planting and aquascaping while the rimless Opti-White glass construction provides an unobstructed view into the aquarium.

Unlike many smaller rimless aquariums, the MIDI 165 incorporates a discreet black corner weir connected to a 50 litre sump housed within the cabinet below. This moves much of the filtration equipment away from the display aquarium, leaving more room for livestock and creating a much cleaner finished appearance.

The system can be configured for tropical freshwater, marine or coldwater use, making it an exceptionally versatile foundation from which to build your aquarium.

Opti-White Rimless Aquarium

The MIDI 165 is manufactured using Opti-White glass for excellent clarity, true colour reproduction and minimal green tint. This is particularly noticeable when viewing the aquarium through the edges of the glass, where conventional aquarium glass can develop a pronounced green appearance.

The beauty of a Reefscape rimless glass aquarium is in its clean lines and crisp finish, making this style particularly popular for dedicated tropical aquascapes and marine reef displays. With no hood, upper bracing or unnecessary trim to detract from the aquarium, the display itself consists of just five glass panels. Cleair uses clear silicone between the panels to maintain this minimalist appearance, rather than the prominent black silicone seams found on some rimless aquariums.

The absence of a traditional hood or upper bracing also creates the open, minimalist appearance that has made rimless aquariums so popular for contemporary aquascapes and reef displays.

Glass cover plates are supplied as standard for aquarists who would prefer to keep the aquarium covered. These cover plates mean that there is no need to buy jump guards and they will reduce evaporation.

Integrated 50 Litre Sump

One of the biggest advantages of the Reefscape system is the inclusion of a proper sump rather than relying on internal or external filtration. Water leaves the display through the discreet black corner weir before passing into the sump inside the cabinet.

The sump gives you considerably more flexibility when choosing and arranging your filtration media while keeping much of the equipment out of sight. For freshwater aquariums, the sump provides plenty of space for mechanical and biological filtration. Marine keepers have the additional flexibility to incorporate equipment appropriate to their individual system.

A circulation pump, sump, pipework and plumbing are all included as standard. The Reefscape 2.0 also includes filter socks with noise dampeners, a small top-up reservoir and a shut-off valve within the pipework for easier maintenance. An extension socket is fitted inside the cabinet, helping to keep plugs and equipment cables neatly organised and out of sight.

Additionally, there is a an extension socket attached to the cabinet, ensuring that the wires from your equipment are all neatly kept inside the cabinet.

Built-In Corner Weir

The weir is positioned in the right-hand corner rather than centrally. This leaves a larger uninterrupted area for aquascaping and can also make it easier to create effective circulation throughout the aquarium. Some alternative sumped aquariums use a centrally positioned weir, which can be more restrictive when arranging rockwork, wood or plants.

Because the weir, pipework and much of the filtration equipment are kept towards the rear of the aquarium or inside the cabinet, you’re left with a much cleaner display than you would achieve with multiple filters and pieces of equipment hanging inside the tank.

A black aquarium background is also supplied as standard, helping the weir blend naturally into the finished aquarium.

Factory-Built Gloss Cabinet

The matching cabinet isn’t supplied as a flat-pack unit. It arrives factory built, providing a strong and substantial base for the aquarium without requiring you to assemble the cabinet yourself. Unlike other manufacturers there is no MDF used in the construction of the reefscape cabinet. MDF can swell over time, whereas, the reefscape cabinet frame is built using solid wood, metal and treated, laminated wood. The frame is then clad in acrylic (this offers a superb finish, with the added benefit that scratches can be buffed out using T-Cut). Each cabinet is expertly assembled in the cleair factory using strong and durable components that are unaffected by water.

Adjustable feet allow the aquarium to be levelled accurately once it is in position – particularly important with a rimless aquarium where correct support and levelling are essential.

The cabinet is available in three finishes:

Gloss Black
Gloss White
Gloss Ocean Grey

Digitally Controlled Titanium Heater

A digitally controlled titanium heater is included as standard, providing accurate temperature control without requiring you to purchase a separate heating system.

Titanium heaters are particularly well suited to sump-based aquariums because the heating equipment can be positioned completely out of sight. Titanium is also highly resistant to corrosion, making it an excellent choice for marine aquariums where equipment is continually exposed to saltwater.

If you’re creating an unheated coldwater aquarium, the system can of course be configured appropriately for the livestock being kept.

Suitable for Freshwater, Marine and Aquascaping

One of the things we particularly like about the Reefscape rimless aquarium range is its versatility.

For a tropical freshwater aquarium, the 50 litre sump provides substantial filtration capacity while the 50cm front-to-back depth gives you excellent scope for planting, wood and rockwork.

For marine aquariums, the sump provides somewhere to locate filtration and other equipment away from the display, while the Opti-White glass really comes into its own when viewing corals and marine fish.

For a planted aquascape, the rimless construction and unusually deep footprint provide plenty of scope for creating perspective and depth.

Additional lighting will be required for reef aquariums and more demanding planted aquascapes.

What’s Included?

The KFH Reef&scape 2.0 MIDI 165 is supplied with:
Pipework, sump and plumbing
Circulation pump
Filter socks with silencers
Multi socket extension
Shut off valve
Digitally controlled titanium heater
Black corner weir
Black aquarium background
Glass cover plates
Opti-White glass aquarium
Factory-built gloss cabinet
Adjustable feet

Please note: lighting is not included.

 

Why We Recommend the KFH Reefscape MIDI 165

What makes the MIDI 165 particularly interesting to us is how much of a full-sized sump aquarium experience has been incorporated into a relatively compact footprint.

At just 60cm wide it doesn’t require the wall space of a large reef aquarium, but the 50cm front-to-back depth makes a considerable difference when you start designing an aquascape. Rather than being restricted to arranging everything along the back of a narrow aquarium, you have enough depth to build rockwork, wood and planting forwards and backwards to create a much more convincing sense of perspective.

The sump is another major advantage. Keeping filtration, heating and associated equipment underneath the aquarium leaves the display looking far less cluttered and gives you much greater freedom when choosing how you want to filter the aquarium.

For someone looking for a premium smaller aquarium that they can develop into a serious tropical, planted or marine system, we think the MIDI 165 is a particularly interesting option.

Why choose an aquarium with a sump?

A sump increases the amount of space available for filtration while allowing much of the aquarium equipment to be hidden inside the cabinet.

It also gives the aquarist considerably more freedom when designing the filtration system. Rather than being restricted by the media capacity of an internal or external filter, different filtration media and equipment can be incorporated according to the needs of the aquarium.

How does a sump work?

It’s actually a surprisingly simple filtration system. The sump contains several chambers separated by glass baffles, with water directed over or underneath each partition as it moves through the filtration media.

Once the water has travelled through the sump, the circulation pump returns it to the main aquarium. As the water level in the display rises, water spills into the weir and travels back through the pipework into the sump, creating a continuous filtration cycle.

Can a sumped aquarium overflow?

A correctly installed and maintained sump system is designed to prevent this during normal operation. The Reefscape sump has a clearly marked maximum fill level which leaves sufficient capacity for the additional water that drains from the aquarium when the return pump is switched off.

It is important not to fill the sump beyond this mark. As with any sumped aquarium, the weir and pipework should also be kept clear and the system should be tested after installation by switching off the return pump and allowing the water level to settle.

Is a sump better than an external filter?

Both systems can provide excellent aquarium filtration, but a sump offers considerably more flexibility. An external canister filter has a fixed internal capacity, whereas a sump gives you much more freedom to choose and arrange mechanical and biological filter media while also providing somewhere to position heaters and other equipment away from the display.

A sump also increases the total volume of water within the system and makes it easier to access filtration media for routine maintenance.

External filters still have their place, particularly where an aquarium hasn’t been designed with a weir and plumbing. With the Reefscape, however, the aquarium has been designed around a sump from the outset, so we’d take advantage of it.

Reefscape MIDI 165 Rimless Aquarium And Sump Specifications

Total Volume: 165 litres
Sump Volume: 50 litres
Aquarium Width: 60cm
Aquarium Depth: 50cm
Aquarium Height: 54cm
Cabinet Height: 77cm
Total Height: 131cm
Glass: Opti-White low-iron glass
Design: Rimless
Filtration: Integrated sump
Weir: Black corner weir
Heating: Digitally controlled titanium heater included
Circulation Pump: Included
Glass Cover Plates: Included
Background: Black background included
Cabinet: Factory built with adjustable feet
Cabinet Finishes: Gloss Black, Gloss White or Gloss Ocean Grey
Lighting: Not included
Suitable For: Tropical, Marine and Coldwater aquariums
SKU: KFH600

 

Finance options available! Contact us for more information.

Why not check out our Youtube channel for videos on some of our Cleair range and a closer look at the features!