SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium Review

If you’re a fish enthusiast looking to expand your home aquarium, then at some point, you’ll need a larger tank.

The SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium is a strong contender, having been labeled as ‘the best 50 gallon aquarium’ by many buyers.

This product comes with a rimless tank made of Starfire glass, a dual door with a heavy-duty cabinet, a skimmer, a sump, a drain pump, and a return pump.

In addition to this, you’ll get to benefit from a bio ball, a durso stand, and bulk hands to make filtration easy – without having to purchase separately.

For the mid-range price, this does seem like the best glass aquarium. However, as with all products, there are some flaws that need to be addressed.

In our SCA 50 Gallon Starfire aquarium review, we will be exploring all the positives and negatives of the product, to help you decide whether this is the best large aquarium for you.

SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium: the Details

Sleek and simple, this aquarium is designed to be aesthetically pleasing but not an overwhelming presence in the room.

The tank itself is cube-shaped, which matches the tall, black, rectangle stand it’s set on, allowing you to place it discretely in the corner of a room or as a centrepiece.

Thanks to the Starfire glass, the fish, however, are magnified as the main attraction at all times.

Specs

• Weight: 250 lbs.
• Dimensions: 24” width x 20” height x 24” length.
• Capacity: 50 gallon tank.
• Lighting: No light fixture is included.
• Glass or Acrylic: Glass and Acrylic.
• Accessories: Skimmer, sump, drain pump, return pump, bio ball, and a durso stand.
• Warranty: All SCA Aquariums and cabinets come with a 3-year manufacturing warranty. Customers are entitled to a 1-year warranty for the skimmer, pump, and additional accessories.

Features

Algae Resistant

The SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium has proven to be fairly algae resistant.

The heavy-duty door which opens on both sides makes it easy to remove water and fill it on a regular basis. By doing so, the formation and collection of algae is considerably less compared to other tanks.

In order to keep algae levels to a minimum, you’ll need to control light levels (which are around eight hours in a day) by keeping the tank away from direct sunlight.

Feed fish on regular basis, but ensure the nutrient level is balanced and not too high, as this leads to creation of organic waste and algae.

Starfire Glass

The most unique advantage of Starfire glass? It’s much clearer than regular glass.

This material allows the colors of your fish to stand out in a way that you simply could not get by looking through normal tanks.

Overall, this gives the aquarium that high-end quality feel, looking beautiful and luxurious in any household.

However, more than aesthetics, the major selling point of this feature is its durability.

With such strong words like ‘star’ and ‘fire’ to describe it, you can be sure its design is meant to handle some abuse.

It’s resistant to scratches, built to handle a greater amount of water weight, and most importantly – should your kiddo throw a toy in the wrong direction or Fido get too excited, its heavy-duty glass can take the impact if they slam into it.

Durable Stand

Due to its in-sump nature, this aquarium comes with the appropriate sump stand, resembling a black filing cabinet.

Despite its simple appearance, the stand can take as much abuse as the glass, with a sturdy build that won’t be in danger of toppling over during an accident.

Weighing in at an impressive 250lbs and made of solid and durable materials – you’ll need help setting it up, but once it’s placed, it’s semi-permanent.

Duel-Door, Pre-Drilled Pipes, and Water Level Maintainer

Because the cabinet has a dual door, this aquarium does most of the work for you.

The flow of the water is made easy with a pre-drilled return and drain pipe, so there’ll be no DIY during the assembly or in any repairs you may need over the years.

In order to start the cycle, you just have to slate the water, and due to the auto mechanic system included with the dual-door cabinet, you don’t need to put extra effort and time in maintaining it.

Another helpful quality is the black Styrofoam placed between the cabinet and tank; this helps to maintain the water level in the tank.

SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium Review

The Positives

Little Responsibility Needed

Since the tank is designed to be nearly self-sufficient with its duel-door, except for obvious water changes and cleanings, there’s no additional work needed in caring for this tank over a smaller one.

The algae will be kept in check more than with competing tanks, the glass won’t need special care, and most importantly – a bigger tank doesn’t mean room for bigger accidents.

If you’re a hobbyist aquarium keeper, then it provides a smooth transition to a larger aquarium without an added level of responsibility.

Easy Set-Up

If you are a new owner of fish and want to get started straight away with building your aquarium, then there’s no need to spend hours piecing together the parts.

And no worry of messing it up and harming your fish! This tank comes already assembled.

It’s complete with video tutorials and straight-forward instructions, but most importantly, all the proper accessories and tools are in place as soon as you unbox it.

The video below shows what the SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Aquarium looks like out of the box, as well as an example of a tank set-up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKP5pGFL-oc&t=221s

Stylish

Not only does this aquarium perform at a quality level, it does it all while being fashion-forward.

Instead of a bulky aquarium, this sleek and sturdy tank makes a beautiful addition to any room, with the ability to  blend, adapt, or stand out in a variety of decors.

The aquarium sits on a sleek, dark black cabinet, which seamlessly hides any aquarium equipment so you don’t have to worry about your tank ruining your aesthetic.

While the tank is traditionally made to be a home to your pets, it will be hard to not showcase everything in the high-quality glass.

Thanks to the Starfire glass, anything you put inside this tank will look a little more vibrant and colorful than they would in a different tank.

The materials used in the creation of the tank are all high-quality so you won’t have to worry about adding a flimsy piece of furniture to your home.

Good Price

Considering how many accessories this tank offers, not to mention its long lifespan, the price makes it almost a steal.

While it may be a larger investment for those who enjoy aquariums as a fun pastime, you can be certain – it’s a solid one-time investment.

Additionally, if the price is too steep, you can request for the sump and skimmer to be removed and the product will be given at a reduced cost.

Warranty

Not many aquariums come with warranties, but the SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium gives you a 3-year exclusive warranty, which indicates how much faith the company has in their product’s lifespan.

A 1-year warranty for the skimmer, pump, and accessories are additionally included to offer all around coverage.

In the event that you do find a manufacturing error on your aquarium, you will simply need to contact the company and they will either repair or replace your aquarium.

Customer Service

If you do need to take advantage of your warranty, or simply have a question or concern to ask customer service, don’t hesitate to give them a call.

Customers have raved about the helpfulness and attentiveness of the customer service department, who have been able to answer questions and solve problems all while being super friendly!

If you’re dreading long waiting times, rude responses, and unsolved concerns, you’ll be happily surprised with the helpful service.

Shipping

If you’re the type to stalk your package the minute you get a shipment notification, you won’t have to watch your package move too long before it gets to your door.

These aquariums usually ship pretty quickly, and the shipping department will work with you to compromise on a shipping date that works for you.

When your aquarium ships, it will be packaged for safety so you won’t have to worry about any dings or scratches on your brand new tank.

But then again, there’s always the warranty if something were to happen.

The Negatives

No Light Fixture

No doubt every aquarium needs a light, so you can admire the fish but also grow important plants and bacteria which help improve your pets’ environment.

However, the biggest flaw of this product is that it lacks a light fixture, something which you’ll have to buy yourself.

This will entail additional time, research, and money, which is inconvenient should you want to set it up immediately.

Shape

While most aquariums are a long, rectangle shape, this one is a cube, meaning your fish will have height but not width.

This is ideal for certain species which prefer deeper waters, but should you own many breeds that require space to avoid conflict, this tank will be a poor choice.

Overall Verdict

The SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium is the perfect kit for any fish enthusiast wanting to expand or create their very own home aquarium on a moderate budget.

For the money you are spending, you can be sure the best features are available.

However, if you don’t want a sump tank, plan on having many different fish which will need space, or your current fish prefer width over depth in their environment, it’s wise to look elsewhere.

Where to Buy the SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium

SC Aquariums aren’t the new kids on the block, with a variety of different styles of tanks to choose from depending on your needs.

The stylish SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium may only be offered at select locations, but many can be found in store and online.

When it comes to specialty tanks, you might be better off checking aquatic specific shops.

To start, check out the following online retailers.

• SC Aquariums (from $998)
• Pets Paws Love (from $1390)

Of course, it’s also easily available on Amazon.

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That’s it for our review on the SCA Starfire Glass Aquarium. Tempted to give it a try?