Innovative Marine owners - how do you like the APS stand?

[WhalesLovePineapple]

I'm considering buying the APS stand for my nuvo aquarium. However, I hear mixed reviews such as pieces not aligning correctly and that it is a cheap looking stand.

If you own one, do you recommend buying it?

 

[UnderwaterGamer]

I like the clean look of it a lot, I think the misaligning pieces comes down to people not paying attention when assembling it tbh. I got the Fusion 50 Lagoon APS stand for my nano tank and I like it a lot. The only thing im not happy about it the magnets for the doors broke within a couple months of having it so now the doors stay open a little bit which you can see in the picture.I don't mind it that much, but the stand was very pricey which is why it bugs me because that part seems pretty cheap..I've had it for almost a year now and I'm still happy with it other than that one piece! Let me know if I can answer any questions you might have about it

 

[Azedenkae]

I'm considering buying the APS stand for my nuvo aquarium. However, I hear mixed reviews such as pieces not aligning correctly and that it is a cheap looking stand.

If you own one, do you recommend buying it?

I own one. Absolutely do not buy it.

Let me get this straight - it CAN be fine and it probably will end up 'fine'. But the misalignment is definitely real. Like you place the parts together and they literally are different enough in length to see. Somehow it works out... ish, but yeah nah.

The plastic cappers in the corners are also low quality and do not fit well.

The build of the stand really does not justify its cost.

Which is a MASSIVE shame. I love the NuvoAquariums and really want to support Innovative Marine with their other products as well.

But I really cannot bring myself to recommend their stands.

 

[LuizW13]

I just bought a 50g lagoon with the APS stand second hand not too long ago, and I like it quite a bit, considering my previous stand was DIY made with 2x4's.

The only issue, which is minor, but I've seen other mention it, are the magnets for the doors. I have to click mine with quite a bit a force to have it flush with the frame. But that's really it.

I like how light it is, I like how the back is open and how easy it is to wipe down.

 

[AlexKintner]

I'm happy with the APS stand. No problems with alignment, and I don't think it looks cheap. As mentioned above... the door magnets are crap.

 

[UnderwaterGamer]

I own one. Absolutely do not buy it.

What size stand do you have? Thats pretty interesting, I wonder if they have a quality control issue because that's very different from my experience with it

 

[Azedenkae]

What size stand do you have? Thats pretty interesting, I wonder if they have a quality control issue because that's very different from my experience with it

Yeah that's why it is painful for me to describe the experience.

I had the APS stand for the 20 gallon, though I have seen others as well.

Seems like it really is a quality control issue, a bit of hit or miss.

I wonder if the manufacturer of the tanks are actually different from the manufacturers of the stands or something. Because the tanks really are top notch.

 

[cconnolly]

I have one for my Lagoon 25.

It is not the most intuitive stand to build and the paper directions it comes with are pretty terrible. The videos they have posted on their website are much more helpful and insightful.

Overall quality has been good although the magnets on the doors are a little unreliable and I have to push a couple times to get them to do what I want. As some others mentioned the plastic corner tabs are a little cheap but I put a dap of glue on mine to get them to hold on when I was building it. The stand has a lot of room in it to work with which is nice but since its not wood you cant simply screw things into the sides. There are some posts on here with the exact fasteners you can order if you want to hang things on the 4 corner posts. I ended up getting some industrial double sided tape and its been holding things on very well to the bottom of the shelf and the sides. Also, the sides move a little when you bump/hit them which makes a noise so if you have little kids like I do that may annoy you but its stays nice and stable.

 

[WhalesLovePineapple]

Okay it does sound like a mix of good and bad. As of now, it's very expensive - $330 for the nuvo 20 stand.

For AIO aquariums it just seems like the stand quality isn't there. I'm considering ordering a custom-built stand or researching other brands that do put the quality into their stands. Any suggestions?

 

[kpoj9]

I have one on my IM lagoon 25. Works great. Easy to assemble. No issues.

 

[LuizW13]

Try that framingtech company someone posted in this thread:

Extruded Aluminum Stands

I’ve seen some builds that have used extruded aluminum to build large tank stands. I’m working on one that would need to be 66”x44”x38” Tall. Im wondering where a good source would be to buy the material, and some good insight on the best way to build one. Thanks!

www.reef2reef.com

 

[WhalesLovePineapple]

Try that framingtech company someone posted in this thread:

Extruded Aluminum Stands

I’ve seen some builds that have used extruded aluminum to build large tank stands. I’m working on one that would need to be 66”x44”x38” Tall. Im wondering where a good source would be to buy the material, and some good insight on the best way to build one. Thanks!

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks for the recommendation. This might be better to keep in mind for custom projects because it looks like it will be more expensive than the standard nuvo 20 stand for $330.

 

[AquaLogic]

I like the clean look of it a lot, I think the misaligning pieces comes down to people not paying attention when assembling it tbh. I got the Fusion 50 Lagoon APS stand for my nano tank and I like it a lot. The only thing im not happy about it the magnets for the doors broke within a couple months of having it so now the doors stay open a little bit which you can see in the picture.I don't mind it that much, but the stand was very pricey which is why it bugs me because that part seems pretty cheap..I've had it for almost a year now and I'm still happy with it other than that one piece! Let me know if I can answer any questions you might have about it

What do you mean the magnets broke? Does the stand have a warranty? Can't they be replaced?

 

[AquaLogic]

I own one. Absolutely do not buy it.

Let me get this straight - it CAN be fine and it probably will end up 'fine'. But the misalignment is definitely real. Like you place the parts together and they literally are different enough in length to see. Somehow it works out... ish, but yeah nah.

The plastic cappers in the corners are also low quality and do not fit well.

The build of the stand really does not justify its cost.

Which is a MASSIVE shame. I love the NuvoAquariums and really want to support Innovative Marine with their other products as well.

But I really cannot bring myself to recommend their stands.

So what is the alternative?

 

[kindafun]

I've had an INT100 and the stand that goes with it for a little over 3 years. Been happy with both. The stand is easy to clean. The doors can get a little squeaky with the salt environment, but adjustments take care of that.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I like the clean look of it a lot, I think the misaligning pieces comes down to people not paying attention when assembling it tbh. I got the Fusion 50 Lagoon APS stand for my nano tank and I like it a lot. The only thing im not happy about it the magnets for the doors broke within a couple months of having it so now the doors stay open a little bit which you can see in the picture.I don't mind it that much, but the stand was very pricey which is why it bugs me because that part seems pretty cheap..I've had it for almost a year now and I'm still happy with it other than that one piece! Let me know if I can answer any questions you might have about it

Home depot has the magnets.

Everbilt Double Magnetic Touch Catch, Brown (1-Pack) 9236038 - The Home Depot

Open furniture or cabinet doors with one easy push - The magnet holds doors in place ensuring your space looks neat and clean at all times. The catch is activated by pushing inward to release the magnetic

www.homedepot.com

 

[Undersea Gardens]

I have one under a red sea 750 g2. I love it. Was the least expensive stand that fits the tank perfectly for me and everything is good quality and perfectly straight. I have no issues with the magnets but wish that one magnet at the top of the door was sufficient. The way they set it up requires pushing on the bottom of the door as well as the top to open/close.