Equipment brand Maxspect has made its first foray into large reef-ready aquariums with the news of the Lagoon Series Smart Aquarium.
Available in four sizes, and with volumes from 50 – 134 gallons, the Lagoon Series ticks all the essential boxes in terms of looks and design, comprising rimless low iron glass tanks with black silicone, black background, and black central weir. But look closer and there are several major design evolutions that make what would be just another generic reef-ready tank and cabinet into something far more integrated, and something far more interesting altogether.
Modular weir
Starting with that central weir, we know from experience that although most tanks used to come with just one forward-facing return, users prefer two side-facing ones, so Maxspect has accommodated that from the start. What we’ve never seen before however is that the weir comb is modular and allows for quick and easy popping off of the returns, allowing them to be both forward facing, both side facing or even one of each, so straight away we got excited, our appetites whetted from the innovation.
Weir adjustment innovation
Look inside the weir and you find the next surprise – the precision gate valve, being mounted inside the weir instead of in the cabinet underneath, you can turn the valve and observe the water level inside the weir at the same time, versus bending down and adjusting about twenty times – something that is always a chore when adjusting to omit noise and find that sweet spot. And look beneath the tank and those twin returns are two true twin return lines, not one that’s been teed off. That means more flow capability and less restricted flow, and Maxspect has just the pump needed to supply it.
Supplied Equipment
The Lagoon Series comes supplied with all the drive pumps you’ll need. Wave pumps, a return pump, and a skimmer pump, and all three pumps have been matched to each model’s water volume. As you might expect from Maxspect, for wave pumps you get MJ-GF Series Pump gyres, only these Jump Gyres (previously only controllable via wired controller,) are now Syna-G Cloud app-controlled. The Jump skimmer pump is the same too, upgrading from the great value MJ-SK Series Protein Skimmer DC pump to an app controllable DC pump, and to feed those two return lines, every tank is supplied with the Turbine Duo DC Return Pump, with twin return.
Power bricks
With any other package you are already into four plugs and four power bricks right there, but open the cabinet and there’s a drawer containing two power bricks that can power the whole system. One can even power it on its own, but the second is for redundancy. There is an interface on the front of the cabinet that can supply a whole variety of readouts and control from system temperature to sump water level, feed mode, acclimation mode, skimmer cup overflow, lighting control, and more. Maxspect Jump MJ-L165 Regular/Blue LED lights are recommended although optional, but again if you opt into Maxspect Jump lighting, they also share those two power bricks, and their full functionality is also accessed on just one all-encompassing app. You can add the MJ-L130R algae LED refugium light too, (not supplied.) It looks fun, and we like it when all our tank equipment plays nicely together on just one app.
The sump
The sump is slick and sexy, built from PVC, not acrylic, and the white and orange of the skimmer is matched by orange PVC pipework. The sump itself accommodates two filter socks, the skimmer, and a reactor/refugium chamber, as well as combing with a macroalgae comb before returning water via the pump chamber at the back. We always use roller filters so it’s weird to see filter socks on what is otherwise a very advanced and integrated system. Maxspect confirmed to us today that the Klir Di-4 fleece filter will fit in the sock chamber, but we know users will want other makes and models of roller, and as yet, that’s not possible. Not unless other sump chambers are used that is.
The system includes a sump water level sensor but for those who want an ATO reservoir, one is available separately, which straddles the sump and topps off via gravity and a float valve. Sitting up on legs, the reservoir still allows access underneath.
The cabinet is made from aluminum with PVC-coated doors, and the larger models also allow for a chiller, not included. On the two larger models the power bricks and sockets all sit inside a pull-out drawer with an acrylic lid, shut the doors though and there’s another feature – a small, neat integrated control interface, giving you at a glance warning of some of the key functions going on inside. For the smaller models, it’s a suspended electrical box.
Sizes and Prices for the four models are as follows:
LS-060 24x20x20”/60x50x50cm 190l/50.2 gals $3120
LS-090 36x20x20”/90x50x50cm 252l/66.5 gals $3860
LS-120 48x22x22”/120x55x55cm 413l/109.1 gals $4860
LS-150 60x22x22”/150x55x55cm 511l/134.9 gals $5860
What we think
There are so many reef-ready tanks, sump, and cabinet solutions now that we admit to forming several premade judgments about any new one. But Maxspect’s take on the reef-ready tank is refreshing and includes several design features and innovations we’ve never seen before. It only comes with Maxspect equipment (although you don’t have to opt for the lights,) and you can’t buy it without the equipment. But with them all being good mid-range equipment, all sharing a power brick, and all sharing just the one app, we really like the overall package and would see no reason to want anyone else’s skimmer, flow pumps, or return pump if we were to set one up. After running a 60×22” wide reef tank for the past year, however, we miss the extra width of a 24” or 26” wide tank and feel that some users may feel the same, want the larger models in a wider size, and probably the odd call for a Peninsula version too.
These aquarium sets aren’t cheap, with even the two-foot model starting at $3120, but you need to factor in that even the smallest model comes with one Gyre pump, one Duo return pump, and one Jump skimmer totaling over $1000 when bought individually. And it has an aluminum frame.
The elephant in the room is the lack of roller filter. As of January 2024, Maxspect doesn’t have a roller filter, but IF they can provide an innovative solution in the future that doesn’t involve changing out and cleaning filter socks then that would be great. Apart from that, all things considered, we love the fresh thinking in many other aspects of the tank, had forgotten that, actually, we should all be using fewer power brick solutions instead of multiple transformers, and the design tweaks are unique and innovative, and fit the Maxspect design ethos perfectly.
The cabinets are available in Pearl White and Ebony Black.
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