Video by Tidal Gardens · Specs extracted by AllCorals · Watch on YouTube ↗

Tidal Gardens

Is the 17,000-gallon Aquarium of Polo Reef the Ultimate Reef Tank?

1

Tank Featured

35

Minutes

2022

Released

This video tours Andrew Sandler's Polo Reef, a 17,000-gallon private home aquarium in New York, highlighting its immense scale, rare fish collection, and complex infrastructure. The host details the advanced filtration, water chemistry management, environmental controls, and water flow systems, emphasizing the industrial-grade equipment and meticulous planning involved in maintaining such a massive and diverse reef ecosystem.

⏭ Skip to a moment

00:01:51Tank dimensions and optical illusions 00:04:02Fish selection and rare species 00:08:05Quarantine system 00:09:54Filtration infrastructure 00:17:15Water chemistry and dosing 00:23:01Heating, cooling, and dehumidification 00:26:32Water movement and flow pumps 00:30:41Lighting system 00:32:31Industrial control systems and monitoring

The Build

Tank Specs

Every spec, brand, and livestock mention pulled from the host's narration. Click any tank tour above to compare.

Tank 01

Polo Reef

17000

Gallons

mixed reef

Style

16' x 15' x 9'

Polo Reef is an astonishing 17,000-gallon mixed reef, possibly one of the largest and nicest private home aquariums globally. It features an incredibly rare and large collection of fish, many of which are unique hybrids, alongside thriving corals despite the presence of known coral-eating species. The tank's immense size and the large scale of its inhabitants create an optical illusion, making it appear smaller than its true 16'x15'x9' dimensions.

Lighting

Maxspect LED ×13 $672.99in stock

Skimmer

Return Pump

10 horsepower pumps

Flow

10 horsepower pump ×1,

Controller

Industrial control systems

Dosing

kalkwasser, two-part, calcium reactor, trace elements

Filtration

protein skimming, ozone, activated carbon, GFO, sand filter, sulfur reactor, UV sterilizer

Salt

ESV $17.67in stock

Feeding

Over 5 pounds of food per day

Corals

1

Acropora

Fish

17

AnthiasYellow TangsHeineokus Butterfly FishBandit AngelMasked AngelWrought Iron Butterfly FishConspiculitis AngelTinker's ButterflyLinardi WrasseDesjardin TangCrosshatch TriggersMasked Butterfly FishSimilar Vedas Butterfly FishSunrise HogfishParrot FishBlue Green ChromisPurple Yellow Tang hybrids

Inverts

2

AnemonesLarge Polyp Stones

Shop the build

Featured products from our catalogue

Equipment mentioned in this tour that we cover in our gear catalog. Click through for full specs, retailer comparison, and where-to-buy.

ESV B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System

B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System

Mentioned as: ESV B-Ionic

Panta Rhei ECM-Series Powerhead

ECM-Series Powerhead

Mentioned as: Pantarei

Seawater Formula Salt

Mentioned as: ESV

In their own words

Notable Quotes

This aquarium is possibly one of the largest private home aquariums in the world and it is easily the nicest reef aquarium I've seen by a large margin.

The fish in this tank are absurdly large. For example, the anthias in my tank are about two inches long tops, the ones in here look like they're six to ten inches long.

This tank has a 10 foot UV sterilizer with 10 bulbs in it that greatly assist in managing diseases and parasites in the water column.

This system runs at nitrate levels hovering around 5 to 15 parts per million in large part due to this device.

The return line that comes up is a 10 inch schedule 80. So on top of the 10 inch schedule 80 you need to find 10 inch motorized ball valves.