UNS 60S Review: The Aquascaper's Shallow Rimless Tank

Ten gallons of low iron glass with nothing in the box but the tank, which is exactly the point.

The verdict: Buy the 60S if you want to build an aquascape and you already know what filter, light and heater you want on it. Skip it if you want a tank that arrives ready to run, because this is glass and a levelling mat and nothing else, and a shallow seven inch water column limits both your fish choices and your plant choices.

Specifications

Specifications above come from Ultum Nature Systems's published product information. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

• Shallow proportions are the reason aquascapers choose this shape. A seven inch water column is easy to light to the substrate, so carpeting plants get what they need without a powerful fixture.
• 45 degree mitred corners with clean silicone lines, which is the detail that separates a display tank from a fish box when you look at it from the front.
• Low iron glass at a stated 91 percent clarity, so no green cast through the corners.
• The front-to-back depth of 14 inches is generous for the footprint, which gives you room to build depth into a scape rather than a flat wall.
• It is light enough that an ordinary sturdy piece of furniture will take it, unlike the larger rimless tanks.

Where it falls short

• It is a tank and a mat. No filter, no light, no heater, no lid. Budget for all of them, because the finished cost is comfortably more than double the tank.
• 5 mm glass on a rimless tank is thin by design at this size, so it needs a genuinely flat surface. The levelling mat is not optional and neither is checking the stand with a level.
• A seven inch water column rules out most fish with any height to them. This is a tank for shrimp, small rasboras, chili rasboras, ember tetras and similar, not for angelfish or anything that wants swimming height.
• Ten gallons of water swings fast. Temperature, pH and ammonia all move more quickly in a small volume, so the margin for error on stocking and feeding is smaller than on a big tank.
• The high surface area relative to volume means noticeable evaporation, so weekly topping up with fresh water is part of the routine rather than an occasional job.

What owners report

Published owner reviews focus almost entirely on build quality, and they are consistent. Keepers describe the seams and mitred edges as clean, the glass as genuinely clear, and the packaging as adequate to the job. Ultum Nature Systems has a reputation in the aquascaping community and the reports reflect it.

Where owners are critical, it is usually about expectations rather than the tank. Buyers who assumed a kit report surprise at how little is in the box, and buyers who wanted to keep taller fish report finding the shallow height limiting. Both are visible in the specification before you order, which is why they belong in a review rather than in a complaint.

Building the rest of the tank around it

Because you are specifying everything yourself, the calculators do more work here than on a kit. Confirm your real water volume after substrate with the aquarium volume calculator, work out substrate quantity with the substrate calculator, size the heater with the heater size calculator and set a realistic stocking list with the stocking calculator, which matters more on ten gallons than it does on a hundred. For filtration, a shallow scaped tank rarely wants a big hang-on-back thrashing the surface, and sponge filter versus hang-on-back covers why a gentle option often suits a shrimp tank better. If you are choosing substrate, Flourite versus Eco-Complete is the relevant comparison for a planted scape.

Who it suits

• Aquascapers building a shrimp tank, a nano planted scape or a shallow iwagumi.
• Keepers who already own the equipment and want better glass than a kit tank offers.
• Anyone who wants a display piece on a desk or sideboard rather than a full-size aquarium.

Who should skip it

• Beginners who want everything in one box, who are better served by a complete nano kit.
• Anyone wanting to keep fish with height, since seven inches of water is a real constraint.
• Keepers who would rather not top up evaporation weekly.

Alternatives worth considering

Keep reading

• Best nano aquariums
• Stocking calculator
• Minimum tank size calculator
• Sponge filter vs hang-on-back
• LANDEN 90P rimless aquarium review

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.