IceCap Glass Bookshelf Aquarium, 3.4-Gallon
SKU: IC-AQBS3
MSRP: $ 80,84
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Available Through Authorized Retailer
- Optically Pure Low-Iron Glass: Assembled utilizing 5mm high-clarity low-iron glass sheets (5mm) on all four side-viewing faces to maximize light transmission and eliminate standard green tint distortion.
- Invisible Clear German Silicone: Seams are cleanly bonded using a high-tensile structural clear silicone formula, achieving flat, minimalist seams with minimal over-bleed.
- Elongated Panoramic Footprint: Over 17 inches of linear viewing length provides an expanded horizontal canvas for creating dramatic scale and horizontal movement on any desktop.
- Pre-Polished Non-Tempered Panels: Fully non-tempered glass walls feature beautifully finished, high-polish diamond-cut edges, allowing safely executed custom bulkhead drilling.
- Factory Protective Leveling Mat: Includes a pre-installed, high-density black foam under-pad to cushion structural pressure points and absorb minor cabinet surface unevenness.
- Versatile Aquatic Application: The shallow depth maximizes light penetration down to the substrate, making it ideal for freshwater carpeting plants, nano shrimp, or shallow pico biomes.
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IceCap 3.4-Gallon Trimless Glass Bookshelf Aquarium
The IceCap 3.4-Gallon Long Trimless Bookshelf Aquarium (SKU: IC-AQBS3) is an authentic, artisan-crafted glass enclosure distributed by CoralVue to redefine standard nano aquarium dimensions. Traditional small tanks are often configured as vertical rectangles or tall cubes; while space-efficient, these tall layouts restrict horizontal swimming paths and choke off natural lighting angles, creating compressed visual fields. The IC-AQBS3 circumvents these structural limits entirely by stretching 3.4 gallons of water volume across an elongated 17.7-inch linear footprint. This panoramic ratio gives freshwater aquascapers and micro pico-reef builders an exceptional canvas to establish complex geological scale and rolling horizontal movement that standard small tanks cannot match.
Every aspect of this rimless profile is designed to minimize visual distraction. All four primary viewing faces are engineered from premium 5mm low-iron glass. By removing the heavy iron-oxide impurities found in standard float glass, the panels remain visually transparent, showcasing the true color values of your livestock, plants, and shrimp. The seams are joined using high-performance clear German silicone, creating a clean, borderless appearance. Because the tank is shallow, it allows standard-output desktop LED fixtures to provide intense, unobstructed par-value lighting right down to the substrate level. This makes it a perfect foundational platform for growing demanding dwarf hairgrass carpeting fields, maintaining high-energy nano planted layouts, or creating specialized moss habitats for ornamental shrimp.
Key Features:
Maximized Gas Exchange Surface: Elongated open-top architecture dramatically increases the water-to-air contact boundary, promoting natural oxygenation and cooling throughout the column.
Safe For Sensitive Micro-Shifting: The rimless design allows effortless positioning of emergent hardscape elements like driftwood branches, mini bamboo poles, or tiny volcanic stones breaking out past the water line.
Integrated Structural Stress Relief: Arrives with a factory-bonded, dense foam base mat that prevents microscopic glass imperfections from developing stress fractures over time.
Note: This open-top aquarium includes the standalone low-iron glass tank frame and a pre-installed self-leveling mat. Filter pumps, lighting fixtures, lids, and cabinetry stands are sold under separate product categories.
What’s Included:
(1) IceCap 3.4 Gallon Long Rimless Low-Iron Glass Bookshelf Aquarium Tank
(1) Factory-Bonded Protective Foam Self-Leveling Base Under-Mat
Technical Specs:
Official Manufacturing Title: IceCap 3.4 Gallon Trimless Bookshelf Aquarium
SKU / Factory Part Identifier: IC-AQBS3
Universal UPC Product Barcode: 810127680661
Total Exterior Dimensions: 17.7 Inches x 6.3 Inches x 7.1 Inches (45 cm x 16 cm x 18 cm)
Structural Glass Thickness Configuration: 5mm Pure Low-Iron Non-Tempered Glass
Primary System Water Volume Capacity: 3.4 Standard Liquid Gallons (13 Liters)
Seam Construction Matrix: High-Tensile Clear German Silicone Bonded Joints
Instructions:
- Carefully unbox your IC-AQBS3 tank on a completely flat, clear workspace. Do not remove the black self-leveling foam mat permanently bonded to the bottom glass panel.
- Position the aquarium in its final location on a dedicated, level, sturdy desk, counter, or shelf. Warning: Filled with water and hardscape, this long-footprint setup weighs nearly 40 lbs and must sit on a surface that provides continuous, unbroken support across its entire 17.7-inch frame length.
- If utilizing a mini hang-on-back or internal corner filter, install your equipment at one far edge of the tank to establish a unidirectional river-flow circulation path across the long axis.
- Arrange your soil, stones, and driftwood carefully inside the dry tank. Pro Tip: Because the glass is rimless, use plastic tools or place cardboard protectors over the panels to prevent accidental scratches during hardscape positioning.
- Place a small sheet of plastic wrap or a clean paper towel directly over your substrate to diffuse the water stream, then slowly siphon or pour in your water to avoid disturbing your design.
- Fill the water level to within 0.5 inches of the polished upper rim, install your rim-clamping desktop LED light fixture, turn on your filtration system, and check all seams to ensure smooth operation.
Pro Tips:
- Utilize an End-to-End Flow Path to Prevent Surface Scum and Flow Stagnation. Because a 3.4-gallon bookshelf tank is nearly 18 inches long but only six inches wide, standard filter returns discharging from the center will leave dead flow pockets at the far corners. To ensure immaculate water polishing and even temperature distribution, position your filter intake or internal nano powerhead at the far left edge pointing straight down the long path toward the right side. This unidirectional stream creates a horizontal water loop that keeps the entire substrate clear of debris.
- Always Double-Check Table Leveling Across the Tank's Elongated Axis. Long, shallow rimless glass enclosures are uniquely sensitive to twisting stress when placed on uneven office desks or home shelving units. If the surface sags slightly under the center or dips to one side, gravity will twist the clear silicone corners unevenly. Before adding any water, rest a bubble level directly across the top polished edge from left to right. If needed, insert structural furniture shims beneath the desk legs rather than directly under the glass tank to secure a perfect level layout.
- Stock with Micro Invertebrates to Maximize Scale and Maintain Ecosystem Balance. An ultra-shallow 3.4-gallon desktop system evaporates water volume quickly, which can trigger swift salinity or parameter swings. Because swimming room is limited vertically, it is not an appropriate layout for active fish species like tetras or neon barbs. Instead, design your bookshelf hardscape around colorful freshwater ornamental shrimp (such as Caridina or Neocaridina strains) and micro aquatic snails. A colony of 10 to 15 shrimp foraging across an 18-inch horizontal landscape delivers immense visual scale while keeping the bioload low and simple to manage.