Introducing the First Wave Collection
Your ocean world starts here
Everything you need to create a stunning marine aquarium — beautifully designed, expertly curated, and ready to bring the reef to your living room.
No experience necessary.
- Reef-ready from day one
- All-in-one systems
- Expertly curated livestock
Why First Wave?
Marine keeping, made simple
We've taken decades of expertise and distilled it into a collection that removes the guesswork — so you can focus on the joy of the reef.
Engineered for success
Every component — filtration, lighting, circulation, protein skimming — is matched and pre-tested to work together perfectly out of the box. No compatibility headaches.
Reef-ready LED lighting
Low-voltage DC LED units recreate natural ocean light cycles. The right spectrum for coral growth, stunning colour rendering, and energy-efficient to run every day.
Crystal-clear water, every day
Multi-stage filtration with fine-pore pads, ceramic bio-rings, activated carbon, and a built-in protein skimmer means a healthy, stable environment for fish and corals.
Curated for beginners
From the accessory kit to the livestock guide, every recommendation has been chosen by TMC's marine biologists. You're not guessing — you're following proven expertise.
Whisper-quiet operation
DC-powered pumps and skimmers are engineered for near-silence. Your aquarium should be a calming presence in your home, not a background noise problem.
Designed for living spaces
Sleek glass construction, clean lines, and available matching stands in oak or black. First Wave looks as good in a living room as it does in a specialist aquatics shop.
The Aquariums
Choose your First Wave
Two sizes, both reef-ready and complete. Whether you're starting small or going bigger from the off, there's a First Wave for your space.
Most Popular · Perfect Starter
First Wave Aquarium Set — 48L
The ideal introduction to marine keeping
Compact enough for any room, complete enough to keep corals, fish, and invertebrates thriving. The 48L is the tank that thousands of hobbyists wish they'd had when they started — everything designed to work together, from day one.
Volume: 48 litres
Footprint: 58.5 × 29.5 cm
Height: 32.5 cm
LEDs: 34 reef-ready LEDs
- Glass tank with integrated filtration chamber
- Reef-Ready LED unit (34 LEDs) — DC low-voltage
- DC return pump + multi-directional outlet
DC protein skimmer built-in - Fine-pore filter pad + ceramic bio-rings pack
- 2× coarse-pore filter sponges
- Aquarium lid with feeding port
- All pipework, fittings and low-voltage PSU
More Space, More Life
First Wave Aquarium Set — 78L
A bigger stage for your marine world
More water volume means a more stable environment — and more room for a wider variety of fish, corals, and invertebrates. The 78L brings the same all-in-one philosophy to a larger, more immersive reef display.
Volume: 78 litres
US Gallons: 21 US gal
UK Gallons: 17 UK gal
LEDs: 54 reef-ready LEDs
- Glass tank with integrated filtration chamber
- Reef-Ready LED unit (54 LEDs) — DC low-voltage
- DC return pump + multi-directional outlet
- DC protein skimmer built-in
- Fine-pore filter pad, activated carbon (media bag)
- Coarse-pore filter sponges + ceramic bio-rings
- Aquarium lid with feeding port
- All pipework, fittings and low-voltage PSU
Complete the Setup
Everything your aquarium needs
The tank is just the beginning. TMC has curated every accessory you need to create a healthy, beautiful reef — no second-guessing, no wasted trips.
Accessory Kit
First Wave 48L Accessory Kit
Heater, EcoReef rockwork, coral substrate, test & salinity tools, acclimation kit, reef-safe epoxy, premium sea salt, and algae magnet — everything to get your 48L running.
Accessory Kit
First Wave 78L Accessory Kit
Scaled for the 78L — more powerful heater, additional EcoReef rock, coral substrate, monitoring tools, acclimation kit, epoxy, sea salt, and cleaning magnet.
Stands
First Wave Aquarium Stands
Purpose-built stands in oak or black finish for both the 48L and 78L. Designed to complement the tank perfectly and protect your floor from vibration and weight.
Temperature Control
Aquarium Cooling Fan
High-performance surface cooling — protects sensitive marine livestock from heat stress in warmer months. Essential for a stable reef environment in summer.
Recommended Livestock
Handpicked for First Wave
Every species below has been selected by TMC's marine biologists as ideal for a First Wave aquarium — robust, visually stunning, and suited to a beginner's reef.
Fish
Court Jester Goby
Amblygobius rainfordi
Nano Goby — Christmas
Tigrigobius multifasciatus
Nano Goby — Hi Fin
Discordipinna griessingeri
Yellow Goby
Gobiodon okinawae
Barnacle Blenny
Acanthemblemaria macrospilus
Orchid Pygmy Basslet
Pseudochromis fridmani
Forktail Pygmy Basslet — Blue
Assessor macneilli
Strawberry Pygmy Basslet
Pictichromis porphyrea
Neon Goby — Blue
Elacatinus oceanops
Pyjama Wrasse — Pinstripe
Pseudocheilinops ataenia
Invertebrates
Sexy Shrimp
Thor amboinensis
Hermit Crab — Blue Leg
Clibanarius tricolor
Feather Duster
Sabellastarte spp.
Bumble Bee Shrimp
Gnathaphyllum americanum
Red Starfish
Fromia indica
Sexy Shrimp
Thor amboinensis
Hermit Crab — Blue Leg
Clibanarius tricolor
Feather Duster
Sabellastarte spp.
Bumble Bee Shrimp
Gnathaphyllum americanum
Red Starfish
Fromia indica
Corals
Red Mushroom
Discosoma cardinalis
Chalice — Coral Sea
Echinophyllia spp.
Pipe Coral — Coloured
Blastomussa spp.
Trumpet — Ultra
Caulastrea spp.
Brain Coral — Ultra
Trachyphyllia spp.
Cornet Coral
Euphyllia spp.
Pom-Pom — Coloured
Goniopora spp.
Plate Coral — Coloured
Heliofungia spp.
Cushion Coral
Cynarina spp.
Toadstool Soft Coral
Sarcophyton spp.
Your Journey
From box to reef in four steps
Starting a marine aquarium has never been simpler. With First Wave, you have a clear path from unboxing to a thriving reef.
1
Choose your tank
Pick the 48L to start — or go bigger with the 78L when it arrives. Both come with everything built in.
2
Add the accessory kit
The matched kit for your tank size includes heater, rock, substrate, salt, and all the tools to set up safely.
3
Cycle & stabilise
Follow TMC's expert acclimation guides to get your water parameters reef-stable before adding any livestock.
4
Add your livestock
Choose from our handpicked fish, corals, and invertebrates — each one selected as ideal for the First Wave.
