Andrews IM 100EXT Build

[150 Gallon Reef]

So after months of going back and forth in my mind whether or not to upgrade after 10 months of my water box 60.2 running, my girlfriend convinced me to take the jump ( I know, I'm very lucky to have someone feed into the addiction).
I loved my water box, but a few things made me go with IM instead of WB.

DISPLAY VOLUME on the WB is much more restricted with the overflow running the length of the back. METAL vs. WOOD stand, need I explain more. PRICE. I already had a sump, skimmer and return pump which I have been saving from purchase from someone who never got around to setup their tank. So I didn't need to spend the extra on a sump with WB. Plus, I would have hand to spend an extra 800 dollars on a WB tank to reach 100 gallon display volume. And GLASS THICKNESS. all I can say is, 5/8 in. Thick glass on a 48 x 24 tank with IM makes this thing look like a beast!

So I placed a pre-order with Innovative Marine for the 100 ext model on June 15th which was expecting to be delivered by the end of July.

Equipment already on hand is Bashsea 36 x 18 sump, reef octopus diablo skimmer, Jager heater, and a 1800 gph DC coral box return.

So I begin prepping by purchasing Red furniture grade PVC and grey 45 elbows from home depot. Grab a gate valve and a couple street 90s for the return, and I'm pretty much set to go. I am trying to go with the KISS (keep it simple stupid) method with the tank. PVC for the overflow going down into the tank and flex tubing with a tee for the return

Fast forward to July 23rd and I get the email stating the tank has shipped! The anxiety is killing me, checking for tracking updates with the shipping company. Finally August 3rd rolls around and I get the call to schedule shipping for Thursday August 6th.

So here in NJ, we were planning on getting the after effects of hurricane Isaias. Unfortunately, the storm intensified before hitting our state and walloped us pretty good. So good, the biggest tree in the backyard decided to fall on the back of our house! The roof is completely ruined and our upstairs bedrooms are ruined. Beds, carpet, ceiling, sheetrock, everything besides our clothes.
Of course the insurance company is called out along with a tree guy and the restoration company. Long story short, there is no way in hell I am letting 2020 get the best of me more than it already has, and I'm still setting this tank up throughout all this mess. Fortunately, where the tank is going is nowhere near the affected areas of the house, nor would be in the way of any construction taking place

I finally received the tank today and gosh this thing is beautiful! Thick glass, ultra clear, heaviest 48 x 24 tank I've ever lifted. A huge shout-out to Innovative Marine for providing a beautiful tank for a well deserved price.

I'll continue to update as the stand is made and plumbing is taking place.

Couple pictures of the water box that will be upgraded, tree damage, and new tank

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

Tank is on the stand! Checking to see how I like it on the wall. I hope to plumb the tank tomorrow and get it leveled out

 

[oneilwiz]

Looking forward to this build

 

[mattzang]

dang i thought my tank prep was a disaster lol! glad to hear the tank is unaffected

 

[spschiebel]

Sorry for your house damage. Looking forward to your tank build.

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

Bashsea 36 x 18 sump with a 5.5 gallon innovative Marine ATO container.
Is this overkill? Hahaha

 

[Mjl714]

Looks like a beautiful tank. I’ve got an IM 30L, great tank and system. How did the stand assembly go? Good luck with the build. Glad to hear no one was hurt with that tree falling on your house.

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

Looks like a beautiful tank. I’ve got an IM 30L, great tank and system. How did the stand assembly go? Good luck with the build. Glad to hear no one was hurt with that tree falling on your house.

Thank you! The stand assembly was pretty easy. Took about an hour with my girlfriend being my extra set of hands to help. I am not a huge fan of the bottom inside of the stand though. There are 2 cross beams which support a foam pad on top of them. The left and right sides of the sump are not supported and sag to the floor. You can't really tell in the pic but the auto top off container on the right is tilting to the right. I had to use shims to level it out. The tank is very nice but the stand I would give 4 out of 5 stars on, just due to the design of it. The aluminum rails inside the stand also take away a good 2 inches all around.

 

[Mjl714]

Thank you! The stand assembly was pretty easy. Took about an hour with my girlfriend being my extra set of hands to help. I am not a huge fan of the bottom inside of the stand though. There are 2 cross beams which support a foam pad on top of them. The left and right sides of the sump are not supported and sag to the floor. You can't really tell in the pic but the auto top off container on the right is tilting to the right. I had to use shims to level it out. The tank is very nice but the stand I would give 4 out of 5 stars on, just due to the design of it. The aluminum rails inside the stand also take away a good 2 inches all around.

Could you fit a more solid piece of wood in the bottom?

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

Could you fit a more solid piece of wood in the bottom?

I could try to but I worry about rotting which is one of the reasons why I went with IM aluminum stand

 

[Mjl714]

I could try to but I worry about rotting which is one of the reasons why I went with IM aluminum stand

If you decided to go with a wood bottom, and we’re concerned with the wood getting wet, I’d paint it with a nice water resistant paint. I think I’ve always had wood under my sumps and never have had an issue.

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

If you decided to go with a wood bottom, and we’re concerned with the wood getting wet, I’d paint it with a nice water resistant paint. I think I’ve always had wood under my sumps and never have had an issue.

Do you think it would be an issue with that foam piece being on the bottom?

 

[Mjl714]

Do you think it would be an issue with that foam piece being on the bottom?

Not sure, I was thinking the wood would replace the foam, but perhaps I don’t understand how the stand works.

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

Dry run for the plumbing is complete. Just need to run a couple flex tubes for the return and cement everything

 

[Butakiya]

I have two 30L and recently added the aps stand to one of them and agree the bottom is not well engineered. The foam board they give is so weak I thought of using something to reinforce it since the two cross supports on the bottom cause the issue mostly. I saw another 100 ext thread since I have been researching making the upgrade also, and I think he replaced it with a piece of plywood painted. You could even maybe use the foam on top of the wood. I don't even use the bottom except for filter socks. Gluck I can't wait to see how all you ext 100's do.

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

Fill up day today! Leak test passed last night!

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

Tank is up and running! Just threw a bunch of live rock, new special grade live sand, and 2 bottles of Bio spiral. Also put a few pieces of live rock from the 60 into the new tank to help seed the tank. The liverock was In circulating saltwater for the past 2 months. I wasn't about to aquascape when I will be completely redone as I start to move the rock from the 60 to the new tank.

 

[150 Gallon Reef]

So I threw a raw shrimp in the tank to start the cycle.. or should I say, THOUGHT would start the cycle. I have had 0 ammonia readings In 4 days and the shrimp smells completely rotten when I take it out to see if it's breaking down. Is it possible that the tank will not go through a complete nitrogen cycle since there is a ton of mature liverock and an overdose of bio spira?

 

[Mjl714]

So I threw a raw shrimp in the tank to start the cycle.. or should I say, THOUGHT would start the cycle. I have had 0 ammonia readings In 4 days and the shrimp smells completely rotten when I take it out to see if it's breaking down. Is it possible that the tank will not go through a complete nitrogen cycle since there is a ton of mature liverock and an overdose of bio spira?

It is a 100 gallon tank, perhaps it’ll take a little more time.