Get your fix IM 75 EXT

[spscrackhead]

I am sitting here waiting for pvc glue to dry so why not start a build thread.
We all know this hobby is addicting. Stay tuned to get your fix.

I picked up a IM 75 EXT tank and stand on sale for black friday.
Bashsea had their sumps on sale too.
A while back vertex was having 40% off their skimmers so I grabbed a 180i.
Mostly everything else I have had from an existing tank from before I moved.

 

[divermike_99]

looks like a fun start

 

[mich2599]

Congrats! Just got my EXT wet this past weekend.

 

[spscrackhead]

I went back and forth on lighting a lot. I had radion with t5 retro in a floating hood on my previous tank and wanted something similar. I ended up finding an ati hybrid on Ebay for a price I couldn't refuse.
It was sold to me as fully functioning but when I got the unit 2 of the t5 did not work and neither did a fan. I contacted the seller and he fully refunded my money! Fiddling with the fan got it to work, was just a loose wire. I called up ati and they sent me a ballast and I am in business!

 

[spscrackhead]

Plumbing is one of the things I really have OCD about. Here are some shots of the planning phase.
I have a 57 watt aqua uv from a previous tank that I wanted to use with this build. And obsticle was it's a unit with a wiper and they recommend horizontal mounting. I have done the whole manifold thing in t hgv e past and decided to just tie it in with my return.

 

[spscrackhead]

Turns out the sump I got takes up almost all of my stand so I decided I wanted a cabinet for all my electrical goodies and apex. I have admired these for a long time and wanted one on my last tank but never was disciplined enough to do it.

Here is the board all played out and planned. I have extra room on the left for things I may want to add in the future plus a heater display. The heater I had on hand broke somehow so I am ordering a new one.

The red circle is a 3 inch hole that wires will go through. You can also see there is a 2 inch gap on top of the board for all the wires to plung into the eb8.

 

[kdino]

Following along. I've got the 75INT myself. Nice and clean build so far!

 

[Mastiffsrule]

What’s up,

great build. Hitting all the good point. Vertex Skimmer’s are great. I have a Bashea, also great. Plumbing was awesome, didnt think you would get the uv in with the wiper but it works.

keep updating

 

[fishface NJ]

Like the plumbing! I was considering Red Sea tanks but I think IM is nicer.

 

[spscrackhead]

I was able to get water in the tank a few weeks ago. Cycle happened really fast on this one. I started with a 16 pound bag of live sand, the rest was dry and just shy of 3 boxes of caribsea shapes life rock. I ghost fed for about a week and a half when I came across these clowns last saturday I made the call to grab them. I had tested the water that morning and nitrates were detectable.

A week later I tested the water again and nitrates are between 15 and 25.

Ordered a few hardy fish and some pods that will be here tuesday. I have started dosing mb7 in preparation for the increased bioload.



Really happy with how the scape turned out. Plenty of space for fish, flow, and corals.

 

[spscrackhead]

Like the plumbing! I was considering Red Sea tanks but I think IM is nicer.

My previous tank was a red sea s650 max. That thing was pretty nice. I would say both tanks are of pretty equal quality. Only thing the redsea had over innovative marine was the front silicone seams had a triangle piece of glass or acrylic embedded to protect the silicone from the glass scrapers we all use.
Supper happy with both tanks.

 

[Coach_M]

How are you liking the tank? I’m trying to talk myself down from a 120 to this guy

 

[spscrackhead]

How are you liking the tank? I’m trying to talk myself down from a 120 to this guy

@Coach_M , which 120 are you considering? Dims?

 

[Coach_M]

@Coach_M , which 120 are you considering? Dims?

Actually is 105 planet aquarium 48x24 premium

 

[fishface NJ]

How are you liking the tank? I’m trying to talk myself down from a 120 to this guy

I called innovative marine on Friday. I wanted to know when the 100 ext would be back in stock. All of the EXT and INT tanks won’t be available for sale until May/June. I remember reading an article how China/coronavirus is effecting products used in the reefing industry. My hubby was planning on getting it for my bday in 3 weeks.

 

[Coach_M]

I called innovative marine on Friday. I wanted to know when the 100 ext would be back in stock. All of the EXT and INT tanks won’t be available for sale until May/June. ☹ I remember reading an article how China/coronavirus is effecting products used in the reefing industry. My hubby was planning on getting it for my bday in 3 weeks.

The planet premiums come with a nice sump, so if you take that into account they’re close to the same price as an IM, they’re made in Dallas so they don’t have the same delays as the water boxes, IMs and other foreign made stuff. Super nice tanks. I too was between the IM 100 and planet but at the end of the day its kind of a no brainer. Their 36” tank is only 36x20 which is why I was looking at the IM 75, I liked the extra 4” width.

 

[good.reef]

I was able to get water in the tank a few weeks ago. Cycle happened really fast on this one. I started with a 16 pound bag of live sand, the rest was dry and just shy of 3 boxes of caribsea shapes life rock. I ghost fed for about a week and a half when I came across these clowns last saturday I made the call to grab them. I had tested the water that morning and nitrates were detectable.

A week later I tested the water again and nitrates are between 15 and 25.

Ordered a few hardy fish and some pods that will be here tuesday. I have started dosing mb7 in preparation for the increased bioload.



Really happy with how the scape turned out. Plenty of space for fish, flow, and corals.

Looks cool!

 

[spscrackhead]

Had an algae turf scrubber made and installed recently. The tank is still very low nutrients and I barely ever clean the glass, there has been ZERO algae on the rocks. This is more of a preparing for down the road move.

 

[spscrackhead]

The planet premiums come with a nice sump, so if you take that into account they’re close to the same price as an IM, they’re made in Dallas so they don’t have the same delays as the water boxes, IMs and other foreign made stuff. Super nice tanks. I too was between the IM 100 and planet but at the end of the day its kind of a no brainer. Their 36” tank is only 36x20 which is why I was looking at the IM 75, I liked the extra 4” width.

The width sold me on this one. I think the quality is top notch. Obviously not a reef savvy or elos, but it is right there with red sea, waterbox, and all of those.
Check out mode aquariums. If I did it over those would be the guys I would consider competition against the IM. I do believe the IM would win again.

 

[ADAM]

Super clean looking! With the all the red and white plumbing the sump reminds me of the Vertex Supra AIO sump packages.
Whats your livestock plan? SPS, LPS, Mixed? Any particular fish you know you want to add?