New tank choice help poll

[NancyFish]

My overall concern is safest tank. I was gonna upgrade to a eshopps but not a ton of talk about them?

I currently have a seapora 65 on a stand I built but it’s getting moved and it’s seams stress me out a bit - so if I kept my stand I would just drill another one. Or I can upgrade, I need it soon so options are limited.

Innovative marine sr80 aio
Eshopps mariner 70 (cabinet seems small)

There is a eshopps mariner 100 too, but I wasn’t as excited to put that much water on a second floor but the cabinet space is bigger. But the thing cabinet and newer brand has me anxious - plus I’d have to pick up from lfs

 

[JumboShrimp]

I'm on here a lot, and I can't really recall any serious misgivings from anyone buying the IM series of tanks. Go for it.

 

[Reef By Steele Verified Sponsor]

I have run 135-150 gallon tanks on the upper floor of my house with no issue so would not be terribly concerned out the 100 vs 70. That being said, if you know which direction the floor joist run and are able to set the tank perpendicular bs parallel to them it is best. Also next to a load bearing wall or outside wall will give the best support for either size.

IMO I would do either a drilled tank whether by you or manufactured. In no way should you ever consider a RedSea. I know they were not listed, but I have 3 of 5 failed with no help from RedSea at all.

I run some AIO, tanks and find them more challenging as cannot add the things that I would like, skimmer, refugium etc.

I know there are a lot of people who run them and probably do it well, but IMO they are more maintenance and need to be monitored more.

 

[NancyFish]

I have run 135-150 gallon tanks on the upper floor of my house with no issue so would not be terribly concerned out the 100 vs 70. That being said, if you know which direction the floor joist run and are able to set the tank perpendicular bs parallel to them it is best. Also next to a load bearing wall or outside wall will give the best support for either size.

IMO I would do either a drilled tank whether by you or manufactured. In no way should you ever consider a RedSea. I know they were not listed, but I have 3 of 5 failed with no help from RedSea at all.

I run some AIO, tanks and find them more challenging as cannot add the things that I would like, skimmer, refugium etc.

I know there are a lot of people who run them and probably do it well, but IMO they are more maintenance and need to be monitored more.

That’s nice to hear, the footprint doesn’t seem signicantly bigger but the idea of that much more of a leak ruining that room and more is pretty terrible. I thought the eshopps tanks were built a little strong but the stand seems flimsy, and I think they’re a bit new which makes me wary.

And I think I know which way studs run only based off where I see screws in the subfloors, so it’s just an educated guess. But it would be on an exterior wall so I assume decent load bearing.

It sucks upgrading a tank so you could spend a bunch of money on something that looks identical

 

[NancyFish]

I'm on here a lot, and I can't really recall any serious misgivings from anyone buying the IM series of tanks. Go for it.

Innovative marine was my choice but the wait time on them is a killer, only the aio ships fast and while I’m a lazy reefer without need of a giant sump, idk if I’d hate cutting the display a few inches shorter

 

[Tahoe61]

Innovative marine was my choice but the wait time on them is a killer, only the aio ships fast and while I’m a lazy reefer without need of a giant sump, idk if I’d hate cutting the display a few inches shorter

It's not uncommon to receive an IM tank far sooner than the stated ship date. I have never waited more than 2 weeks, but I have never ordered a large IM.

 

[exnisstech]

I don't think the Eshopps stands are any worse than the other manufacturers stands that don't have aluminum frames which is many untill they get to a certainly size. I'm awaiting delivery of an MP100 but the peninsula mariner tanks have an aluminum framed stand. @tbrown has a 70 and may have an opinion on the stand?
If you want everything the way you want it without having to compromise custom is the way to go IMO. I don't get around as well as I used to and my plumbing skills are mediocre or I would have gone with glass cages.

 

[tbrown]

My overall concern is safest tank. I was gonna upgrade to a eshopps but not a ton of talk about them?

I currently have a seapora 65 on a stand I built but it’s getting moved and it’s seams stress me out a bit - so if I kept my stand I would just drill another one. Or I can upgrade, I need it soon so options are limited.

Innovative marine sr80 aio
Eshopps mariner 70 (cabinet seems small)

There is a eshopps mariner 100 too, but I wasn’t as excited to put that much water on a second floor but the cabinet space is bigger. But the thing cabinet and newer brand has me anxious - plus I’d have to pick up from lfs

I have the M70 - I actually won the giveaway here on Reef2Reef as a "pre release" and got it before it was available in stores if I remember correctly.

The stand is pretty strong. It had 0 wobble when fully assembled and went together pretty easily.

No experience with IM so I can't speak to their stands but I would fully trust the ESHOPPS stand. Definitely more solid than my old stands I used to use for my Aqueon 75.

 

[NancyFish]

It's not uncommon to receive an IM tank far sooner than the stated ship date. I have never waited more than 2 weeks, but I have never ordered a large IM.

I’m only looking at 70-110.. but we’re doing room renovations and I’d need it in the next two weeks- 3 if I was pushing it. That’s my main gripe..

 

[NancyFish]

I don't think the Eshopps stands are any worse than the other manufacturers stands that don't have aluminum frames which is many untill they get to a certainly size. I'm awaiting delivery of an MP100 but the peninsula mariner tanks have an aluminum framed stand. @tbrown has a 70 and may have an opinion on the stand?
If you want everything the way you want it without having to compromise custom is the way to go IMO. I don't get around as well as I used to and my plumbing skills are mediocre or I would have gone with glass cages.

I diy’d my current tank and stand, but since we’re doing new floors right now, I was hoping for peace of mind that everything was made to be expected. I saw the the peninsula, I was thinking maybe that metal frame might be worth it by itself. are you using it as a actual peninsula?

 

[NancyFish]

I have the M70 - I actually won the giveaway here on Reef2Reef as a "pre release" and got it before it was available in stores if I remember correctly.

The stand is pretty strong. It had 0 wobble when fully assembled and went together pretty easily.

No experience with IM so I can't speak to their stands but I would fully trust the ESHOPPS stand. Definitely more solid than my old stands I used to use for my Aqueon 75.

Thank you for sharing, I liked the stand in person but it’s so much thinner than my diy stand and the only other tanks I seen in person are the forbidden Red Sea.

Have you liked the tank since you have it so long? Any issues?

I was looking at the 70 but worried about the small cabinet space. Right now I have a 10g ato under my stand with same footprint, plus hydros controllers. The space alone was making me think get the 100 even tho I don’t need the extra water.

 

[exnisstech]

I diy’d my current tank and stand, but since we’re doing new floors right now, I was hoping for peace of mind that everything was made to be expected. I saw the the peninsula, I was thinking maybe that metal frame might be worth it by itself. are you using it as a actual peninsula?

I was going to place it in a a corner as a lagoon but after thinking about it I want to be able to take advantage of the doors on both sides to access the sump area so I'm rearranging to make room to run it as a peninsula.

 

[FrugalReeferJon]

Waterbox

 

[tbrown]

Thank you for sharing, I liked the stand in person but it’s so much thinner than my diy stand and the only other tanks I seen in person are the forbidden Red Sea.

Have you liked the tank since you have it so long? Any issues?

I was looking at the 70 but worried about the small cabinet space. Right now I have a 10g ato under my stand with same footprint, plus hydros controllers. The space alone was making me think get the 100 even tho I don’t need the extra water.

I live my 70 BUT the compartment space is very small. The sump takes up the entire left side of th sump and the right side is 7" wide. I have a Hydros Collective hidden in there but no real room for wire management so it stays hidden. I have the ESHOPPS 12 gallon ATO reservoir on a shelf next to the tank along with all my foods and my dosing chambers.

If I were able to do it again I'd go with the Peninsula I think. I just had an opportunity for the M130 but passed it on to a friend that doesn't have a tank yet. That would be an ideal footprint for me I think.

 

[NancyFish]

I live my 70 BUT the compartment space is very small. The sump takes up the entire left side of th sump and the right side is 7" wide. I have a Hydros Collective hidden in there but no real room for wire management so it stays hidden. I have the ESHOPPS 12 gallon ATO reservoir on a shelf next to the tank along with all my foods and my dosing chambers.

If I were able to do it again I'd go with the Peninsula I think. I just had an opportunity for the M130 but passed it on to a friend that doesn't have a tank yet. That would be an ideal footprint for me I think.

I was almost sold on it until I seen the sump space. I have a 36” now and it fits a 24” cube sump, and a 10g ato, plus all controllers and room to spare. The lfs is giving me like $1k off the M100 which feels great but it’s still more water than I need on a second floor, and honestly sucks having to put the cash out for a tank that’s doing what mine does (but we just redid the floors and I’d like something hopefully a little more reliable than my diy setup). Do you think a xp8 would fit in there? Even that would seem like a tight snug in that space, 7” is almost a joke.

 

[tbrown]

I was almost sold on it until I seen the sump space. I have a 36” now and it fits a 24” cube sump, and a 10g ato, plus all controllers and room to spare. The lfs is giving me like $1k off the M100 which feels great but it’s still more water than I need on a second floor, and honestly sucks having to put the cash out for a tank that’s doing what mine does (but we just redid the floors and I’d like something hopefully a little more reliable than my diy setup). Do you think a xp8 would fit in there? Even that would seem like a tight snug in that space, 7” is almost a joke.

I've got an XP8, X4, Minnow, WaveEngine, X3, and the WiFi power strip. The controllers and WiFi strip are on the middle support and the XP8 is on the back wall. It's definitely tight but I was able to mount everything.

 

[tbrown]

Plus an Inkbird controller, Tunze Nanostream controller, and an air pump.