Nor'easter Reefer's Innovative Marine 200 EXT

[Nor'easter Reefer]

in 4 to 6 months

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

So tank is ordered. Will be shutting down my 120 gallon after this tank is up and running, but there will be overlap for a few months where I have both. Starting the thread now, to get things squared away and document what I do and why as I get ready for the new tank. If all goes according to plan, tank should arrive around late november to late January ish. Then i'll set it up, with minimal equipment and livestock, untill my battlecorals growout contest finishes in March. Then i'll start swapping things over. Heres hoping I win one of these growouts and will have a gift card to stock my new tank

 

[tharbin]

Congratulations Mike!

Following along.

 

[tbrown]

 

[kevgib67]

Can’t wait Mike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

First update: should I go with carpet or linoleum in the dog house? Couch didnt fit, so if im skeeping on the floor, i think im going with carpet?

Seriously though, here's my known list of "to be addressed"

• Bracing floor
• Moving kalk mixing barrels(considering a kalk reactor as idk if my kamoer fx-stp can pump upstairs to my tank from the basement?)
• Pull circuit (maybe 2?) To new tank location to put it on a dedicated circuit.
• Decide on light mounting plan.
• Rock

This list will probably grow and be expanded upon.

 

[tharbin]

First update: should I go with carpet or linoleum in the dog house? Couch didnt fit, so if im skeeping on the floor, i think im going with carpet?

Seriously though, here's my known list of "to be addressed"

• Bracing floor
• Moving kalk mixing barrels(considering a kalk reactor as idk if my kamoer fx-stp can pump upstairs to my tank from the basement?)
• Pull circuit (maybe 2?) To new tank location to put it on a dedicated circuit.
• Decide on light mounting plan.
• Rock

This list will probably grow and be expanded upon.

I'd go with one of these. Portable so you can take it with you as you make expensive choices that degrade your housing further.

 

[kevgib67]

What size tank are we talking about Mike?

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I'd go with one of these. Portable so you can take it with you as you make expensive choices that degrade your housing further.

Ohhhh thats nice! I'll try and find one with a frame that keeps me off the ground. Im classy, and honestly, I deserve it. Plus, wallet already hurts, might as well teach it a lesson

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

What size tank are we talking about Mike?

Its the 200 ext. I THINK its exactly 200 gallons, but everyone'salways rounding, or using millimeters and centipedes nowadays. But its a 6' long, 30" front to back, and 21.7" or so tall. Comes with the stand, sump, plumbing, and return pump.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

in 4 to 6 months

Who knows, you could get the tank on the baby's first birthday. That would be a very long wait but maybe worth it.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Who knows, you could get the tank on the baby's first birthday. That would be a very long wait but maybe worth it.

As neat as that would be... let's avoid talking like that..

 

[kevgib67]

As neat as that would be... let's avoid talking like that..

Good morning Mike!

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Good morning Mike!

Morning Kevin!(in the evening as I never hit send)

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Picked this up today at the LFS. Wasn't really in the market for it but I got it for $20 soooo cants complain

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Picked this up today at the LFS. Wasn't really in the market for it but I got it for $20 soooo cants complain

That's a very nice score!

 

[Red_Beard]

So tank is ordered. Will be shutting down my 120 gallon after this tank is up and running, but there will be overlap for a few months where I have both. Starting the thread now, to get things squared away and document what I do and why as I get ready for the new tank. If all goes according to plan, tank should arrive around late november to late January ish. Then i'll set it up, with minimal equipment and livestock, untill my battlecorals growout contest finishes in March. Then i'll start swapping things over. Heres hoping I win one of these growouts and will have a gift card to stock my new tank

That is some big news! About 200 gallons worth!
Cant wait to see what you have in mind on scape and stock :)

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

That is some big news! About 200 gallons worth!
Cant wait to see what you have in mind on scape and stock :)

Still so much to think about... rocks a difficult one. I dont want to buy thousands of dollars of live rock.. i dont know if i want to deal with the hitch hikers.. i do NOT want to go purely dry rock either though. I have like 200lbs of old rock from the 2014-2018 era. Really cool looking, not like the cheaper dense rocks of nowadays. That said, it is old. Been in systems and dried out. So i have considered bleach soaks(2 or 3 probably) some scrubbing as necessary, fresh water rinse, rodi and prime soak at the end, then sun bake it for a few weeks. After that I could plumb a barrel into my sump so the rock soaks, attached to my current system for 6 months or so. Then i'm also wondering what to do with my two large rock structures. I dont like how tall and steep they are, but i feel like i really want the established bacteria on it so I might try breaking them with a hammer to shorten them up while I swap things around?

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I will include links to all of my posts I make getting this system here for my record, as well as others who could find use from it. Feel free to pop by and comment on any of these. I'm trying to do my best to avoid regrets this time.



1: What kind of truck dropped everyone else's tank

Thread 'What do they drop your tank off in?'

Jul 18, 2026

I just ordered my first ready to roll system. Up until this point I always bought a tank, bought an overflow, plumbed everything myself, built my own stand, etc.

I just bought a IM 200EXT. Im wondering if they'll get to my house as i live on a dirt road. To make it more fun, its a dead end. Luckily, i'm the first one the road, and its only 1000' after the pavement ends and the roads at least 3 cars wide. I see home depot box trucks and the like fly by all the time. Am i likely to have my tank dropped off in a box truck? Or a rig with a trailer? If its a box truck I think i'm fine. It its...

• Nor'easter Reefer
• Replies: 39
• Forum: Reef Aquarium Discussion

• 
• 

2: How do I want to mount my UV?

Thread 'How to mount my UV'

Jul 19, 2026

So im getting into the planning stages of my new tank. So heres the first question of many to run by you fine folks. My last build I went solo and had a lot of regrets, so even though i have my own thoughts, i'm going to try and bounce ideas out on here and accept insight wherever I can this go round.

I ordered a Innovative Marine 200EXT. Full kit, with the sump, pump and plumbing. The plumbing being pre-made sounds nice, so idk if i want to cut into it to add my UV, or just put a small pump in the sump near the first chamber and have it dump back into the next?

My two major thoughts...

• Nor'easter Reefer
• Replies: 6
• Forum: General Equipment, Hardware, Filtration

• 

 

[kevgib67]

Still so much to think about... rocks a difficult one. I dont want to buy thousands of dollars of live rock.. i dont know if i want to deal with the hitch hikers.. i do NOT want to go purely dry rock either though. I have like 200lbs of old rock from the 2014-2018 era. Really cool looking, not like the cheaper dense rocks of nowadays. That said, it is old. Been in systems and dried out. So i have considered bleach soaks(2 or 3 probably) some scrubbing as necessary, fresh water rinse, rodi and prime soak at the end, then sun bake it for a few weeks. After that I could plumb a barrel into my sump so the rock soaks, attached to my current system for 6 months or so. Then i'm also wondering what to do with my two large rock structures. I dont like how tall and steep they are, but i feel like i really want the established bacteria on it so I might try breaking them with a hammer to shorten them up while I swap things around?

I started my 32g with all live rock and when I upgraded used it and added TBS live rock ( 50/50 base/premium). I understand about hitchhikers, I got a lot but only two unwanted ones. A stone crab I removed with a trap and a gorilla crab I removed with a tong while I was wearing a thong. Easy peasy. But I definitely get the cost prohibitive thing. If it was up to me, I would cook your old rock after cleaning it and make it live, use it as base rock and then use 50% live. It would cut your cost down and offer you the benefit of live. Just my two cents for what it’s worth which isn’t really anything since they stopped making cents.