Setting up a new 100 gal, whose system will you choose?

[jackintheboxfish]

Hypothetically, if you are about to set up a new system of 100 gallon-ish DT, what would you choose?

Personally I would do IM or WB except they seem to be taking a long time to ship their tanks. Hence considering out options

 

[exnisstech]

Real life not hypothetical, I chose an eshopps MP100 peninsula to replace my reefer 300 recently. I have no complaints on my WB 330.7 or my smaller IM20. I chose the Eshopps because I liked the specs and the footprint and i really wanted to try a peninsula. I caught the Eshopps on a 20% discount with immediate shipping available and that sealed the deal. The only negatives I have are the ball valve instead if a gate valve on the down pipe but i was able to add a gate valve easy enough. I also don't like the rectangle felt socks so I added a couple of nosoks from VCA and they're doing well. I wanted to run my reefmat 500 but I couldn't figure a way to get it to fit.

Gate valve and nosoks

 

[kevgib67]

I ordered my Waterbox 150.4 for a discount on Blue Monday in November and got it in January. It was worth the wait.

 

[jackintheboxfish]

Real life not hypothetical, I chose an eshopps MP100 peninsula to replace my reefer 300 recently. I have no complaints on my WB 330.7 or my smaller IM20. I chose the Eshopps because I liked the specs and the footprint and i really wanted to try a peninsula. I caught the Eshopps on a 20% discount with immediate shipping available and that sealed the deal. The only negatives I have are the ball valve instead if a gate valve on the down pipe but i was able to add a gate valve easy enough. I also don't like the rectangle felt socks so I added a couple of nosoks from VCA and they're doing well. I wanted to run my reefmat 500 but I couldn't figure a way to get it to fit.

Gate valve and nosoks

Oh yeah looks nice! The stand is aluminum framed? That’s pretty good

 

[exnisstech]

Oh yeah looks nice! The stand is aluminum framed? That’s pretty good

The peninsula tanks are aluminum framed but it's not quite what I was expecting. The aluminum frame sits on a wooden pedestal and the adjusting feet are on that wood. It feels solid enough but I was expecting it to be like my WB which is a full aluminum stand with wooden panels. The aluminum supports have the adjusting feet so the tank is supported 100 % by aluminum.

 

[jackintheboxfish]

I ordered my Waterbox 150.4 for a discount on Blue Monday in November and got it in January. It was worth the wait.

Looks good man. Did you get the full system or just the tank and stand?

 

[jackintheboxfish]

The peninsula tanks are aluminum framed but it's not quite what I was expecting. The aluminum frame sits on a wooden pedestal and the adjusting feet are on that wood. It feels solid enough but I was expecting it to be like my WB which is a full aluminum stand with wooden panels. The aluminum supports have the adjusting feet so the tank is supported 100 % by aluminum.

I see. Sounds like even though it’s not full aluminum the critical weight bearing is. That’s a lot better than just plywood still.

 

[kevgib67]

Looks good man. Did you get the full system or just the tank and stand?

Full system, I’m not a equipment or plumbing guy.

 

[TikiGreg]

not quite 100g but im looking at a new system and on a budget so im going for an aquarium masters 80g, 48x24x16. I want more sandbed than height because my tanks tend to be mostly mushies and lps.

 

[jackintheboxfish]

not quite 100g but im looking at a new system and on a budget so im going for an aquarium masters 80g, 48x24x16. I want more sandbed than height because my tanks tend to be mostly mushies and lps.

Huh never heard of this brand before so did some quick search. Looks like a good option for budget build as you said. What are you going to do in terms of sump and stand?

 

[ReefBottoms]

Happy with my waterbox 110

 

[TikiGreg]

Huh never heard of this brand before so did some quick search. Looks like a good option for budget build as you said. What are you going to do in terms of sump and stand?

for the stand just an old school marineland majesty, they are like $350ish. and ill build the sump, the stand will easily fit a 40b under it but I think thats overkill. probably a standard 30g like I had on my 90g years ago. that'll leave enough room for a 5g bucket for ATO. 40b would be fun and have like a 16"x18" refugium

pre drilled tank and the stand is about $1k from the calls ive made

 

[jackintheboxfish]

Happy with my waterbox 110

When did you order it and how long did it take for you to get it?

 

[jackintheboxfish]

for the stand just an old school marineland majesty, they are like $350ish. and ill build the sump, the stand will easily fit a 40b under it but I think thats overkill. probably a standard 30g like I had on my 90g years ago. that'll leave enough room for a 5g bucket for ATO. 40b would be fun and have like a 16"x18" refugium

pre drilled tank and the stand is about $1k from the calls ive made

DIY sump for the win. I made my own sump with a 20 g long top. It was a fun project

 

[ReefBottoms]

Happy with my waterbox 110

When did you order it and how long did it take for you to get it?

I probably won’t ever buy a new tank until I’m in my forever home and plan on keeping it for more than 10 years.

I bought it off marketplace. The tank was less than 2 years old. Total value of everything, tank and extras included was $5k. I paid $1500. I’ve heard Waterbox shipping takes a very long time.

 

[Michael Hughes]

I voted "other". I would never buy a new tank (except for Petco's quarterly 50% off sale, though I think the closest you could get is a 90 g that way). I'd look for the nicest condition used tank on Marketplace.

My 125 was pre-drilled, used but nearly brand new for $300. I wanted to save on the front end so I could put those savings toward corals and livestock. I've seen plenty of cases where people put 5-10k into a tank before livestock but that's just not for me.

 

[jackintheboxfish]

Yeah I've seen some pretty good deals off FB or local forums. It does require patience to strike a good deal. Or if you are really lucky.

The downside is most of the time you won't get the exact thing you want. You also don't know what the previous owner did with the tank (copper?).

 

[Michael Hughes]

Yeah I've seen some pretty good deals off FB or local forums. It does require patience to strike a good deal. Or if you are really lucky.

The downside is most of the time you won't get the exact thing you want. You also don't know what the previous owner did with the tank (copper?).

Yeah that's true. I waited 2 years for that deal, but it was exactly what I wanted when the time came around. Absolutely worth the wait in my opinion; as a new reefer, it gave me 2 extra years of reading, prep, and planning. It also gave me a couple Black Fridays in the meantime to score equipment deals on Amazon.

Thankfully in my case the tank had been used only as a freshwater turtle tank, so no copper, marine ich, velvet, or anything like that to worry about.

 

[JuanFishTwoFish]

Hypothetically, if you are about to set up a new system of 100 gallon-ish DT, what would you choose?

Personally I would do IM or WB except they seem to be taking a long time to ship their tanks. Hence considering out options

Yeah, only choose Waterbox if you want to order it now, but are planning to have it set up early 2027.

I chose Other because I’m honestly very interested in trying out the Neptunian Cube tanks that BRS recently announced carrying. I like the 1” overflow design.

 

[jackintheboxfish]

Yeah that's true. I waited 2 years for that deal, but it was exactly what I wanted when the time came around. Absolutely worth the wait in my opinion; as a new reefer, it gave me 2 extra years of reading, prep, and planning. It also gave me a couple Black Fridays in the meantime to score equipment deals on Amazon.

Thankfully in my case the tank had been used only as a freshwater turtle tank, so no copper, marine ich, velvet, or anything like that to worry about.

Wow that is amazing patience. 2 years is a long time. You must know exactly what you’d be doing when the dream tank showed up. Glad that it worked out for you man