Keith's IM 100 INT

[crabgrass]

Okay I finally read through. Great build thread so far, I'm invested!!! You an electrician?? Very nice work. My boyfriend is an electrician and I will be consulting him for a few things

Love seeing the equipment haul. Santa came early!! It's cool seeing a couple of similar builds happening at the same time. Best of luck with yours!

I am not an electrician but have a father in law who was and we did a lot of work around the house. Always helpful to have a goto person for a consult. Honestly, the wiring was the easy part. Ripping the old single gang plate that was attached to the wall stud created more or a challenge

 

[crabgrass]

Setting up the control panel. Work in progress. Will post configuration later

 

[sugar]

Setting up the control panel. Work in progress. Will post configuration later

That looks sharp! I'll have to figure out what I'm going to do with mine... some sort of wall-mounted panel, or a cabinet like you did. It would be nice to have that extra space to store stuff too!

 

[crabgrass]

The tank has arrived. I was out and wife signed for it. unfortunatly not inspected, but packaging is apparently pristine.

I will start pulling some stuff out and inspect over next few days.

 

[sugar]

Oh it should be (and hopefully is) totally fine. They do a fine job with packaging!

Do you have fish/invert stocking plans?!

 

[crabgrass]

Do you have fish/invert stocking plans?!

Yes…. At least a starting thoughts.

2x Clowns
1x yellow tang
1x Bristletooth tang
1x Lepard Wrasse
1x lawnmower Blenny
1x Royal gramma
2x bangali cardinals
1x foxface
1x watchman goby
3-4x Anthias
1x Mandarin

This is my 2 year plan. Right now in my 20g I have 2x clowns and a gramma and a lawnmower. It’s up in my office and I am debating on if I keep it up, or take it down and transfer to the 100. I work up there all day and sort of enjoy it, so might keep everything and just go with new stock in the 100.

Inverts wise, nothing exotic, just stuff to keep the stand moving and algae gone. I will probably go with one of the reefcleaner packages.

Coral wise, still thinking through it but probably mixed reef. Maybe 50% sps / 40% LPs / 10 % mushrooms and other stuff.

How about yours?

 

[sugar]

Yes…. At least a starting thoughts.

2x Clowns
1x yellow tang
1x Bristletooth tang
1x Lepard Wrasse
1x lawnmower Blenny
1x Royal gramma
2x bangali cardinals
1x foxface
1x watchman goby
3-4x Anthias
1x Mandarin

This is my 2 year plan. Right now in my 20g I have 2x clowns and a gramma and a lawnmower. It’s up in my office and I am debating on if I keep it up, or take it down and transfer to the 100. I work up there all day and sort of enjoy it, so might keep everything and just go with new stock in the 100.

Inverts wise, nothing exotic, just stuff to keep the stand moving and algae gone. I will probably go with one of the reefcleaner packages.

Coral wise, still thinking through it but probably mixed reef. Maybe 50% sps / 40% LPs / 10 % mushrooms and other stuff.

How about yours?

Kind of similar!! Yes, mixed reef but more softies and LPS and anemones than anything.

I currently have:

2x clowns
1x bicolor blenny
1x green clown goby
1x yellow watchman goby
1x pink-streaked wrasse

I'd like to add:

1x dwarf angel
1x tomini or bristletooth or kole or yellow tang (just need to pick one!)
1x melanurus or coris wrasse
1x flasher or fairy wrasse
1x one-spot foxface
1x dottyback or gramma (if I still have room and compatibility!)

And lots of inverts, which I love. I have a cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, pistol shrimp (paired with the YWG), emerald crab, and a number of snails. The peppermint shrimp may be the reason my finger leather and cabbage frags are dying (it looks like something is picking at them!). He may be banished to the sump when the EXT 100 is set up. Lol.

Just worried about the melanurus and CUC. I've heard it can vary, and people generally have better luck with the coris... so maybe I'll switch. I'd LOVE to have a pest control fella but I still want to be able to have shrimp, snails and crabs!

 

[crabgrass]

Kind of similar!! Yes, mixed reef but more softies and LPS and anemones than anything.

I currently have:

2x clowns
1x bicolor blenny
1x green clown goby
1x yellow watchman goby
1x pink-streaked wrasse

I'd like to add:

1x dwarf angel
1x tomini or bristletooth or kole or yellow tang (just need to pick one!)
1x melanurus or coris wrasse
1x flasher or fairy wrasse
1x one-spot foxface
1x dottyback or gramma (if I still have room and compatibility!)

And lots of inverts, which I love. I have a cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, pistol shrimp (paired with the YWG), emerald crab, and a number of snails. The peppermint shrimp may be the reason my finger leather and cabbage frags are dying (it looks like something is picking at them!). He may be banished to the sump when the EXT 100 is set up. Lol.

Just worried about the melanurus and CUC. I've heard it can vary, and people generally have better luck with the coris... so maybe I'll switch. I'd LOVE to have a pest control fella but I still want to be able to have shrimp, snails and crabs!

Looks good. I think you’ll have the room. What I have been reading is that if you’re stocking a lot of different fish wirh varying personalities it’s important to have a lot of hiding spots in your scape. Not just like a big open cave, but a small crevasse fish can really hide it. I guess having that as an option can reduce stress if there are some conflicts/aggression

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Setting up the control panel. Work in progress. Will post configuration later

Control Panel is looking great!

 

[crabgrass]

APS stand under construction. Just need to add the doors and the top.

One question for IM XXX INT owners (@BubblesandSqueak ), could you actually fit a shelf int it? The stand instructions didn’t mention. Once I get the sump in I will know for sure. To me it doesn’t seem like it’s mechanically possibly, especially after looking at the pictures.

I haven’t gotten the plumbing out yet, but I don’t understand mechanically how it will go unless in cut out a section in the shelf. But maybe I am visualizing it incorrectly.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

I did not put the shelf in. the height is adjustable by cam locks in each corner. it does not seem strong enough to make a shelf useful. mine will become a 36x36 puzzle board. I think these shelves were if you decided not to use a sump.

I just checked mine and it would not be usable. the cam locks would go in the vertical supports and need to be above the plumbing so it basically closes the 2" frame section. only use I could see is if you wanted to use it as a ceiling kit to mount electronics or lights to?

I'll re-edit in a minute to include the pic.

Edit to include pic. The cam lock would need to mount to the verticals support in the corner. The shelf would have to sit above the plumbing. So it basically just closes off that upper frame. Might be a way to hide electric cables for cord management?

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

FYI…who ever put the plumbing together, the arrow stickers show opposite glow pattern?

Flow not glow

 

[crabgrass]

I did not put the shelf in. the height is adjustable by cam locks in each corner. it does not seem strong enough to make a shelf useful. mine will become a 36x36 puzzle board. I think these shelves were if you decided not to use a sump.

I just checked mine and it would not be usable. the cam locks would go in the vertical supports and need to be above the plumbing so it basically closes the 2" frame section. only use I could see is if you wanted to use it as a ceiling kit to mount electronics or lights to?

I'll re-edit in a minute to include the pic.

Edit to include pic. The cam lock would need to mount to the verticals support in the corner. The shelf would have to sit above the plumbing. So it basically just closes off that upper frame. Might be a way to hide electric cables for cord management?

Ok cool. I spent about 30 minutes fitting it in, and getting the thing level - the whole time hoping there was something magical I was missing. We have a doffent config and mines pretty study. But unless I am missing something I would need to cut a huge section of it out to even sit anywhere

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Possibly use as the bottom shelf that supports the sump though it would be about 1/4” thicker so the plumbing would be off by 1/4”?

 

[crabgrass]

Sump in. Got return pump and heaters / skimmer in.

Nylons skimmer came with a broken diffuser plate. I tried super gluing it about 15 times and couldn’t get it to work. Will contact them Monday for replacement.

 

[Arkayology]

Nice build!

 

[sugar]

Possibly use as the bottom shelf that supports the sump though it would be about 1/4” thicker so the plumbing would be off by 1/4”?

I was actually thinking of doing this. I've seen one instance where the person setting up their IM felt the support under the sump wasn't enough, and so went out and bought plywood to put under the sump.

Do you think the plumbing would have to be cut? Or is there any give?? Not sure how snug everything will be (and I've never plumbed a tank before!).

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

I was actually thinking of doing this. I've seen one instance where the person setting up their IM felt the support under the sump wasn't enough, and so went out and bought plywood to put under the sump.

Do you think the plumbing would have to be cut? Or is there any give?? Not sure how snug everything will be (and I've never plumbed a tank before!).

honestly I don't think you need to alter the bottom other than forming a tray of sorts to collect any spills/drips. the stand will not be moved for a long time again. I had white plastic 6mil liner from an ice rink that I used with white electrical tape. those bottom bars support the weight just fine. you could probably just use duct tape to close the shelf edge too but won't hold water.

 

[sugar]

honestly I don't think you need to alter the bottom other than forming a tray of sorts to collect any spills/drips. the stand will not be moved for a long time again. I had white plastic 6mil liner from an ice rink that I used with white electrical tape. those bottom bars support the weight just fine. you could probably just use duct tape to close the shelf edge too but won't hold water.

Perfect! I absolutely was planning to add a liner of sorts! I was going to go with pond liner but the white liner with the white stand will be much better - thank you!

 

[crabgrass]

Finished up some drywall work on some other areas in the house and took care of the area I had to open up for the electrical.

Also took care of general wire management and in the cabinets.

I have almost all of the equipment setup, outside of UV, fuge light and reactor. Will work on getting them setup this week then move the display on top and fill it up.