Austin's Innovative Marine SR-120

[Newreeflady]

I am very seriously considering this tank. Can you answer a couple questions for me, please?

-Who did you order from, how long was delivery and did they bring it into your place and help you unpack it, or just leave it outside and let you fend for yourself?

-What is the quality of the stand do you think? Seems good? Is there any way to secure the doors from children, or any mechanism to add that in, or is there no way?

-Did you at all consider the LEDs that attach to the tank for the sleeker look?

-Which black sand is that? It looks awesome, would not have done that but might do now. And, where did you buy your rock? Is that Tonga branch?

Overall, do you feel like you got the value for the $$? I think this is the system for me, the 120. I will set it up as a softy tank with a few LPS so I don't have to dose calcium. Are you doing an ATO?

Cheers!

 

[Eastamherstbias]

"-Who did you order from, how long was delivery and did they bring it into your place and help you unpack it, or just leave it outside and let you fend for yourself? "

I ordered it from ARC in Buffalo. I heard the time is around two weeks from order until delivery. But that is assuming that they are in stock at innovative. Also they ship from California. Some LFS will have them in stock. I know ARC has the sr-60 & sr-80 at the store. I paid extra for the guys to deliver it. It is heavy! It took four people to move it and we needed to use the commercial suction cups to move it (they helped a ton).

"-What is the quality of the stand do you think? Seems good? Is there any way to secure the doors from children, or any mechanism to add that in, or is there no way?"

I like the quality, The tank's seams are well made and even. Glass is thick. The stand is heavy and the whole thing does not feel cheap at all. The doors have to be pressed in for them to open.

"-Did you at all consider the LEDs that attach to the tank for the sleeker look? "

Ecotech has not come out with the arms yet......
I agree they would look sleeker if they did not have those cords coming out of the device. If only Tesla had finished wireless electricity!

"-Which black sand is that? It looks awesome, would not have done that but might do now. And, where did you buy your rock? Is that Tonga branch? "

I used the Caribesea Hawaiian Black Sand. I have used it for all of my tanks over the years. I met the owner at Macna. They are mining it from a new spot so it has a different color consistency compared to 4 years ago. It is 95 black/3 white/2 brown. My rock has been hand picked over the years from a lot of locations. I always build my rock structures using Marco Mortar. I hate rock piles.

"Overall, do you feel like you got the value for the $$? I think this is the system for me, the 120. I will set it up as a softy tank with a few LPS so I don't have to dose calcium. Are you doing an ATO? "

Yes, I feel the tank is worth it in my mind. Good build quality and a nice look. Here is what I have bought for the tank.

Auto Top Off HYDROFILL
SKIMMER TUNZE 9006
3 x Radions
Innovative Media Reactor w/ GFO
Media Reactor w/ Biopellets
Marine Pure Biofilter
Glass Tank for R/O in cabinet
APEX
90 gallons of water,
You need about 80-90lbs of sand
Hydor Auto Feeder

*Let me know if you have any other questions or if you are in the Buffalo Area you can stop by and look at it.

 

[Randy15]

Just saw the 120 and the 60 at coral kings last week. Kien had them in for a couple customers. They are defiantly some nice looking tanks. And trust that they are HEAVY and thick tanks, stand isn't light either. I like the size and shape of the tanks and the height of the stands are perfect. A little pricey but if you plan for this to be your "forever" tank, absolutely worth a look.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Just saw the 120 and the 60 at coral kings last week. Kien had them in for a couple customers. They are defiantly some nice looking tanks. And trust that they are HEAVY and thick tanks, stand isn't light either. I like the size and shape of the tanks and the height of the stands are perfect. A little pricey but if you plan for this to be your "forever" tank, absolutely worth a look.

Ha, "Forever" is a long time. I was thinking 3-4 years.

 

[Randy15]

Yeah. I know what you mean. I always say this is the last one, it's big enough. Haha

 

[Newreeflady]

"-Who did you order from, how long was delivery and did they bring it into your place and help you unpack it, or just leave it outside and let you fend for yourself? "

I ordered it from ARC in Buffalo. I heard the time is around two weeks from order until delivery. But that is assuming that they are in stock at innovative. Also they ship from California. Some LFS will have them in stock. I know ARC has the sr-60 & sr-80 at the store. I paid extra for the guys to deliver it. It is heavy! It took four people to move it and we needed to use the commercial suction cups to move it (they helped a ton).

"-What is the quality of the stand do you think? Seems good? Is there any way to secure the doors from children, or any mechanism to add that in, or is there no way?"

I like the quality, The tank's seams are well made and even. Glass is thick. The stand is heavy and the whole thing does not feel cheap at all. The doors have to be pressed in for them to open.

"-Did you at all consider the LEDs that attach to the tank for the sleeker look? "

Ecotech has not come out with the arms yet......
I agree they would look sleeker if they did not have those cords coming out of the device. If only Tesla had finished wireless electricity!

"-Which black sand is that? It looks awesome, would not have done that but might do now. And, where did you buy your rock? Is that Tonga branch? "

I used the Caribesea Hawaiian Black Sand. I have used it for all of my tanks over the years. I met the owner at Macna. They are mining it from a new spot so it has a different color consistency compared to 4 years ago. It is 95 black/3 white/2 brown. My rock has been hand picked over the years from a lot of locations. I always build my rock structures using Marco Mortar. I hate rock piles.

"Overall, do you feel like you got the value for the $$? I think this is the system for me, the 120. I will set it up as a softy tank with a few LPS so I don't have to dose calcium. Are you doing an ATO? "

Yes, I feel the tank is worth it in my mind. Good build quality and a nice look. Here is what I have bought for the tank.

Auto Top Off HYDROFILL
SKIMMER TUNZE 9006
3 x Radions
Innovative Media Reactor w/ GFO
Media Reactor w/ Biopellets
Marine Pure Biofilter
Glass Tank for R/O in cabinet
APEX
90 gallons of water,
You need about 80-90lbs of sand
Hydor Auto Feeder

*Let me know if you have any other questions or if you are in the Buffalo Area you can stop by and look at it.

Hey thanks! I'm actually moving to Philly and found a store that has this in stock, but they will not deliver. They will put it on a truck. So looks like the tank and stand are wrapped together, yes? Omg that's really heavy! Commercial suction cups, are you talking for the glass for lift onto the stand?

Thanks so much! We want it!!

 

[swine]

This looks amazing! I really like the look of these.

Do you have any pictures of the inside of the stand? I am curious if it is possible to put a sump in order to have a oversized skimmer without doing HOB

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Hey thanks! I'm actually moving to Philly and found a store that has this in stock, but they will not deliver. They will put it on a truck. So looks like the tank and stand are wrapped together, yes? Omg that's really heavy! Commercial suction cups, are you talking for the glass for lift onto the stand?

Thanks so much! We want it!!

Yes, we used commercial suction cups to move the tank into the house and lift it. It was easier compared to grabbing sides. The tank and stand come wrapped together. You should separate them. It is too heavy otherwise.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

This looks amazing! I really like the look of these.

Do you have any pictures of the inside of the stand? I am curious if it is possible to put a sump in order to have a oversized skimmer without doing HOB

there is room to put things down there.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

So this happened...... I had no words when I saw it.

 

[davidcoral]

Do you have a ghost? Because that is an incredible jump

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

I hate that! It's happened to me twice over the year's in two different ways; having been both a fisherman and a carpenter, I was not without words.

 

[mfinch99]

So this happened...... I had no words when I saw it.

That sucks. Did you have the screen on the tank when it happened or did you just put the screen on after the jump and put the fish there for the pic?

 

[Eastamherstbias]

That sucks. Did you have the screen on the tank when it happened or did you just put the screen on after the jump and put the fish there for the pic?

Ha, despite your conspiracy theory. I put the screen on every night. I woke up and saw him sitting there dead on the screen.

 

[Randy15]

Looks like a nice bank shot off the front glass haha. Proof of Murphy's law right there.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Yep no matter how we plan, things still go wrong.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

They get through and can't get back; 1/4" holes or 1/2" placed a few inches off the top is the safest. Some fishes like Jawfish look for any opening they can find to get out.

 

[mfinch99]

Ha, despite your conspiracy theory. I put the screen on every night. I woke up and saw him sitting there dead on the screen.

Wasn't really suspecting you of a conspiracy. Since you had stated earlier that you were avoiding the use of the screen and had few jumpers, I just assumed you might have placed the screen after he jumped and then placed the fish on the screen to get a clear picture. So rather than assume and I thought I would ask to gain clarity. Have you developed a theory on how the fish defeated the screen?

I personally have a Solana 34g and have had 3 jumpers. I have made a cover but I have been thinking about getting the SR-60 or 80 and I figured the screen was the icing on the cake in solving on of my particular issues

Finally, thanks for creating a thread on your SR-120 build. I have been searching for SR tank builds the past month and yours is only the second one I have found. It has been really helpful to me and I look forward to following progress.

 

[Eastamherstbias]

Wasn't really suspecting you of a conspiracy. Since you had stated earlier that you were avoiding the use of the screen and had few jumpers, I just assumed you might have placed the screen after he jumped and then placed the fish on the screen to get a clear picture. So rather than assume and I thought I would ask to gain clarity. Have you developed a theory on how the fish defeated the screen?

I personally have a Solana 34g and have had 3 jumpers. I have made a cover but I have been thinking about getting the SR-60 or 80 and I figured the screen was the icing on the cake in solving on of my particular issues

Finally, thanks for creating a thread on your SR-120 build. I have been searching for SR tank builds the past month and yours is only the second one I have found. It has been really helpful to me and I look forward to following progress.

Yes, I started to use the screen at night when I got the diamond goby since I know they are jumpers. I like the screen. I may switch the screen out from the white with the bigger holes to the smaller holes. The screen does have a very small gap around it. It kinda sits in the middle on brackets. I am guessing that

The Sr series is nice. I like the build and how it works. My friend has the SR-80 and does not have a ton of flow with that model. The SR-120 seems to have way more flow out of the pumps.

I am working to get get some black acrylic to put on the back to cover the sump area a tad better.

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[mfinch99]

Austin's Innovative Marine SR-120

The more time I think about these tanks and read your build post I find myself leaning closer to the 80, LOL.

The black acrylic idea sounds nice. I look forward to seeing that. Is the mesh with smaller holes a customer order or an option from IM? What is the overall noise level of this tank compared to what you might have expected or hoped for? Oh yeah, I forgot to ask if your friend would also be doing a build thread on his SR-80?