Justin's Waterbox 130.4 Mixed Reef

[Forjam64]

Picked up some water storage tanks last night (65 gallon) to start building a mixing station this weekend. Thinking about doing auto water change, but may push that off for a few months.

Where did you get these?

 

[Zach B]

Wow! Awesome build, following

 

[jlauck]

Where did you get these?

The local Tractor Supply

 

[jlauck]

Well, I ran the par meter. I am in kind of amazement over how even the light is in the tank, and in some places, the par value is reading higher deeper than in the shallow areas.

I have the meter the rest of the week. I may adjust where the left return is pointing. The turbulence caused by return may be really diffusing the light.

It's nice to have the numbers, and I'll figure out what percent I'll run at once I start getting some coral in the tank.

Did a 20 gallon water change today.

Starting to get some diatoms. Not particularly surprising with a new tank. It's really getting apparent in the sump where I'm having pretty crazy chaeto growth already. The clean up crew is doing a pretty good job keeping up with that in the tank.

I'm running the prime fuge light at 50% for about 18 hours a day. I'm hoping that chaeto will help knock down the nitrates in time. Today's water change didn't seem to do a whole lot for the nitrates.

Parameters:
Nitrate: 20 PPM
Phosphate: 0.12 PPM
Calcium: 425 PPM
Alkalinity: 8.5 dKH (dosed up after the water change)

Chaeto day 8

 

[jlauck]

The clowns have ended quarantine. Welcome to the big tank!

 

[jlauck]

Mounted my super old ipad to the cabinet door. Still good enough to run apex fusion and mobius.

 

[jlauck]

I lost the solo Anthias in QT last night. It hadn't been eating much and was perpetually hidden behind the intake of my HOB Filter. Everyone else in the tank looks healthy and is still eating well. Didn't see any sign of disease when I pulled it from the tank. Did a precautionary water change out of an abundance of safety.

 

[jlauck]

The damsels are now in the big house. The foxface and kole tang are on day 29 of copper.

 

[pandry15]

Very nice and well planned build! From what it looks like is the reactor screwed to the cabinet? I have a build happening soon (waterbox also) and was wondering if putting screws in the cabinetry would compromise the integrity...

 

[schmittym7]

Hey Justin,
Hoping you might be able to offer some guidance. Finally received my 130.4 yesterday. Everything looked great upon initial inspection. When I put the tank onto the stand, I noticed these gaps in the black caulk on the front glass bottom. Did your tank alao have the same by chance? The wrap also ledt some glue stickiness on the glass plus dust impeint of the wrap. Wondering if you cleaned your glass prior and if so, what did you use? Looking for some friendly advice as waterbox doesn't open until Monday and I'm stuck....thanks man!

 

[jlauck]

Very nice and well planned build! From what it looks like is the reactor screwed to the cabinet? I have a build happening soon (waterbox also) and was wondering if putting screws in the cabinetry would compromise the integrity...

The reactor is screwed into the cabinet. That section of the cabinet is double thick 3/4" plywood (1 1/2 total). It will not affect it structurally.

 

[jlauck]

Hey Justin,
Hoping you might be able to offer some guidance. Finally received my 130.4 yesterday. Everything looked great upon initial inspection. When I put the tank onto the stand, I noticed these gaps in the black caulk on the front glass bottom. Did your tank alao have the same by chance? The wrap also ledt some glue stickiness on the glass plus dust impeint of the wrap. Wondering if you cleaned your glass prior and if so, what did you use? Looking for some friendly advice as waterbox doesn't open until Monday and I'm stuck....thanks man!

I didn't have any of those gaps on the seam. I used tap water to do a leak test, and then just cleaned up the rest with an old bath towel. There was a ton of dust in the tank when I filled it up for my leak test. There was definitely residue from the wrap they used. I just cleaned it up with some RODI Water and paper towels. I didn't have any really heavy residue.

 

[schmittym7]

I didn't have any of those gaps on the seam. I used tap water to do a leak test, and then just cleaned up the rest with an old bath towel. There was a ton of dust in the tank when I filled it up for my leak test. There was definitely residue from the wrap they used. I just cleaned it up with some RODI Water and paper towels. I didn't have any really heavy residue.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[jlauck]

Well, it's been a while since my last tank update.

Parameters:
Alkalinity: 8.5
Calcium: ~430
Nitrates: 7
Phosphates: 0.05

The One Spot Foxface and the Kole Tang are now residents in the Waterbox.

On the first night, there was a little scuffle between the one mean springer damsel and the foxface. The damsel got banged up some, as did the foxface, but they are both looking much better now.

And today was the day. After being in and out of saltwater tanks since 2004, my saltwater fish tank is officially a reef tank. I picked up 6 frags today at the LFS.

Today's Haul:
- Goniopora
- Birds Nest
- Hammer
- Pocillopora ( I think )
- WWC AOI Zoanthid
- Rock Star Zoanthid

I'll get some better photos once they open up more. I put them in late in the day.

 

[jlauck]

Today's Update.

Parameters:
Alkalinity: 8.2 (will bump to 8.5)
Calcium: 430
Nitrates: 5
Phosphates: 0.05
Magnesium: 1300

It's been three weeks since I last did a 10 gallon water change. Most likely going to do a water change tomorrow, but with already low nitrates and phosphate, not sure that it is necessary. I just want to get the sand cleaned up some.

Despite just buying corals from the LFS on last Saturday, I bought more from @Tidal Gardens the day after their R2R sale with a discount code.

So much for starting slow with corals. The water parameters are good and steady, so no big deal, right?

LEFT TO RIGHT:
First Row: Rock Star Zoa (LFS), Rasta Zoa (TG), Emeralds on Fire Zoa (TG), Super Sunflower Zoa (TG)
Second Row: WWC AOI Zoa (LFS), Red Hornets Zoa (TG), Blue Steel Zoa (TG), Rainbow Infusion Zoa (TG).

I didn't order the Rainbow Infusion Zoa, it was a surprise freebie from Tidal Gardens!

Reverse Prism Favia (Tidal Gardens).

Baby's Breath Favia (Tidal Gardens)

Unrelated to new Corals, I found this the other day. I need to pull the snail out and give him a scrub when I see him next.

I think I'm putting the wallet away for a few weeks. I bought tickets to the local frag swap happening in April. Have to make sure I have some money left.

The other thing I am on the lookout for is a decent filter for my Nikon Gear to get better photos. I got a small clip on orange filter for my phone, but the photos could be so much better.

 

[bubba92]

Great journal mate! I would be interested in seeing how your quarantine tanks are setup and running

Keep up the good work

 

[Tidal Gardens Verified Sponsor]

The corals are looking good!

 

[jlauck]

It's been about a month, so here goes:

Day 124 since the aquarium got wet.

Parameters:
Alkalinity: 8.5
Calcium: 440
Magnesium: 1290
Nitrates: 1
Phosphates: 0.03

Haven't done a water change in three weeks, and even with that, that was only a ~10% water change. My refugium and skimmer may be working too well. My Nitrates and Phosphates are getting pretty low. I have the refugium light dimmed right now, and I plan on seriously trimming my chaeto tonight.

New Additions:

Firework Clove Polyps

John Deere Leptastrea. Could be something else. Google image search provides a wide variety of what John Deere Leptastreas look like.

Neptune Trident and a pair of DOS pumps that have not been opened yet.

 

[jlauck]

And in sad, but not unexpected news, it wouldn't be a first reef tank without killing at least one coral.

RIP Birdsnest Coral. Either it was a bad buy, or I'm not ready for SPS yet. I don't know if it didn't have enough light and flow, or unstable parameters. I have the trident now, so while I'm still manually dosing alkalinity, I can at least get a better idea on the changes.

 

[jlauck]

On a more positive note, the other corals are looking really good.