My 10 gal waterBox Cube Reef build!

NickCage007

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Hello folks. Im a newb, again, if that's possible? Ok, so I was a reefer for 7-8 years, after college, I had a 14g biocube, got heavy Into it, but never really got my tank right, because I made all the rookie mistakes. So, upon deciding to re "dabble" in the hobby, (sparked interest after my gf started a planted tank at her house, with a little help from me, as I was a discus guy, before my saltwater tank, years ago) anyway, so, this time I searched, and searched. I decided on the waterbox, as best bang for buck. So far, I'm extremely happy. It runs quiet. It has a strong pump, I think I'll only add a koralia 240 maybe for extra waves, but currently run a uv hang on the side, just because it was available, and these uvs were $200 plus when I retired.. this was $30. Helps control algea, and I know the early months tank algea struggles. So, the current stats, are..

10.9 gallon waterbox cube
Waterbox sock filter, soon to be eggcrate, and bioballs with sponges
Aqua knight s60? Light
Aquatop pfUV 15 hob filter
15lbs of live rock or so

Creatures!
Black Percula clown
Orange Picasso/ 1/2 gladiator clown (Petco pickup, he's a mixed up cutie)
Maxi mini anemone purple and green
4 hermits, 2 red, 2 blue
1 turbo, 2 astrea and some cerith LR hitchhikers

Corals! (All frags, we on a budget!)
Xenia
GSP
red and blue Acan
purple and green Blasto
Green and purple Florida ricordea
Pink/purple zoas

The live rock was purchased from a lfs, from a display tank they had broke down, with a ton of coraline, and some pieces were given from a buddy breaking down his tank. So, saved a ton on that. Used Carib sea live black sand, 1- 1/1/2 so it won't give me Nitrate spikes.
I do weekly water changes. I use the Pacific ocean water, Petco sells. Just makes it easier for me, but I always have red Sea salt on hand, for any emergency i might have, but I always keep a unopened 5 gal box, along with one open, which I am using for the water changes. We cycled the tank for 5 weeks, with the rock. Got some donated bio balls to speed things up also, then added the crabs, and fed some food here and there. 2.5 months into having the tank, and I started with the fish, after a week i did the first 3 corals, and the next 3 a week later. They have been in for 2 weeks now, and i only plan to add a hammer coral soon, and possibly a dottyback, or something.. I'm undecided. Anyway, I'll post a few crappy phone pics, but will shoot some real shots with my camera, and upload them soon. Thanks for having me!!

Oh, I plan to add a skimmer, any advise on where to put it (which chamber) and any other build advise is always welcome. Thanks!!!

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That looks very nice Nick and welcome to R2R!
 
Looks good and welcome back! I'm currently cycling my WB15 and I really like there tanks. Watch out for the dottyback, I've heard they are extremely territorial and may not work in your 10 gallon. I've got two clowns, a royal gramma and a blood red fire shrimp in my 15. Looking forward to seeing it fill in!
 
Welcome to R2R

I checked out your other thread too. Looking good. Keep the pix updated so we can watch the progress

#WelcometoR2R

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Thank you everyone!

So we are building the diy media box from eggcrate for the first chamber this weekend. And doing an acrylic top. Just picked the supplies up at the local Lowe's. Also stopped at the LFS and got some phosgaurd and denitrate from seachem, for the new basket.
Wifey also brought me home my centerpiece, a beautiful branching hammer I have had my eye on, she surprised me! He's acclimating well already! :)
 
New hammer, and a Jason fox candy cane we scored cheap, and I think we will let it fill out awhile... Who am I kidding. We gotta have at least 1-2 more acans.. lol

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We have added so much coral! It's not letting me post pictures.. I'll post as soon as it let's me.. updates, we are running the media egg crate rack in the 1st chamber, and I will be in the 2nd chamber, this week sometime also, as soon as my media pure arrives. :) We also ordered an upgraded pump for the 3rd chamber, most flow I can fit, because most circulation pumps just seem to be overpowered for this small tank, so I'm going to upgrade the return, for flow, and see how that works. We now have 2 ricordea, a green and purple and an blue and orange. A blue trumpet/candy cane, a toxic hammer, pink and green blasto, GSP, Xenia, and a zoa garden with some watermelon, orange Bam bams, king Midas, and a yet to be identified blue and green zoa. The Superman Acan is growing so many new polyps! Everything is thriving. Also threw some cheato in the hob aquaclear we run, (actually an aquatop uv filter, but built exactly like the old aquaclears, and the tank light seems to be fine for the cheato)

We also added a watchman goby a while back I don't think I posted, and we have a Mandarin, our last fish. Everyone is happy happy!
 
New additions! Sorry, too much blue light, but, atleast you can see!!! :)

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Still doing weekly water changes. About 7-10% a week. Running the aquaknight s60 at about 40-50% still, slowly bringing it up, but will probly end at about 70%, because this light is just too dang bright at full power! (But we love it!!)

Also, we have a rainbow (orange based) Acan coming, and a teal tipped torch coming. I'm extremely excited for those. The torch will go next to the hammer, Acan next to Acan.

And our inhabitants, are still the two clowns, a black percula and orange Percula, a watchman goby, yellow clown goby, and the Mandarin. Also 5 hermits, including our electric blue hermit (So AWESOME!!! HOW DID I NOT KNOW THESE EXISTED!?) and two astrea snails, our turbo snail, of course named turbo, and 5-6 of the hitchhiker snails with the flat shells, forget their name.. and a frickton of coral of course. Thanks for reading!! Updates and better pictures coming!!!
 
Shot some pics with the blues off. Enjoy!

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Superman Acan growing nicely!

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Mandarin hiding in there, an the ever ellusive electric blue! (Actually he was molting, he's been out much more lately)

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Blastos grew a third polyp, and a fourth has started. Best 14 dollar frag ever. Lol.

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Watermelon zoas, the ricis, and the acans. Loving the tank. New torch arrives Thursday, from Brad at Chaos. Excited for the teal tipped torch, and rainbow Acan! The Superman will have a friend. Goodnight friends. Thanks for following!

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And as promised, the teal tipped torch! (Much brighter, but of course whites only for these!)

The hammer needed a buddy! :)

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And as promised, the teal tipped torch! (Much brighter, but of course whites only for these!)

The hammer needed a buddy! :)
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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  • No.

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