My first salt tank - Waterbox 20

[JohnRougeux]

I had a salt tank back in 89-90 and it wasn't like this...so I consider this my first one. Considered the 32gallon Bio Cube, but talking with a local fish store I went with the Waterbox 20 gallon. I picked it up today and added water/sand/rock. Do I have too much sand? How does this look...I know that it still needs to clear up. I have Turbo Start to add once it gets to temp and clears up.

 

[Bryan68]

Welcome to R2R, looking forward to seeing your tank progress!

 

[Bosreef]

Looks great!!
I run the same tank..
I would ditch the filter socks they will need to be cleaned every other day or they will clog and mess with the water level. It will cause water level to raise in dt causing return resovoir to run low and ultimately be replaced my freshwater if your running an a.t.o which will cause sality shifts just my opinion.

Also I'm not quite sure what you did to the return line trying to figure it out in pics but I can't really just takkng a guess. That L piece should be in the back chamber connecting to your return noise, return nozzle should be coming out straight...

 

[JohnRougeux]

What would you replace the sock with?

I will Take better pic when I get home. The store set that up

 

[JohnRougeux]

So we moved the tank because it was too close to my computer and that wood desk.

 

[JohnRougeux]

Also I'm not quite sure what you did to the return line trying to figure it out in pics but I can't really just takkng a guess. That L piece should be in the back chamber connecting to your return noise, return nozzle should be coming out straight...

here’s a better pic. Still feel the same?

 

[Bosreef]

here’s a better pic. Still feel the same?

Yeah. Lol they defintly hooked it up wrong but I could see how they made the mistake.... the return line is intentionally long and needs to be cut (see WB You tube)

As far as filter socks I bought a media rack to replace them. I run a media rack i bought from intank top run filter floss middle run carbon bottom run puritan. In the middle chamber i run a skimmer, last chamber i run my a.t.o obviously.

 

[JohnRougeux]

So what is the drawback for the way I have it?

 

[Nyg215]

Definitely go with a media rack in the first chamber! Iwent with the intank media basket. Filter floss in the top, chemipure blue in the middle and bio balls on the bottom. Does your return fitting in the tank it hit side glass panel when you try to unscrew it?

 

[JohnRougeux]

Ok, have been talking to a local guy and he agreed, the return should be pointing forward. Unfortunately, I can't seem to remove the (not sure exact name, but the end piece) from the other piece to fit it through the hole. So I have aimed it towards the floor of the tank. I did get a powerhead to help create movement.

when you say "intank media basket", is that a all in one type thing?



Took some water over and it tested great, so today I picked up my first fish and some other things (food, A1 Prime 16 light, test kit, Prime solution). Here are my clowns...supercells.

Here some shots of the tank

 

[JohnRougeux]

No responses?

 

[Bosreef]

Looking good love the clowns !! You plan an anemone for them?

They have a rimless screen kit for the top that will sit flush with top of the tank if you are looking for a cleaner look. I got my off bulkreefsupply

Good job with the powehead you want alot of flow in the tank regardless of what your keeping imo the more flow the better and then you can play around with placement of coral depending on its needs. There will always be low flow spots in the tank and high flow.

Why did you buy prime solution? Do you plan on having amonia in the tank or are you using tap water and using the prime on that either way yes great thing to have in your arsenal... when you need it... im hoping your not planning on using it on the reg.

Intank media is a company that produces all sorts of things for aio (all in one) tanks great stuff imo and great customer service. https://intankaquatics.com/

Bet your loving that prime with proper placement of corals it can grow anything in this tank. They have alot of presets of proving light cycles that you can download im currently running the saxby schedule (bumped up a little)

How you liking the hobby so far?

Attached a few pics of how I have my 20 setup

Please disregard the chomped on digi!! Stupid peppermint shrimp!!

 

[Bosreef]

So a couple things, notice where my water level is in the tank thats where you want it. Yours looks way to high.... what are you using to top off evoparated water?

Also in the same pic you see how much water movement I have in there??
Make sure to aim one of your powerheads to the waters surface to break the waters surface up. This not only helps skim the water surface (these tanks don't have a surface skimmer) this will create more oxygen in the water.

Also did you level that stand when you moved the tank over you wanna use a level and shims and make sure your tank is perfectly level

 

[JohnRougeux]

Thanks for the response! So here's my answers:

Prime - I bought it just in case I ever need it. if I don't, no big deal. But if I do...I have it. I hope to never use it.

The lid is fine for me. Guy I know made it.

Thanks for the link, I thought it was what that was, not an actual website. Is this what everyone recommended? So I guess on the top is the Intank Bonded Poly Filter Floss, Boyd Chem Blue in the middle, and at the bottom bio balls...which are out of stock at a lot of places.

yes, loving the A1 Prime light. I haven't downloaded any profiles. I'm using the default, still have to learn it.

The tank is level...we did add shims to level it. As for the level of water, I'll include a picture I just took, but I thought it should be up near the rim? or a little down from that...I use RO to top off when it gets low.

So far I love it. I haven't added anything else except for a couple of snails and hermit crabs. Taking it slow and learning the tank.

Video coming soon

 

[Bosreef]

Lol ok I was going off this pic

this looks much better water level looks perfect to me.

Yeah thats the basket I use i don't run bio balls though... ime captures to much detritus over time leeching into reef. More maitence.

Over the years I have realized less is more the less maitence I have to do the more likely I am to do it.

Get an a.t.o you will thank yourself, also let's you leave your tank for extended periods of time and also keeps salinty stable in these small tanks.

Looking great!! Looking forward to the progress.

 

[JohnRougeux]

That first pic was when I moved it and yeah, it needed leveling, which we did.

Here's a video. Is this enough flow? Also, Not sure what to do about the return...I can't seem to separate the pieces to fit through the hole. Any ideas?

Also, how do you check temps?

Attempt at video:

 

[2Sunny]

Bioballs are more a freshwater media. A nano would benefit from something extremely porous like MarinePure Gems, but honestly most salt water reefers forgo such media and stick with live rock, live sand, and on a nano people often use Chemi-Pure Blue which mixes GAC and GFO in one neat package (that is if you want to forgo a skimmer). ChemiPure Blue is even mentioned by Waterbox in one of their videos showcasing a 20. . .

 

[JohnRougeux]

Thanks! I'll order some now

 

[JohnRougeux]

Looking good love the clowns !! You plan an anemone for them?

Yes, I want to get an anemone, but not sure when I can add one. I have had this tank running for only 2 weeks.

So tell me about this setup. What's the best ATO? That ReefKeeper light...does that replace water testing? Is that a power strip where you have the labels? Haven't seen one where you can turn off something individually. And what does a Doser do?

 

[Bosreef]

Yes, I want to get an anemone, but not sure when I can add one. I have had this tank running for only 2 weeks.

People say a year but idknow... ime you can get one sooner than a year as long as you keep good water and have sufficient light... they don't really like change... so consistency in water quality is key.
Different for each case but I would wait a couple months just to make sure your husbandry is on par.


So tell me about this setup. What's the best ATO? That ReefKeeper light...does that replace water testing? Is that a power strip where you have the labels? Haven't seen one where you can turn off something individually. And what does a Doser do?

Ok love the questions keep em coming do not mind helping a new reefer I was there and can't thank these and my local forums enough.

For a.t.o I run a j.b.j a.t.o (float switch with an aqualifter pump)
I have ran the same a.t.o for like 5+ years now and never failed me once. Other reefers will swear by the optical sensor a.t.o but my j.b.j has been perfection for me. I run two float switches for safety.one higher than water will ever get and the one that keeps the water level. So say first float switch gets stuck on the next float switch will trigger to shut the water off.

Reefkeeper light is an aquarium controller produced by digital aquatics sadly a now defunk company. Look up aquarium controller make your life alot easier. It pretty much automates tasks and puts in fail safes.. i.e when my temp of the tank gets up to 80 the controller tells a fan to turn on until temp gets back down to 78.
Thats one example of many many uses for a controller. I would not run a tank without now that I have ran with one.

The power strip are the best! They are called d.j strips and many people use them, makes turning on and off equipment a breeze.

"Doser" is those two boxes you see stacked on each other. And what those do is automate dosing supplements into your aquarium. I have said it before consistasy is key. Livestock in your tank corals/coraline/crabs/shrimp algae etc need to use whats in the water to build their Skelton structures (calcium, alkaline, magnesium major three elements) in order to replenish these elements you will have to introduce them either via water changes or a more constinent way (dosing) i.e your aquarium alk drops 2dkh in two weeks you perform your water change great your back to where you need to be but your tank dropped that much alk in two weeks (inconsistent water) now if I can dose just a little bit of alk imbetween that two weeks I can keep the water consistent every day.