OTF's WaterBox Marine X 90.3 Build

[Onthefly]

March 8th, 2021

After a 13 year hiatus from the hobby....when the Wife says, "You know, I reef tank would look great right there!" I was off to the races! A lot has changed in 13 years...so I had a lot of research to do! Luckily, I'm much more patient person these days, so the 11 week wait time for the tank was worthwhile!

Equipment

• Waterbox Marine X 90.3 (DT=65 ga; Sump=25 ga)...fits the space perfectly.
• Lighting: 2x EcoTech Radion XR15 G5 Blue
• Return Pump - Jebao DCP-6500 (gonna replace with an EcoTech once their available)
• Flow - 2X RedSea Reefwave 25 gyres
• Natural Filtration
  • ~20lbs Marcorocks Reef Saver
  • ~15lbs Marcorocks Shelf
  • ~15lbs Marcorocks Foundation
  • ~20lbs of "good ol' fiji" (by old I mean from 2007...still had the SPS skeletons on it!)
  • ~50lbs Caribsea special grade (dry)
  • 10lbs Miracle mud topped in containers in the sump
  • IceCap K1-130 skimmer
  • IceCap C02 scrubber
  • IceCap 20W Algae scrubber
  • BRS mini biopellet reactor (~1/3c biopellets)
• Custom Control Panel housed to the side of the WaterBed stand (Ikea BESTA)
• Custom TopLids cover
• Controller - Neptune APEX EL
• Heater - 2X Bulk Reef Supply Titanium 300 watt (running alternating 12hr cycles)...running an Eheim until BRS has them back in stock
• Dosers - RedSea ReefDose (for All-for-Reef and ReefEnergy AB+)
• ATO - Neptune ATK...running from a water station in the basement
• Tropic Marin Pro-Reef Salt
• BRS 5-stage RODI (with Booster pump and XP Aqua RO/DI Flood Guardian)
  • Keeping ~30ga of RO/DI and mixed saltwater on hand (basement)
• AWC - Neptune DOS
• Auto Feeder - Neptune AFS

Some set up pics as well:

Stand and sump

Cycle Started (pay no attention to the ghetto control board )

 

[harley32907]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[shandoee]

Looks great!

 

[Saberfal]

I should've gotten a waterbox!
Keep us posted on the build, it looks like it's going to be one sweet setup.

 

[Onthefly]

Added a skimmer....as I watched my pH "slowly" drop...I suspect household CO2. So, I put a skimmer (and eventually a CO2 scrubber) on. The IceCap skimmer is SWEET! Easy to tune, Totally silent! I have the cup flowing back into the sump for now, until the cycle is over.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Looking great. Many Watebox tanks on the site.

 

[Onthefly]

So, I'm still in the middle of the "long cycle", but for kicks, I set up my recirculating CO2 scrubber....pH is up 0.17 units over 18hrs......nice!

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

Updates? Mine arrives in an hour! Hahhaha

 

[Onthefly]

I love it! Perfect size for our room!

1st phase (fishless) of the cycle is done...now phase 2 to add a few fish

 

[Onthefly]

UPDATE:

Added 2 Darwin clowns and an Orchid Dotty....

Also, with live stock in....I added the AFS (nevermind the DIY jump guard....custom lid is still a couple weeks out)

 

[shandoee]

Orchid dottyback.. beautiful fish. Straight a**holes. I had a beautiful fairy wrasse in my old tank and then the dottyback decided to bully it to death.

Great looking clowns btw!

 

[Onthefly]

Orchid dottyback.. beautiful fish. Straight a**holes. I had a beautiful fairy wrasse in my old tank and then the dottyback decided to bully it to death.

Great looking clowns btw!

IME...The P. fridmani (the one with the black line thru the eye) is a good tank mate, at least I have had issues in the past....the P. porphyreus (magenta dotty back), sometime sold as Orchids....are jerks!

 

[dc_reefing]

What your plans for the filter socks?

 

[Onthefly]

What your plans for the filter socks?

Pulled them on day #1 and went with cups. I have the cups filled ~2/3 with LR rubble, then use filter pads (cut to fit) sitting on top of the LR. I change them once a week....take 30 seconds!

 

[dc_reefing]

what make of cups did you buy

 

[Onthefly]

what make of cups did you buy

The 4" IceCaps....fit perfectly! I had to flip the silencers and use a small piece of LR oto hold the first one from sliding, but they work great.

 

[Onthefly]

May 16th UPDATE:

Old LR was leaching some PO4 (0.32ppm), but it's coming down now (0.2ppm)...I have a BRS mini reactor standing by just in case.

Dealing with the dreaded diatom bloom.....not too bad compared to others...started to slowly creep up after I turned on the lights at month 2

Added CUC today:
20 Nerites
10 Nassarius
5 Ceriths
30-40 Dwarf Ceriths
5 Trochus
1 Brittle star

Already started to clean up the diatoms

 

[shandoee]

I don’t see anything on your last post

 

[Onthefly]

June 9th UPDATE:

CORALS!

CUC crushed the diatoms, I have a little green starting (some came in on the shells of the snails), but that's a good thing! After 2.5 months of no growth in my ATS...I finally have a seeding of algae happening.

First off...I set up a Neptune DOS for AWC. Thanks to @SuncrestReef for his help. I have it set up for a 10% weekly water change, and a FeedC mode for a manual 10ga (if needed).

Second...First corals are in!

I jumped on an Memorial Day sale at Corals Anonymous and scored some LPS frags (sorry, still a noob on the photography aspect)

3 head Duncan, Gold Sky Hammer, Fire and Ice Acan, & Watermelon Can

Close up of Fire & Ice Acan

Green Hammer, Gold Sky Hammer, and Rose Hammer

Everything arrived in GREAT condition....dipped...and into the DT. All corals were fully opened within a couple hours.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Good job setting up the DOS for AWC and MWC! Glad to help.

Congrats on the new frags.

"Corals Anonymous" sounds like an addiction support group I need to join!