Waterbox 100.3 and UV Sterilizer

[nickkohrn]

Does anyone have a Waterbox 100.3 and use a UV sterilizer? I won’t have my tank for another month or two, so I’m trying to get an idea of how to fit all of the equipment that I plan on using.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Bump

 

[Crimson]

It doesnt matter what kind of tank you have. What matters is how much flow goes though the UV. Generally, the larger the tank the higher the flow. You want to plumb the the uv into the return so everything gets hit. That said, look at the aquauv 57 watt. I had one for my 105 gallon.

edit- If you go with aquauv dont buy the squeegee one that cleans the uv. They leak and dont work well ime with saltwater.

Dont under size it because it wont do anything.

To find out your return:

• Take the time in seconds it took to fill the one-gallon container and divide that into 60 seconds to get the number of gallons it pumped per minute.
• Now multiply the number of gallons per minute by 60 minutes and you get the number of gallons per hour pumped.

 

[frydaddy]

Don't bother waiting for the waterbox, get a Red Sea.

 

[nickkohrn]

Don't bother waiting for the waterbox, get a Red Sea.

I don’t want the Red Sea for a few reasons, which follow, in no particular order.

1. I want to use standard filter socks
2. The Waterbox has an all-glass overflow (my favorite feature)
3. I have an ATK that I want to use rather than Red Sea’s ATO float valve
4. I prefer the design of the Waterbox sump layout

 

[frydaddy]

Well, here's some thoughts on your four points

1. So far, the only filter socks that fit in my 100.3 are the waterbox ones. I've tried BRS 4" and DFS 4" so far, and neither of those fit. Not sure if its just my sump or if other waterbox owners have the same issues.
2. I liked this feature too, it's too bad they do a horrible job on the silicon. Spent hours scrapping off all the access that covered the over flow sides. Also had fun trying to scrape it from around the holes for the bulk heads. The gates also look completely scratched up. It's less noticeable with water, but still looks like a crappy job. Like I said before, they have major QC and quality issues.
3. I don't like Red Sea's either. I also don't like waterbox's as it's not the 4.7 gallons they advertise, more like 3.5 which is about 3-4 days worth for my evaporation rate. I have a Neptune cor-20 pump and the Neptune atk and there is barely enough room in the return chamber for both. I wish they made the return chamber bigger. I'm also going to have to use a different ato reservoir. Which is what I would have done had I gotten a Red Sea.
4. I liked the layout too, until I had the tank running. The baffle is too high for the intake section, so when the pump starts up, water splashes out of the sump until all the air is out of the return and drains. I'm going to have make a lid for that section. The second filter sock chamber makes a lot of noise, have to add a filter pad to quiet it down or maybe get a Flir. It doesn't seem to be able to handle anywhere near the 1000gph they recommend without being insanely noisy.

I also had to cut the plumbing for the return. The return pipe was too long for the overflow box so the T didn't line up with the pre-drilled holes for the return nozzles. I had to cut 1/4" off the return pipe for it to fit.

If I had to do it over again, I would have gone with Red Sea or IM. I think waterbox is just cranking them out regardless of quality. Definitely not comparable to the quality I've seen in the Red Sea's or Innovative Marine.

 

[nickkohrn]

Dang, it sounds like you’ve had your hands full of fixes. I’m hoping that I don’t run into all of those issues.

I definitely agree that the ATO reservoir is smaller than I want. On my 10g IM, I use a container with a lid, and it lasts me over two weeks. I wonder if making a lid for the reservoir of the Waterbox would help cut down evaporation from the reservoir itself.

 

[MURedhawk]

I have Waterbox 100.3 and have Aqua UV 15w placed on the left side next to sump in cabinet. It works great. (I do not have squeegee version.) Return pump has T going to UV and then back into skimmer chamber section and the rest of the return going to display.
On other notes:
1) I have used filter socks from BRS and they work fine (different styles even).
2) ATO chamber is small so I had custom ATO - all black made (11g) from Advanced Acrylics which looks great next to stand (same color black). I plan to use old ATO section to place doser containers or make a refugium that has sealed off lighting.

 

[nickkohrn]

I have Waterbox 100.3 and have Aqua UV 15w placed on the left side next to sump in cabinet. It works great. (I do not have squeegee version.) Return pump has T going to UV and then back into skimmer chamber section and the rest of the return going to display.
On other notes:
1) I have used filter socks from BRS and they work fine (different styles even).
2) ATO chamber is small so I had custom ATO - all black made (11g) from Advanced Acrylics which looks great next to stand (same color black). I plan to use old ATO section to place doser containers or make a refugium that has sealed off lighting.

Thanks for the information! I want to get a Pax Bellum algae reactor, so maybe I will go the route of using the built-in ATO reservoir for something else.

I haven’t seen these systems in person, so I’m wondering if it’s possible to remove the baffle that separates the ATO reservoir and return chamber.

 

[MURedhawk]

Thanks for the information! I want to get a Pax Bellum algae reactor, so maybe I will go the route of using the built-in ATO reservoir for something else.

I haven’t seen these systems in person, so I’m wondering if it’s possible to remove the baffle that separates the ATO reservoir and return chamber.

It is solid glass panel from front to back of sump plus a divider between ATO and return section.
This would knock out panel connecting bubble trap into return section. I would not recommend taking out panel.
If want to make ATO a refugium, this would be possible. If pump water into ATO chamber and use that as refugium the passive overflow from ATO would flow back into center skimmer chamber and return section since baffles are same height (but lower than outer panels).

 

[aaltayeh]

I have Waterbox 100.3 and have Aqua UV 15w placed on the left side next to sump in cabinet. It works great. (I do not have squeegee version.) Return pump has T going to UV and then back into skimmer chamber section and the rest of the return going to display.
On other notes:
1) I have used filter socks from BRS and they work fine (different styles even).
2) ATO chamber is small so I had custom ATO - all black made (11g) from Advanced Acrylics which looks great next to stand (same color black). I plan to use old ATO section to place doser containers or make a refugium that has sealed off lighting.

Hello, I have the 100.3 WB. I would like to setup a UV sterilizer. Could you send me pictures of how you setup yours as well as your sump setup? Thanks

 

[MURedhawk]

Hello, I have the 100.3 WB. I would like to setup a UV sterilizer. Could you send me pictures of how you setup yours as well as your sump setup? Thanks

 

[MURedhawk]

Attached is old picture from years ago and much equipment has changed since but same UV and same place left side. 50% T from return pump recycles into middle chamber and 50% back to main tank.

 

[RicanKing]

Don't bother waiting for the waterbox, get a Red Sea.

Got rid of my red sea and went with waterbox