Waterbox 70.2 Platinum Reef Build

[Tripptastic]

The plumbing kit comes neatly packaged all in one box. Some users complain about it being metric, but that's so far past my skill level right now that I'm not even worried about doing any modifications. It was heavy duty, schedule 80. I love the new gate valve they included for more precise tuning and it appears that the return line might be black silicone tubing. It felt great and didn't kink.

 

[Tripptastic]

Meet the redesigned sump for Waterbox! Here is looking at the sump from all four directions to give you an exact idea of the new layout. When you get your tank, don't rush taking the sump out. Please use two people to remove the sump. Also, leave all of the corners on to help protect your display tank as you are sliding the sump out.

 

[Tripptastic]

Overall, I'm very pleased with the build quality. Found a few places where I thought the tank was either scratched or had a divot. Turns out there was some glue, or something that formed a crust. It that was easily scraped off with a flat razor. I did vacuum the tank inside and out twice before I spent any time wiping down the glass. I didn't want a repeat of scratching the glass like I did with my Cube 10.

The tank is just sitting on a flat dolly to make it easier to move it around and clean. With my tile floor, it's going to take a hot minute to adjust all of the leveling feet the stand has.

 

[Tripptastic]

This tank will be set up in my living room.

 

[Tripptastic]

And this completes my activities for the day! Over the next few days, I'm going to level the stand, move the display tank into place, and then work on cleaning out the sump and install the plumbing. I hope to have this all completed by the weekend and with luck, fill the tank up with water to do a water test while I wait to purchase my rock. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have creating my first official tank build.

 

[Tripptastic]

I officially HATE this stand with 17 leveling feet. I have tried time and time again to level this stand on my tile floor. Each time I adjust one foot, it screw with another one and then another one. Then, I have to keep laying the stand down to adjust the ones in the back and center; the ones you can't reach from the outside perimeter, which is a nightmare. Then I get frustrated and I reset and screw everything back in and try again. You will notice, that I had to mark spots on the floor, so every time I moved the stand I know exactly where it went.

For the individuals who have this stand, and any generation one model, did you have a hard time trying to level this thing? I think I'm trying to make it too perfect. I keep using a piece of paper to see if it will slide under a foot, when it doesn't, I lock the foot with the nut. Meanwhile, the previous foot that I just locked down, the paper now slides under it. I have taken so many breaks and walked away to clear my head. Meanwhile, my day has been wasted and the tank is still not on the stand yet.

I'm not sure why Waterbox decided to put so many so many leveling feet on their stands? Does that really make is a selling point to have so many? Sure, this small foot print has 17, but they are cheap. Five quality leveling feet (one at each corner and one in the center under the sump area) would have sufficed.

I had a few holes on the bottom of the stand that were drilled to large that the nut would not lock, just recess into the wood. I just went ahead and added a small washer to every foot and it fixed those holes letting me lock those feet.

 

[Fudsey]

My stand doesn't have nearly that many.

edit: Just counted, I have 8 leveling feet on my stand...

 

[Tripptastic]

My stand doesn't have nearly that many.

It's overkill and unnecessary.

 

[Fudsey]

I edited the above post and will post it here. Mine has only 8 feet, 2 on each side and my tank is 4' long

 

[Tripptastic]

Well I did like my Waterbox but now I'm ticked at their quality control. As you see, I still don't have the tank up. But I got some time tonight and I wanted to clean up the glass because I can promise you my tank wasn't inspected with high-powered LEDs, if it was there wouldn't not have been silicone and other dried material all over the glass; many of which looked like scratches and I was able to wipe the few away that I saw because I was freaking out and figured the rest on the tank would be the same.

Well as I mentioned, I took some time to wipe down the rest of the tank, to finish cleaning up the mess they did and what do I find, a one inch scratch on the left panel. I though it was more silicone and no mater what I put on it, it wasn't wiping away until I ran my nail across it and felt the lines. I am too tired to come home after a long day and have to scour this tank to clean up the mistakes that should have been caught at the factory. Either I got a lemon, or their quality assurance isn't as good as they claim to be.

 

[Tripptastic]

Now that I am really paying attention, look at the straight line, just left of the silicone line. This in on the front panel, right side.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Well I did like my Waterbox but now I'm ****** at their quality control. As you see, I still don't have the tank up. But I got some time tonight and I wanted to clean up the glass because I can promise you my tank wasn't inspected with high-powered LEDs, if it was there wouldn't not have been silicone and other dried material all over the glass; many of which looked like scratches and I was able to wipe the few away that I saw because I was freaking out and figured the rest on the tank would be the same.

Well as I mentioned, I took some time to wipe down the rest of the tank, to finish cleaning up the mess they did and what do I find, a one inch scratch on the left panel. I though it was more silicone and no mater what I put on it, it wasn't wiping away until I ran my nail across it and felt the lines. I am too tired to come home after a long day and have to scour this tank to clean up the mistakes that should have been caught at the factory. Either I got a lemon, or their quality assurance isn't as good as they claim to be.

Ugh. Not good. I was just there myself, so I know how you feel. For me it was the bottom pane (different manufacturer, two tanks in a row, the first one also had some sloppy silicone like that too). It was a long delay, but I have to say it was worth it to have them send a new one. There were low moments where I considered cutting losses and switching tanks, but in the end, I am very happy with the tank I have.

 

[Tripptastic]

Ugh. Not good. I was just there myself, so I know how you feel. For me it was the bottom pane (different manufacturer, two tanks in a row, the first one also had some sloppy silicone like that too). It was a long delay, but I have to say it was worth it to have them send a new one. There were low moments where I considered cutting losses and switching tanks, but in the end, I am very happy with the tank I have.

Oh wait, you had two issues with a Waterbox tank? I truly love everything about the tank, but I could cry because I'm so upset right now. I have their Cube 10 and I scratched the bottom pane (not a big deal), but there was something in the tank that I didn't see, it must have bee a sliver of glass, because I started wiping down the panels and when I finished, there was about a 4 to 6 inch scratch on the bottom and I was like what the heck! This time, I took about 20 using a vacuum cleaning and large brush head to clean the inside and outside of the tank, because I didn't want to repeat what happened not his baby. I have had the tank for less than a week and I feel so bummed. I did contact Waterbox and send them the two pics I took tonight.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Oh wait, you had two issues with a Waterbox tank? I truly love everything about the tank, but I could cry because I'm so upset right now. I have their Cube 10 and I scratched the bottom pane (not a big deal), but there was something in the tank that I didn't see, it must have bee a sliver of glass, because I started wiping down the panels and when I finished, there was about a 4 to 6 inch scratch on the bottom and I was like what the heck! This time, I took about 20 using a vacuum cleaning and large brush head to clean the inside and outside of the tank, because I didn't want to repeat what happened not his baby. I have had the tank for less than a week and I feel so bummed. I did contact Waterbox and send them the two pics I took tonight.

No, no, I should have made it clearer, mine was a different brand (JBJ), just similar frustration. As long as you get good customer service, the only real loss will be some time.

 

[larryl]

Keep us posted, hopefully waterbox relaxes the tank. My tank comes tommorrow, not good after reading this.

 

[Tripptastic]

I have calmed down a little but I'll be honest, my tank is sitting on a dolly in my living room, and since I found everything late last night, I haven't even walked back in that room. I'm scared to find something else and be even more upset about the situation.

I have no doubt that they will make things right. That is one thing I have heard about from most message boards, their customer service is outstanding. Yet another reason I decided to go with this company. I think it's because I'm super anal about everything and a border line perfectionist that I'm making a big deal on it. Granted I baby all of my things, I'm aware that things get scratched over time, but when I buy something new and find something like this on it, it does sting a little.

When I pulled the tank out, I thought it looked great. It wasn't until I grabbed a flash light to help me back light the glass to clean the mess that was left in the tank and on the glass. As I mentioned when I was doing my unboxing, I found a few things that looked like scratches but the one I addressed was actually a very line line of some silicone or some type of adhesive. It came clean with rubbing alcohol and I figured the rest of them would be the same so I never looked over the tank with a fine tooth comb. Plus, since the tank isn't even on the stand yet, I haven't had the need to hook up my AI Prime so that glass was never back lit until last night.

I did email Waterbox. I will keep everyone posted. If you want my advice, look at your tank in the dark and with a flashlight. Nothing was spotted until I backlight the glass. I think this tank missed inspection, or it was rushed because Waterbox changed their delivery date a few times, so they might have felt rushed to get the equipment out. I know I posted pictures about the defects in the stand that I saw as soon as I opened the package.

 

[Tripptastic]

So I knew I was asking for trouble...UGH, I went back in to mark the glass with tape to show how easy it is to miss a scratch. 1) shows an overview. 2) area not lit. 3) area lit. 4) I found a third scratch, and the second one around the silicone line while taking the first few pics, lol.

I have no doubt that this tank was never inspected with a "high-power LED" must have skipped that step trying to rush the tanks to market.

 

[Fudsey]

Waterbox is in Florida. I'd actually see if you could pick one up directly from them to just skip the delivery people.

Just a thought...

 

[Tripptastic]

Waterbox is in Florida. I'd actually see if you could pick one up directly from them to just skip the delivery people.

Just a thought...

Good idea, but I don't think the shipping company did this. Two of the three looks like razor blade scratches from when they cleaned the silicone lines. Plus I was extremely impressed with how this thing was packaged. It's my opinion that this tank either missed inspection or it was just rubber stamped as being good to go.

 

[Fudsey]

I am under the impression that these tanks are made overseas and shipped to Waterbox. I doubt they even inspect any of them except maybe a few. Using metric plumbing is a definite flag for this. It is almost impossible to get metric plumbing in the states bar a few places and it's expensive. I like mine but saw the same thing with strands of silicone around on the glass. Kinda funny because it was not black silicone like the seams are either.