WB Marine X 110.4

[pandry15]

OK - So i don't have my tank yet but I did get a couple of boxes of rocks today! I can say that I was much happier than the last guy I saw who opened a box that had a rock in it... Sorry Toby...

Anyway I ordered the CaribSea Shapes, Arches and Base. The shapes and base arrived today... whoa! that's a lot of rock and I still have the arches coming. I taped out the tank dimensions on my Laundry Folding Table - my son claims it's a pool table but I've been folding laundry on it for over 15 years so I can call it what I want!

Unboxed the rocks - and played with some scapes... for the life of me I can't imagine using anywhere near what I got, that's ok, better too much than not enough (and this was less than what WB had suggested for this size tank). Here's one scape - won't be the final one since I have some time to keep playing with this (outer square is tank dimension 48x20, inner square is allowable space for scape - the space in between is to keep clear of the glass and gives me enough room when I need to get in there with a straight edge razor - the only way I could ever get my glass clean!):

yeah, I'm gonna have a lot of rock left over - I was going through one of the aquascape threads and got some fantastic ideas: don't go crazy with rock, leave room for coral growth - just a couple of gems I picked up.

This build thread will be slow but I will add to it as I get new equipment leading up to the delivery of the tank! This is fun, love the planning phase - like Deep Purple once said - "it's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase..."

I started a thread in the WaterBox forum but I might as well keep it all here, over there I asked for suggestions on equipment for a tank this size (80g display, 25g sump) Skimmer and Return Pump especially. All suggestions would be greatly appreciated! My 2 wavemakers will be Nero5 - heard great things and I think they will be sufficient for my tank....

so yeah, this is going to be fun!

 

[Specific Ocean]

Awesome!

I would get the cycle going on those rocks started asap. Place them in a bin of saltwater, heater, and wavemaker with some bottled bacteria.

Good luck!

 

[pandry15]

great idea - as soon as I create the scape I want they're going in a bin for cycling... I won't cycle the ones I won't be using - I'm guessing at least half of what I got won't be used.

"so Paul - what's been going on the last few weeks?"

"stacking rocks"

Only the folk here will appreciate that, others will just think I'm crazy...

 

[pandry15]

So this is the scrape I will be going with - rock is going into 32gallon Brute bin today and I'm tagging the rock with numbered security ID tags - no, not to make sure my dogs don't mess with them but to help in re-assembling the scape when the DT arrives.

still open for recommendations on a return pump - I'm assuming DC is the way to go so it can be adjusted. If I had a pump that was too powerful and couldn't adjust that would mess up the Sump/DT levels, right? Looking for a good video/site that explains the correct sump/DT levels. I'm assuming it's one of those things that will be easier once I actually do it - dialing in a sump/DT so the flow in = return pump out sounds like it could be tricky....

 

[pandry15]

Return Pump: Decided to go with the Vectra S2.

Powerheads: 1 MP40 or 2 Nero5's? any suggestions? not considering SPS at this time which I know requires a higher flow. I can always add on later if needed.

 

[pandry15]

So still a couple of weeks away from the tank arrival (hopefully)... rocks are cycling for about 10 days now. Most equipment is here or on the way. The last thing I need to order is the power-heads. Kept going back and forth with the Nero5 and MP40... decided (98.5% sure) on the Nero5's. Since I want to keep them on the back wall I thought the ability to point the flow would be helpful (albeit they can only move like 15 degrees). Plus I am running an AI Prime on my current cube and the new tank will have 2 AI Primes, lights and pumps can be on the same app....

I'll be ordering the pumps at the end of the week so if anyone who knows more about this stuff wants to talk me into getting a different one I'm open for suggestions!

 

[pandry15]

checking mails on my phone... saw one from Waterbox with the preview saying "The wait is over!" Great! my tank must be on the way... opened the mail only to find out it was promoting the release of a new line of tanks today... dang you Waterbox!!!! you fooled me!!!!

 

[reefdoc23]

So still a couple of weeks away from the tank arrival (hopefully)... rocks are cycling for about 10 days now. Most equipment is here or on the way. The last thing I need to order is the power-heads. Kept going back and forth with the Nero5 and MP40... decided (98.5% sure) on the Nero5's. Since I want to keep them on the back wall I thought the ability to point the flow would be helpful (albeit they can only move like 15 degrees). Plus I am running an AI Prime on my current cube and the new tank will have 2 AI Primes, lights and pumps can be on the same app....

I'll be ordering the pumps at the end of the week so if anyone who knows more about this stuff wants to talk me into getting a different one I'm open for suggestions!

I am planning two MP40s. I think I will mount them on the sides one low and one high..

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Scape looks awesome! What are you planning to stock this tank with?
*I love waterbox aquariums, I wish I had gotten one, I already have planned on getting one when I go off to university lol. WB 10g cube. *

 

[pandry15]

I am planning two MP40s. I think I will mount them on the sides one low and one high..

I finally decided on the MP40, just got it delivered yesterday. If the flow isn't enough I'll add another. In the end I changed from the Nero5 based on the external cord for the MP40

 

[pandry15]

Scape looks awesome! What are you planning to stock this tank with?
*I love waterbox aquariums, I wish I had gotten one, I already have planned on getting one when I go off to university lol. WB 10g cube. *

For fish I will start with a couple of clowns - then my plan will be to move my Yellow Tang from my 24g cube and add a Powder Blue at the same time. Those will be my biggest fish. After that I will add 4-6 more smaller species (checking compatibility before I add).
Corals I will go mixed, probably mostly softies and LPS

 

[Dark_Knightt]

For fish I will start with a couple of clowns - then my plan will be to move my Yellow Tang from my 24g cube and add a Powder Blue at the same time. Those will be my biggest fish. After that I will add 4-6 more smaller species (checking compatibility before I add).
Corals I will go mixed, probably mostly softies and LPS

Sounds like a plan! Thats exactly the tank I want! About 100g, a few tangs (especially powder blue), and some clowns.
ALso I am hoping either your yellow tang is either in a 24g QT or it is a tiny baby because 24g is too small for one.

 

[pandry15]

Sounds like a plan! Thats exactly the tank I want! About 100g, a few tangs (especially powder blue), and some clowns.
ALso I am hoping either your yellow tang is either in a 24g QT or it is a tiny baby because 24g is too small for one.

he's getting bigger, definitely needs room to stretch his fins - he was one of the reasons I got a larger tank... didn't want to have to give him away

 

[reefdoc23]

I wanted to do a leak test and see how the return pump would work first, so I have filled the tank with RO/DI water. Would you recommend adding salt to tank and a heater and then run the return pump to mix it? I don't have the wave pumps yet. I have a Sicce ultra zero utility pump I could also use to help mix?

 

[pandry15]

I wanted to do a leak test and see how the return pump would work first, so I have filled the tank with RO/DI water. Would you recommend adding salt to tank and a heater and then run the return pump to mix it? I don't have the wave pumps yet. I have a Sicce ultra zero utility pump I could also use to help mix?

I don' see any issue with mixing in the tank - especially since you already have RODI from the test. I assume you didn't have any sand during the test...

 

[reefdoc23]

Seawater is in and first salinity test came back @ 1.025 at 77 degrees. I'll get the scape put together today and live sand in hopefully this evening. I ended up putting 2 vortex MP40s on the back wall staggered a little. Flow at about 25%, sump at 40%, and lights off. Any other tips for adding the sand? Turn off wave pumps until the cloudiness resolves?

 

[pandry15]

I heard folks using some type of funnel device to add sand when there is already water in the tank - even a large PVC pipe to get it on the bottom with minimal disturbance....

 

[pandry15]

So my update: Still waiting on tank - 5 weeks since the order was placed. All equipment is here, last thing I need is an ATO - other than that it's just a waiting game. Rock has been cycling for 4 weeks now.

 

[codee]

So my update: Still waiting on tank - 5 weeks since the order was placed. All equipment is here, last thing I need is an ATO - other than that it's just a waiting game. Rock has been cycling for 4 weeks

The Waterbox sump ATO reservoir is so small (at least on the 90.3), I’m wondering if it could be turned into a refugium or reactor space. Are you planning on using it or some external reservoir?

 

[pandry15]

The Waterbox sump ATO reservoir is so small (at least on the 90.3), I’m wondering if it could be turned into a refugium or reactor space. Are you planning on using it or some external reservoir?

right now my plan is to use it for my ATO