Cmooreinor
Active Member
Hi all! my name is Chris Moore! I think it's time to begin a build thread for my Waterbox 100.3 that has been running since march. First a little about me... and how I got to this point. I am 38 years old and live in the Seattle area With my wife and two dogs. I have been in the hoby for awhile now but this system is me getting back into it after about a six year break. My first tank was started back in 2010 and I was fairly successful for what I had to work with. Here is a video I made of it way back when.
After having that tank running for two years I was forced to break it down due to move to the Seattle area from Portland. I always knew I would be back but wanted to wait until I would be able to really do it right this time. So! in november of 2018 I ordered my Waterbox 100.3 during their Blue Friday sale. The tank arrived about a month after I ordered it. I was super psyched but I knew I had a lot of work to get done before I was to get this thing filled with water.
The tank arrived perfect! As for that work.... My home was built in 1980 and the room I wanted to put the tank in had popcorn ceilings so they had to go! Removing it really sucked. The popcorn was painted over so removal was not as easy as it could have been.
So after a weekend of scraping and painting I I got it looking pretty good. Not perfect but way better than the popcorn. The rest of the house I am paying someone to remove!
So this is what my plan was for the tank... it sits in an area that I think a wet bar once was... To the right of it is a row of closets. I would use it to house all my electronics.
My apex plan........
I think it turned pretty good. I still need to do better wire management but not bad for a sheet metal worker!
I also tiled the area where the tank would be just because I didn't want to deal with any chance of wet carpet! So After all that I built the stand and had my neighbor help get the tank of the stand.
.
Now I was to the point of creating a scape of some sort so I ordered some BRS dry rock and also picked up some from my LFS... what I came up with as a final scape..... I used the Nyos reef cement to create the two structures... they are super solid and I am pretty happy with how they turned out.
So I started making water! and got the tank filled on March 2nd 2019! I cycled with Brightwell Microbactor 7 and a cocktail shrimp for about 2 months.
So this is what my complete spec list is
Tank: Waterbox 100.3
Lights: 2X Ecotech XR15 Gen 4 Pros controlled with WXM module along with 36" aquatic life T5 Hybrid with 2x ATI blue Plus and 2X ATI Coral Plus bulbs
Skimmer: Octo Regal 150S
Flow: 2X Vortech MP40's QD 1X Vortech MP10w
Return: COR 15
Controller: Apex 2016
Dosing: Neptune DOS
ATO: Neptune ATK
I am sure I am forgetting something..... but I think this is a good start to the thread! I have added SPS and most are not doing well. LPS is doing great though. The added fish are doing great as well. I will be seeking help form all you smart people on how to get my sps back on track. Any questions ask away I will be back later and update to the point I am currently at with the tank. Thanks so much for looking and I hope I got this thread off to a decent start.
Chris
After having that tank running for two years I was forced to break it down due to move to the Seattle area from Portland. I always knew I would be back but wanted to wait until I would be able to really do it right this time. So! in november of 2018 I ordered my Waterbox 100.3 during their Blue Friday sale. The tank arrived about a month after I ordered it. I was super psyched but I knew I had a lot of work to get done before I was to get this thing filled with water.
The tank arrived perfect! As for that work.... My home was built in 1980 and the room I wanted to put the tank in had popcorn ceilings so they had to go! Removing it really sucked. The popcorn was painted over so removal was not as easy as it could have been.
So after a weekend of scraping and painting I I got it looking pretty good. Not perfect but way better than the popcorn. The rest of the house I am paying someone to remove!
So this is what my plan was for the tank... it sits in an area that I think a wet bar once was... To the right of it is a row of closets. I would use it to house all my electronics.
My apex plan........
I think it turned pretty good. I still need to do better wire management but not bad for a sheet metal worker!
I also tiled the area where the tank would be just because I didn't want to deal with any chance of wet carpet! So After all that I built the stand and had my neighbor help get the tank of the stand.
Now I was to the point of creating a scape of some sort so I ordered some BRS dry rock and also picked up some from my LFS... what I came up with as a final scape..... I used the Nyos reef cement to create the two structures... they are super solid and I am pretty happy with how they turned out.
So I started making water! and got the tank filled on March 2nd 2019! I cycled with Brightwell Microbactor 7 and a cocktail shrimp for about 2 months.
So this is what my complete spec list is
Tank: Waterbox 100.3
Lights: 2X Ecotech XR15 Gen 4 Pros controlled with WXM module along with 36" aquatic life T5 Hybrid with 2x ATI blue Plus and 2X ATI Coral Plus bulbs
Skimmer: Octo Regal 150S
Flow: 2X Vortech MP40's QD 1X Vortech MP10w
Return: COR 15
Controller: Apex 2016
Dosing: Neptune DOS
ATO: Neptune ATK
I am sure I am forgetting something..... but I think this is a good start to the thread! I have added SPS and most are not doing well. LPS is doing great though. The added fish are doing great as well. I will be seeking help form all you smart people on how to get my sps back on track. Any questions ask away I will be back later and update to the point I am currently at with the tank. Thanks so much for looking and I hope I got this thread off to a decent start.
Chris
