Introduction
Hey everyone! I thought I'd start a build thread to track my progress with my newest reef. I had about 7 active tanks running simultaneously when I was 13-15 years old, but then lost interest in the hobby and got rid of everything. I'm older now and haven't been working as much due to the state of the world (LOL) and have rekindled my interest in keeping aquariums. Things have changed a lot since I was last in the hobby. I started a little JBJ Nano RL-10 mid-2020. It's now kind of going to be my experiment/catch all "junk drawer" tank haha!
Anyways, on to this build! I slowly accumulated the equipment for this one over a period of months and finally set up the aquarium on 31 May 2021.
Equipment
- AI Prime 16HD light
- Sicce Syncra Silent 1.0 return pump
- Tunze DOC 9001 skimmer
- Finnex HMX Titanium 100W heater
- Hygger Mini Wave maker
- JBJ Nano ATO (which I have turned off because I can see the green light through the translucent back wall glass - so far the only thing I'm not digging about the Waterbox)
Aquascape
As far as aquascape goes, I went with CaribSea Life Rock and Special Grade Reef sand. I used epoxy and stuck a few Life Rock Nano Arches together, then secured those to a base rock. I then wedged a piece from another Life Rock underneath the back of the arches portion to give more support and kind of rotate the whole structure forward. I then threw another broken piece of rock in an empty spot near the back glass. The result is this hardscape:
I really dig the disconnected arch ledge look and there's plenty of flat space for coral placement of varying heights throughout the tank. What do you think?
Flow
All the flow in the system is provided by the return pump and the Hygger Mini Wave Maker. I have the return nozzle pointed straight toward the front glass and slightly downward to avoid too many bubbles being created by the breaking of the surface, while maintaining plenty of surface agitation. I have the wave maker positioned in the bottom and rear halves of the aquarium, with flow going up and over, through and around the back of the rocks. Plenty of flow everywhere.
Filtration
Currently for filtration I'm utilizing the included filter sock and a handful of activated carbon in a mesh bag under the filter sock in the first chamber. I put the included bio-balls in the centre chamber but I'm not sure if I'll keep them. What are your opinions on bio-balls? I've never used them before. I'm concerned they may trap escaped debris? Maybe I'm paranoid haha! I also have the Tunze skimmer running in the second chamber but it's not doing much other than aerating the water since the system is so fresh.
Livestock
Before introducing any lifestock, I added a 1oz. bottle of Turbostart. I then introduced two Euphyllias from Seattle Corals. One being a blue and green branching frogspawn and the other being an orange hammer. Both BEAUTIFUL specimens, whose polyp extension just after shipping and dipping was impressive.
They've opened up even further since this photo was taken! They're little but gorgeous!
I also added some GSP but after getting it home from the LFS, it appears to be a branching variety of GSP. Do you know if I'll get the back wall coverage I'm desiring with the branching kind? Or do I need to get the standard GSP?
Nonetheless, I love the look of any GSP! I just want the whole back wall covered.
A few days after adding these corals, I received two Indo Pink Skunk clowns and a cleaner shrimp from Sustainable Aquatics / Coral Reef TN. I added another half ounce of Turbostart with the fish and the shrimp just because it made me feel better LOL.
The skunk clowns are so different from the Ocellaris I've kept. They're very shy and seem very gentle with each other. It took them a few days to come out of their little cave home they've made for themselves. They're very interesting to watch as their behaviour does seem vastly different from my other clowns. Beautiful colouration too! Drop those naming suggestions!
Plans
Plans for the future of this tank are honestly fill it with the "plague" type corals. Kenya Tree, Xenia and shrooms and let things run wild. Perhaps zoanthids or palys in the future when things are established as well. I'll be getting an order of shrooms next week. Hopefully they look as good in person as they did in the photos haha!
Any ideas for future stocking? Other comments? Let's hear it!
Thanks for looking
Hey everyone! I thought I'd start a build thread to track my progress with my newest reef. I had about 7 active tanks running simultaneously when I was 13-15 years old, but then lost interest in the hobby and got rid of everything. I'm older now and haven't been working as much due to the state of the world (LOL) and have rekindled my interest in keeping aquariums. Things have changed a lot since I was last in the hobby. I started a little JBJ Nano RL-10 mid-2020. It's now kind of going to be my experiment/catch all "junk drawer" tank haha!
Anyways, on to this build! I slowly accumulated the equipment for this one over a period of months and finally set up the aquarium on 31 May 2021.
Equipment
- AI Prime 16HD light
- Sicce Syncra Silent 1.0 return pump
- Tunze DOC 9001 skimmer
- Finnex HMX Titanium 100W heater
- Hygger Mini Wave maker
- JBJ Nano ATO (which I have turned off because I can see the green light through the translucent back wall glass - so far the only thing I'm not digging about the Waterbox)
Aquascape
As far as aquascape goes, I went with CaribSea Life Rock and Special Grade Reef sand. I used epoxy and stuck a few Life Rock Nano Arches together, then secured those to a base rock. I then wedged a piece from another Life Rock underneath the back of the arches portion to give more support and kind of rotate the whole structure forward. I then threw another broken piece of rock in an empty spot near the back glass. The result is this hardscape:
I really dig the disconnected arch ledge look and there's plenty of flat space for coral placement of varying heights throughout the tank. What do you think?
Flow
All the flow in the system is provided by the return pump and the Hygger Mini Wave Maker. I have the return nozzle pointed straight toward the front glass and slightly downward to avoid too many bubbles being created by the breaking of the surface, while maintaining plenty of surface agitation. I have the wave maker positioned in the bottom and rear halves of the aquarium, with flow going up and over, through and around the back of the rocks. Plenty of flow everywhere.
Filtration
Currently for filtration I'm utilizing the included filter sock and a handful of activated carbon in a mesh bag under the filter sock in the first chamber. I put the included bio-balls in the centre chamber but I'm not sure if I'll keep them. What are your opinions on bio-balls? I've never used them before. I'm concerned they may trap escaped debris? Maybe I'm paranoid haha! I also have the Tunze skimmer running in the second chamber but it's not doing much other than aerating the water since the system is so fresh.
Livestock
Before introducing any lifestock, I added a 1oz. bottle of Turbostart. I then introduced two Euphyllias from Seattle Corals. One being a blue and green branching frogspawn and the other being an orange hammer. Both BEAUTIFUL specimens, whose polyp extension just after shipping and dipping was impressive.
They've opened up even further since this photo was taken! They're little but gorgeous!
I also added some GSP but after getting it home from the LFS, it appears to be a branching variety of GSP. Do you know if I'll get the back wall coverage I'm desiring with the branching kind? Or do I need to get the standard GSP?
Nonetheless, I love the look of any GSP! I just want the whole back wall covered.
A few days after adding these corals, I received two Indo Pink Skunk clowns and a cleaner shrimp from Sustainable Aquatics / Coral Reef TN. I added another half ounce of Turbostart with the fish and the shrimp just because it made me feel better LOL.
The skunk clowns are so different from the Ocellaris I've kept. They're very shy and seem very gentle with each other. It took them a few days to come out of their little cave home they've made for themselves. They're very interesting to watch as their behaviour does seem vastly different from my other clowns. Beautiful colouration too! Drop those naming suggestions!
Plans
Plans for the future of this tank are honestly fill it with the "plague" type corals. Kenya Tree, Xenia and shrooms and let things run wild. Perhaps zoanthids or palys in the future when things are established as well. I'll be getting an order of shrooms next week. Hopefully they look as good in person as they did in the photos haha!
Any ideas for future stocking? Other comments? Let's hear it!
Thanks for looking