Give'er - Kavorka's Waterbox AIO 35.2 Build

[Kavorka]

Current FTS (7 Jan 23)

Hello Everyone

Now that I am not moving each two years, I can finally stop lurking on this site and give'er a go. I have no experience with saltwater aquariums but I did havey brackish/freshwater over 15 years agao. However, Its been so long that this is all going to be new to me.

Before my wife lets me rip down a wall and build a 5ft peninsula with a sump room plumed tint into he basement, I need to prove to her that I am capable of making something beautiful in a smaller format that doesn't require a large scale home reno.

After alot of research I am going with a Waterbox AIO 35.2. The footprint fits in the area I have in mind and the AIO design will bes more familiar to me then a sump. I plan to start with some basic fish and easy to take care of softies/LPS.

Its hard to find good places in Canada to find stuff but I have included what i have and what i need below for your to see.

My Equipment List (Prices in CAD):

Main/Essential Items:
-Tank/Stand: Waterbox AIO 35.2
-Tank Lid: Waterbox ATO 35.2 Mesh Lid
-Lights: AI Prime 16 HD Reef
-Light Mount: 18" AI Prime Flex Arm
-Return Pump: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5
-Powerhead: Ecotech Marine Vortech MP10QD -
-Battery Backup: Ecotech Marine Vortech
-Heater: Ebo Jager 100 Watts x 3 (two for tank, 1 for saltwater mixing)
-Heater Controller Unit: Inkbird Wifi Aquarium Heater Controller
-Automatic Top Off (ATO): Tinze Osmolator 3155 -
-WIFI Powerstrip: Kessa smart plug 6 outlet
-Substrate: Caribsea Arag-alive Fiji Pink (20lbs)
-Rock: 29 lbs - Aqua Forest (pinl) - 232.00b (LFS)
-Rock: 21Lbs Caribsea Life Rock (dry)
-Salt: Red Sea Coral Pro: 200Gal Bag

Water Changes
-RODI Unit: Spectrapure CSPDI 90GPD 4 stage w/ TDS meter
-Water Change Powerhead: Hygger 400 GPH Submersible Aquarium Water
-Saltwater mixing Powerhead: Maxi-Jet 1200 Pro
-Containers for RODI/Saltwater: 2 x Brute 20 gal garbage bins with lids
-ATO Container: 5 Gallon Plastic Hardpack with Cap
-5 Gal Buckets for water changes: 3 x Home Depots with lids
-Hoses: Lees Aquarium hose clear - 5ft of 1/2 and 3/4"

Filtration
-Medibasket: inTank Chamber One Media Basket
-Filter Bag - Red sea media filter bags 2 x setr of 2
-Mechanical Filtration: Seapora 4041 Filter Floss Aquarium Filter Pad, 20 sq. ft
-Chemical Filtration: SV Granular Activated Carbon
-Chemical Filtration: Granular Ferric Oxyde
-Biological Filtration: Bag of Aquaforest Life Bio Fil - FREE (LFS)
-Biological Filtration: Marine Pure High Ceramic Spheres (2 Quarts)

Tools and Testers
-Salinity tester: Hanna Marine Salinity Tester (digital)
-Test Kits: API Masters and Reef test kit packages
-Brushes: Oxo deep clean set
-Tweezers: EvaGO 15 inch Black Curved Aquarium Tweezers
-Spot Feeder: IceCap 19" Coral Feeder
-Magnetic Algae scraper: Flipper Standard FLOAT 2 in 1
-Manual algae scraper: Seachem Algae Scraper (18 inch)
-Nets: 3 inch and 5 inch
-Siphon: Python Products Pro-Clean Gravel Washer -Medium
-Measuring Cups/spoons - Misc sizes

Misc Stuff
-Drip: Innovative Marine AUQA Gadget - AccuDrip Acclimator
-Eshopps EZ Feeder (magnetic feeder)
-5lb Citric Acid (for equip cleaning)
-Reef Epoxy -AquaStick: 15.99 (LFS)
-Food: Misc.

Items still to buy when pick up tank:
-Protein Skimmer: Tunze Comline® DOC Skimmer 9004 DC with controller - $269.99 (LFS)
-Additives/dosing: ?? Maybe Tropic Marine All for reef - Note sure if necessary. Want to keep to min)

Wishlist:
-Lid - Kraken Reef AIO 35.2 premium Feed Lid with feeder cup - This looks far better then the one form Waterbox but considering the exchange/duty for shipping to canada it is about 300.00 CAD. I just cant justify spending 6 x more on this at this time but would like o upgrade if my system stays in place for more then a year (maybe a birthday present lol).


If I am missing something essential, or if you just have a good product that will be a great "nice to have" please let me know.

Pictures to follow...looking forward to some advice.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Kavorka]

This is the future site of the AIO 35.2. It is in the living room and is just barely out of the direct light sunlight. Eventually the small wall will come down and in its place will rise the peninsula tank that will be plumbed into the basement.

 

[Kavorka]

Two pics of my eventual RODI water station and saltwater mixing. Thinking of putting the RODI unit on the wall above the orange pail (will mount to a board or something) and install a basic utility sink. There is already water hooked up there and I think I should be able to attach its drain to the pipe that my basement sump runs to (yellow cover on it). I should then be able to hook up the water for the RODI, and drain it in the sink.

I am not a good DIYer but i will have to figure her out i guess lol.

Also, added pics of the equipment I have so far.

 

[Kavorka]

OK...a few more days passed and a few more horse of research done. the LFS is telling me the tank will take about 2 weeks to arrive so I have time for yet more preparation.

I am thinking of the below CuC and Fish stocking list. Please let me know what you think. I am hoping they will work in the 33 Gal tank.

Inverts/Clean up Crew:
-6 x Torchus Snails (for algae on rocks, sand, glass)
-6 x Nassarius Snails (For detritus and sand sifting)
-1 x Fighting Conch (for algae and sand sifting)
-1 x Skunk Shrimp (for detritus and rocks)
-1x Peppermint Shrimp (for detritus on rocks and eating of possible Aptasia)
NOTE: I was looking at 1x Emerald crabs and 3 x Blue hermit crabs but i read quite a few reviews saying they can be aggressive to fish, damage corals, and hunt snails...I know this is not always the case but might as well play it safe)

FISH (written in order of introducing them to tank):
-2 x Clown fish
-Yellow Watchman Goby and Pistol shrimp pair
-Royal Gramma
-Lawnmower Blenny (or Stary Blenny)
-Longnose Hawkfish
-Banggai Cardnalfish
-6 Line Wrasse
NOTE: down the road I may want to do a Mandarin Goby but only once very established and i can find one that take prepared food as well as pods.

Corals: This tank will be mostly softy and LPS nothing decided yet but i will play it slow due to zero experience with them.


Thanks in advance for any feedback/suggestions.

 

[Kavorka]

Bought some rock today. Surprised/ashamed how long I have been staclking it lol.

Ill post two designs below. hopefully I can get some feedback before using epoxy

.

 

[KrisReef]

Hey sir.
I'm going to try and bring some traffic to your build thread.
Suggestion, more pictures, fewer words. Most people on here can barely read a comic, and certainly not a novel.

This will be ok for Softies and LPS. i like the first scape (caves!) the best.
Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[V A R I A N T]

Hello, responding here vs your second thread. Honest opinion, the rock is too similar in shape, and way too chunky. That makes it limiting in design, and scale. Maybe it’s good for what you wish to setup, but me personally, I would find thinner pieces or take a hammer to it. I’m not suggesting that NSA nonsense, but having smaller pieces, dissimilar shapes, that increases your opportunity to be creative. And some super glue sprinkled with baking soda will bond your shapes into a solid scape. Good luck, hope this helps.

 

[bvanfish]

It’s all personal preference but I like more columns with islands. I’d stack the top two rocks in pic 5 upside down and make an almost x with different arms sticking out for coral and fish swim throughs.

then I’d break up some and make an island with some caves.

im a total noob but I love doing the rockscapes. I wish I could have 100 tanks just to make the scapes and try new things.

 

[1mbrews8]

any of the last 3 pics is my "choice"... depends on what lps/softies, but any should prob be fine

 

[Kavorka]

Hey sir.
I'm going to try and bring some traffic to your build thread.
Suggestion, more pictures, fewer words. Most people on here can barely read a comic, and certainly not a novel.

This will be ok for Softies and LPS. i like the first scape (caves!) the best.
Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Thanks for the suggestions Kris. I tend to be long winded.

I have edited my intro post and removed the rambling paragraphs of text.

Still messing around with the rock scape to try to get more flow as you suggested in the other thread. I Will post more pics soon.

Cheers

 

[Kavorka]

me personally, I would find thinner pieces or take a hammer to it. I’m not suggesting that NSA nonsense, but having smaller pieces, dissimilar shapes, that increases your opportunity to be creative. And some super glue sprinkled with baking soda will bond your shapes

Hello

Yeah, I agree...unfortunately all the LFS around me only have the same stuff (or not much stuff at all).

I was hesitant to take a hammer to the stuff but I just broke one up and it is helping. I will post new pics shortly.

N0t sure what a "NSA" is

 

[Kavorka]

It’s all personal preference but I like more columns with islands. I’d stack the top two rocks in pic 5 upside down and make an almost x with different arms sticking out for coral and fish swim throughs.

then I’d break up some and make an island with some caves.

im a total noob but I love doing the rockscapes. I wish I could have 100 tanks just to make the scapes and try new things.

Bvanfish

I am still playing around...Ill give your idea a try and see if I can get something going.

It llooks lie some of your pieces are cemented/epoxied together. I dont know how best to attach these pieces to get some stability. I got this product from the LFS but have never used yet.

 

[bvanfish]

Bvanfish

I am still playing around...Ill give your idea a try and see if I can get something going.

It llooks lie some of your pieces are cemented/epoxied together. I dont know how best to attach these pieces to get some stability. I got this product from the LFS but have never used yet.

Ya I used two little fish epoxy. If I could go back I’d do super glue first then the epoxy over it and break up pieces then attach them to the epoxy so you can’t see it.

super glue to looks good to me. I made the little swim through in the first pic with super glue and it changed color / looks natural quickly. With the big pieces I like the epoxy for extra stability.

you have some cool pieces of rock. I tried to do every combo by turning it upside down or doing things I didn’t think looked right and in the end I liked it.

 

[V A R I A N T]

NSA is negative space aquascape. You break up almost all your rock, gluing it back together in a shape not natural to coral reefs, allowing for maximum flow through the structure. Then you supplement the biomass with Siporax or similar bio bricks. Nothing wrong with it but it’s not my thing. Good call on the two part epoxy. Be sure to work it into the crevices as you build your structure.

 

[Kavorka]

Thanks everyone.

I am another 2-3 hours into this again and I have what i think is a good scape. Broke a few rocks to give me some more shape and removed the caves from the substrate. It now has more open space in the bottom which I hope will increase water movement and decrease dead spots/detritus traps.

Used two cave pieces together in the right side to make a hollow chamber/cave thingy. Again, hoping it will help with water movement (plus I think it looks kinda neat)

I'll attach pics form all three sides for your review.

 

[Kavorka]

If you guys see no problems with this one I will epoxy it.

Think I will keep it in two pieces for ease of set up.

When I epoxy, I will use some remaining rubble to fill in the gaps and try to hide the seams that are in the front/sides. Is this as easy as putting epoxy between pieces and then just pressing rubble into it (will that hold). I havent used this before and don't know dry speed or hold strength.

Also, do you think I should fill in all gaps in the cave? Or should i leave some of the ones facing the back wall to allow water to flow in (not huge gaps so might do nothing).

thanks all

 

[bvanfish]

Now this again is just my own thoughts and it’s 100% up to you. I think the right side is lookin cool! I think the left side you could make better personally.

you could do a capital I like structure. Or a more peninsula look. I don’t know hard To draw out on a phone but the right looks really cool to me!

 

[Kavorka]

bvansfish, thanks for the advice. I took a dep breath and broke some more rocks apart to try and do the "Captital I" structure you spoke about.

I think I got er. Its a small gap, but it is now full separate form the piece on the right.

I like it. More varied and interesting then last version, and 100% better then my first chunky attempts with no guidance from the community. (pic from front angle and new side angle):

 

[bvanfish]

I think that looks… AWESOME!!!!! Nice work!

 

[Kavorka]

OK

Set up RODI unit (Spectrapure CSPDI 90GPD 4 stage w/ TDS meter). Bought this form reefsupplies.ca so most the connectons were already done. Think i got the rest correct.

One major issue is with the TDS meter. It is reading "Lob" of both in and out settings. This message is not in the manual and i cant seem to find anything online. I tried removing batteries to see if it would reset but no love.

Has anyone seen this, can anyone help fix?