Waterbox 220 build thread, fully automated

[NewReefer42]

Haven't posted much because of the holidays, and haven't done much to the tank, mostly just letting the new rock get cycled. I did, however, pick up an ecotech L2 after the return pump plumbing line slipped off of my return pump, which had jetted itself sideways and was just splashing around in the sump. Luckily it happened overnight so I was home and was able to easily fix it in the morning. I also picked up a dosing tube holder, and calibrated my display tank pH probe. I think the QT tank display probe is dead. It always reads 250mV, pH = 1.58 no matter what I do to it or put it in. It was 6 years old, so it had a good life. I also set up another QT tank for fish (one that I can add medication to) in the spare room (out of wife's vision) so will likely be picking up a fish or two this weekend if I have time. The foxface didn't make it through QT. I think that the 10 gal tank is too small even though there was a big cycled rock in there. Will be using the 20 gal for fish from now on. Klir is working as intended.

 

[Macbalacano]

Your tank is exactly how i'd like to set-up my next one (except looking at a peninsula). Def following along. Looks awesome!

 

[NewReefer42]

Cool, thanks. If you do decide to set one up be sure to hit me up for advice in the planning, there's already a few things I realized I might do differently (mostly related to cable management - they aren't long enough!).

 

[NewReefer42]

Bought a Vectra L2 and installed it because the last pump was stupidly loud. It's currently set to about 30% power which uses about 50W and is so quiet it scares me that its not actually on. If it weren't for the occasional air vortex that forms on the pump output that makes a small sucking sound for about 1 second every 10 mins or so (depending on MP40 mode - they're reef crest), I wouldn't know its on. Do recommend.

*Note: The skimmer is not on right now as I just finished cycling two days ago.

 

[rimlessreefer954]

Cant wait to see how this turns out. What type of reef are you doing?

 

[NewReefer42]

Cant wait to see how this turns out. What type of reef are you doing?

Likely a somewhat mixed reef, but definitely SPS dominant, with as many tangs as the police can let me get away with (tangs my fav). Bucket list fish is an Achilles tang, but I also want to add a sailfin, hippo, and blonde naso. I already have my other bucket list fish, the purple. To round out the fish list it'll be a flame hawkfish, one spot foxface, a small school of anthias and/or chromis, and maybe some mandarins later on. I also definitely want a pair of harlequin shrimp, and I will use my coral QT system to propagate asterinas.

 

[Berlibee]

Nice start!

 

[NewReefer42]

Update: bought a plank autofeeder, which just shipped. Also picked up a PM2 module bc I want to have control over QT tank temp. Right now I'm just using one of the crappy petco $10 digital thermometers, and down the road I might want to add a salinity probe. After watching Ryan's video about how to configure heaters w an apex, I bought the BRS controller, but then I watched the Apex neptune video which contradicted Ryan, so now I'm not sure if I want to install it tbh. For those not in the loop in that discussion, the question is "should you plug titanium heaters directly into the apex and let the apex toggle it on and off, or should you plug them into a small disposable controller and let THAT toggle them on and off, using the apex as a back up?". The argument Ryan makes is that toggling an outlet will induce wear and tear and shorten the lifespan, so its better to sacrifice the heater controller rather than the apex EB8 32. The argument Neptune makes is that the outlet duty cycles in the EB8 32 is so high that the little toggling you'll be doing (even if its 100x a day or more) isn't relevant. From a laziness standpoint, I want to believe Neptune, but without knowing the technical specs and mfg of their outlets we can't know for sure, and I doubt they'd release that info to the public. I wonder if they would release it to me under and NDA..... anyway, ill probably be lazy and leave it as it is, although in a month or so I might pull the logs and do some math on toggles per day, and use that to inform my decision.


Also, question for y'all following along. I'm doing awc w tropic marin pro salt. dKh is 7.0 (stated and tested). I want to run my tank at 8.5 dKh. From an alk stability standpoint, is it better to try to spike my NSW reservoir to 8.5-ish and then awc, and then dose the tank via 2-part to account for coral consumption, OR is it better to just awc w the 7.0 dKh water, then dose the tank 2-part to compensate for coral consumption AND lower dKh water being used? Thoughts? Please recall that dosing the NSW reservoir isn't as precise as it might be, because the norwesco container im using isn't finely graduated.

 

[NewReefer42]

Installed PM2 module and QT tank temp probe. Removed rock from QT tank and busted it up (to keep the nem). Added a frag rack and put misc frags on rack. Surprisingly there is an acro that has survived all this, so I kept him. Mounted all my controllers and cleaned up the electronic cabinet (still have a little cable management to do. Brought skimmer online, set up skimmer power monitoring, and retuned overflow and added a little water to tank. Trying to figure out how to make the DOSes work only on M-F, but "If DoW S-----S then OFF" isn't working and I dont know why. Anyone know?

 

[NewReefer42]

Bought a tomini tang and a hippo tang, both quite small, about 1.5 inch. Both are in a separate 20 gal QT that will be used for fish and meds. The plumbed system is only 10 gal and will have to be used for invert/coral. Pretty sure the blue has ich as I saw him scratching/flashing at the store, but no visible cysts so he should be ok a couple days while adjusting to his new temporary home. I will dose copper sulfate pentahydrate at a dosage of 0.1ppm copper in that system for two weeks, then observe them both. Both ate and swam fine at the pet store. Also moved two nems from QT system (old system) into display, and 5 seconds later, sparkles (my clown) moved in.

Also, cleaned up the coral QT a bit.

 

[NewReefer42]

Broke down and rebooted the coral QT tank today bc it was just was mess from the transfer, aiptasia, vermetids, bubble algae, etc. Moved the urchin and all the nems to the display after a thorough inspection and rinse. Cleaned up the remaining few frags that survived and put them back in the QT system for now. Dosed 1mL of 2g/100mL of copper sulfate pentahydrate to the tang QT. Per my calculations, 5mL should bring the copper ion concentration up to 0.11mg/L (ppm). I will dose 1mL per day for the next 4 days. So far they look good, swimming and eating.

Also, I'm having difficulty w my lights. I'm using the gen 5 XR15 pro, and maxing everything out is only giving me like 50 par at the tank bottom, like 150 par right under the water right under the light. I think I'm doing something wrong bc it says they're set at 100%, but they don't look that bright, and there's no way 100% is only 150par. Using a apogee m210 to measure. Using the mobius app to set the lights. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[VermontReefs]

Following

 

[NewReefer42]

Let the uglies begin! Also, order 12 corals from the UC live sale yesterday, and another set of XR15s bc my par at the bottom of the tank was a whopping 50-100.

 

[NewReefer42]

First batch of corals came in, all from Unique corals. I've purchased from them before with success and they always come alive, healthy, and clean. Since I will be QT these for 60 days, I went a little softer on my dip. I just did a 10% Bayer solution for about 1 minute. No baddies, but one coral (mostly the plug) was pretty infested w vermetids. Snipped them all off before dipping, rest of dips went well. Accidentally placed two frags touching bc I got distracted (infant), but found it later and fixed it, can you see the damage? Few pics...

Edit: both tangs doing well so far in QT. Still a little skittish, blue hide but tomini runs. Eating swimming and breathing normally. Tank looks clean, will get some pics this weekend.

 

[NewReefer42]

Installed The Plank autofeeder. First batch of corals in QT seem happy, although the alk is a little low, 6.5. I'm using the tropic marin pro salt, so native dKh is 7.0. Couple that with consumption and it seems to be a reasonable number. And the dumb snail keeps knocking them about. Still haven't figured out how to best block the light spill from the front. Going with the classy "taped cardboard" for now. Any ideas?

Also, the Tomini died in QT. I'm not really sure why, he was eating and swimming normally. Ammonia 0. Blue tang still skittish, but eating and swimming fine. Considering just ordering from TSM aquatics to skip all this headache and unnecessary death.

 

[NewReefer42]

Disassembled my fuge light and cleaned it bc I know it was really dirty, salt and dust. Going to bring the fuge online soon. Also bought the CuC, comes next week. So far some cloudy outbreaks, a little hair algae which came and went, but no major issues. Also, the blue tang is doing well in QT, it has been in copper for 2 weeks now. I'm thinking about just making a large order through TSM aquatics or Marine Collectors so I can skip the QT stuff myself since I have not a great success rate. Anyone ever used them? Any suggestions or recommendations?

 

[NewReefer42]

Testing night! I started to see some corralline algae forming so I figured it about time to bring the fuge online and start measuring Ca. All params pretty normal (phosphate 0.1ppm, nitrate 0) in the display tank, however, the frag tank alk was 5.4dKh! Lost one acro in the frag tank, probably bc of that. I'm going to use the DOS to do 30% daily WC to bring it back up to 7. Also, i was able to get that last nem out of the cup.

 

[NewReefer42]

Ordered a CuC from reef cleaners. Will QT at 81F for 6 weeks, hopefully the algae doesn't get out of control in the meantime. Blue tang is doing great in his QT, hopefully moving him over in a week or two.

 

[NewReefer42]

Nems haven't been happy lately, the green one split. I found a giant booger of slime in the plank autofeeder which smelled like death, I'm assuming nem unhappiness is due to that. Since removing, they have reopened.

 

[NewReefer42]

Replaced the Klir roller and installed the fuge light. Still not sure how to best run the cabling for the Klir. The Reef cleaners order still hasn't showed yet, so I dont think they're going to make it, . Now if I could only get some clean chaeto (looking at you algebarn!) I could turn the fuge on. Planning on moving the blue tang over soon, maybe next weekend? I think I want to build him a little rock house, just in case the purple tang decides to pick on him.