Waterbox Reef DX 100.3 Build (First Time Reefer!)

[theasherrr]

CYCLE DAY 1 - water is a bit cloudy and has a greenish hue to it. There’s also tiny white stringy things hanging off my rock. I was ghost feeding for a few days and added fritz turbo start 900 yesterday. Lmk if this looks bad. Ammonia is reading high right now.

UPDATE: Here’s what it looks like installed. Having some issues with the plumbing and making sure it fits properly in the sump. The rest of my parts are arriving on the 16th!

Hi! I’m Ash.

I’ve wanted to get into reefing for such a long time. I’m lucky enough to have neighbor who used to own his own tank in Brazil and is mentoring me through the process.

Ive purchased a waterbox dx 100.3 and it arrives tomorrow! Here’s a photo of it from the website!

I’d really love input on the cycling process and what I should put in it to start. I really want to take it slow and learn the chemistry of saltwater.

here’s a list of everything else I have purchased that is arriving next week and all of it was purchased from BRS!!!

• Quantum 120 Protein Skimmer - Nyos
• Nero 5 Powerhead (3000 GPH) - Aqua Illumination
• 1.0 Torq G2 Modular Media Reactor Body - Nyos (BRS was out of dock)
• Syncra SDC 7.0 WiFi Controllable Pump (800-1900 GPH) - Sicce
• AP9X LED Lighting Panel - Kessil
• Duetto Dual-Sensor Complete Aquarium ATO System - XP Aqua
• 5 Stage Premium Plus 100 GPD RO/DI System - Bulk Reef Supply
• RO/DI Flood Guardian - XP Aqua
• Maxi-Jet Powerhead 900 - Marineland
• LED Refractometer for Reading Salinity with Calibration Fluid - Bulk Reef Supply
• Thomas' Favorite Test Kits Bundle;
  

  bundle-Hanna Alkalinity Checker (DKH) 210018

  1 x Alkalinity DKH Colorimeter HI772 Hanna Checker - Marine Water $0.00

  bundle-Hanna Phosphate ULR (PPM) Checker 212044

  1 x Phosphate Ultra Low Range PPM Colorimeter HI774 Hanna Checker - Marine Water $0.00

  bundle-Hanna NItrate HR (PPM) Checker 213314

  1 x Nitrate High Range Colorimeter HI782 - Marine Water - Hanna Instruments $0.00

  bundle-Redsea Calcium Pro Test Kit 207089

  1 x RedSea Calcium Pro Test Kit $0.00

  bundle-Aquaforest Magnesium Test Kit 210927

  1 x AF Magnesium Test Kit - Aquaforest $0.00

  bundle-ATI ICP Test 214011

  1 x ATI ICP-OES Water Analysis - ATI $0.00

 

[Peace River]

That is a great tank and it looks like you have a good plan! Congratulations and welcome to the adventure!!!

 

[theasherrr]

That is a great tank and it looks like you have a good plan! Congratulations and welcome to the adventure!!!

Thank you!

 

[theasherrr]

All filled and ready to cycle

 

[John Bolden]

Nice! any updates?

 

[theasherrr]

Hello hello!

I used fritz turbo start and of course did a fish-less cycle.

my first additions to my tank were my CUC.
50 asteria snails
20 “zombie” snails
2 tiger conch
1 cleaner shrimp
2 emerald crabs.

after having them for a week or so I added two captive bred clownfish. The clownfish were already paired and in the same tank at our LFS so I decided to go with them. After having them for a week - week 1.5 I added three coral.

1) GSP on back wall rock
2) frogspawn
3) Kenyan tree coral
4) Mushroom

after a few days I added more fish
1) gold headed goby
2) black cap basslet
3) Midas blenny

And coral
1) zoas (can’t remember color)
2) rock flower anemone
3) some other coral I can’t remember the name of.


I had them in the quartine tank for the first day but the blenny looked terrible and stressed. It had changed colors, wasn’t moving and wasn’t earting. I had a gut feeling to move them to the DT, especially because they’re all from the same store (corals, clowns, etc). I had to move around my rock because my clownfish were being bullies to the blenny. Almost immediately after moving the rocks, the blenny started swimming around, returned to normal color and is eating well.
The basslet has created a home twice. The other day we got to watch it spit sand and Carry rocks as well as attack multiple zombie snails.

My cleaner shrimp molted last night which was awesome to wake up too (I had a tarantula and loved see it molt.

my goby has moved a few times but is now front and center under a rock.

for almost 24 hours my mushroom coral
Was missing. Thought for sure it was gone but I found it under a rock on the other side of the tank .

so far things have gone great. Here’s a pic of the testing parameters I did today. Note that it says no in the water change because I did not do one before or after these tests.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Tank is off to a good start, best of luck with the progression of your tank!

 

[theasherrr]

I lost my first fish Monday. Noticed that snails we're all around one specific area of my tank and upon closer look they were eating my goby. Not really sure what happened, but levels are good in the tank. In the single day it was in QT we noticed overnight it got a red spot on it. Not sure if it was the basslet or the blenny. It's been making me hesitant to start adding stuff to the tank. Is there a rule of thumb on after something dies how long you should wait?

 

[BrandoJac]

So I just got a Waterbox 100.3 DX as well. Did you have any issues with the plumbing? I had no problems with the two drains, but the return pipe seemingly does not fit. I have to imagine I’m doing something wrong. Do you have a photo of your sump setup?

 

[theasherrr]

Yeah I had a big issue with the fitment of the return pump. I will send you a photo when I get home. I have a sicee return pump and the provided fittings didn’t fit the waterbox. It’s also really angled. I bumped it onetime while cleaning something and it knocked the pipe off and disconnected in the sump.

 

[BrandoJac]

Yeah I had a big issue with the fitment of the return pump. I will send you a photo when I get home. I have a sicee return pump and the provided fittings didn’t fit the waterbox. It’s also really angled. I bumped it onetime while cleaning something and it knocked the pipe off and disconnected in the sump.

Thank you so much! Here is where I’m stuck. I think my return pipe is supposed to go through the hole and not into the return chamber. But it’s too big to fit through the hole. I was expecting something like the two drain connections on the right which seal with the lid in between but I just can’t get it to work and all the videos/instructions online are for the regular 100.3, not the DX

 

[theasherrr]

The bottom two pipes unscrew and the one that stays attached is smaller enough to put in the hole. After it’s there you have to screw it on from the bottom of the hole. Basically it’s fighting above and under the white acrylic in the sump

 

[theasherrr]

Update on tank!

It’s been a journey! We’ve lost about 5-6 fish total due to one bully fish. The tank is operating well. I stopped using socks because it was frustrating, so now I just use floss in the sock area.

I want to get into dosing to keep my corals healthier since I’ve also lost those but not have any room in the sump. Was thinking about doing a little box on the side to mount dosing sufff and what not on it!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Update on tank!

It’s been a journey! We’ve lost about 5-6 fish total due to one bully fish. The tank is operating well. I stopped using socks because it was frustrating, so now I just use floss in the sock area.

I want to get into dosing to keep my corals healthier since I’ve also lost those but not have any room in the sump. Was thinking about doing a little box on the side to mount dosing sufff and what not on it!

Sorry about you losing all the fish!

 

[theasherrr]

After being let go from my job, I started to resume full care on my tank. I have hair algae and bubble algae but I have some cuc eating away at it.

I’ve decided that i only want hardy corals and inverts in the tank. Does anyone have suggestions?

Also, anyone know if there is a place to find waterbox hacks or tips?