Wrasse-cal's Waterbox 100.3 Build AKA "The Money Pit"

Brew12 · Aug 25, 2018

Sorry you are frustrated!

I can tell you what I would do if this were my system, but I understand if you don't want to go this route. Not sure your lighting schedule, but I would be at peak lighting for no more than 5 to 6 hours a day. I would use Vibrant from UWC to help knock back the algae. I would also probably start running a small amount of GFO, or at least be ready to start running it. It can be very challenging to raise nutrients during an algae issue. It's only once the algae is under control that I would dose to try and increase them. Once the algae is down to a level where a CuC can keep it in check, then nutrient dosing to combat problematic bacteria can be more successful. Otherwise it is just adding algae fuel imo.

Wrasse-cal · Aug 25, 2018

Brew12 said:
Sorry you are frustrated!

I can tell you what I would do if this were my system, but I understand if you don't want to go this route. Not sure your lighting schedule, but I would be at peak lighting for no more than 5 to 6 hours a day. I would use Vibrant from UWC to help knock back the algae. I would also probably start running a small amount of GFO, or at least be ready to start running it. It can be very challenging to raise nutrients during an algae issue. It's only once the algae is under control that I would dose to try and increase them. Once the algae is down to a level where a CuC can keep it in check, then nutrient dosing to combat problematic bacteria can be more successful. Otherwise it is just adding algae fuel imo.

Thanks. I’ve thought about vibrant, but am frankly a bit leery of the long term consequences. I’ve gone as far to have a bottle in my cart then change my mind.

My short term worry would be the effect of the vibrant on my chaeto. I’ve read mixed things about if the vibrant will kill the chaeto. My algae reactor is stabilizing my pH pretty well, and I’d hate to get my chemistry out of whack.

I’ve thought as well about switching the algae reactor to run when my tank lights are on to hopefully outcompete the display tank algae. The negative here would be to negate the pH benefit I get running the reactor opposite my display.

I’ve therefore considered getting a SECOND algae reactor to run when my main tank is lit. That might be overkill, but I’m not sure.

The other option I was thinking about was clams. I’ve read that clams are good filters—the question though is how many and what size would I need to make a significant impact on nutrients. This might not be feasible for that reason. On the plus side, I’ve got a good CA reactor, so keeping up with CA would not be an issue.

Brew12 · Aug 25, 2018

Wrasse-cal said:
Thanks. I’ve thought about vibrant, but am frankly a bit leery of the long term consequences. I’ve gone as far to have a bottle in my cart then change my mind.

My short term worry would be the effect of the vibrant on my chaeto. I’ve read mixed things about if the vibrant will kill the chaeto. My algae reactor is stabilizing my pH pretty well, and I’d hate to get my chemistry out of whack.

I’ve thought as well about switching the algae reactor to run when my tank lights are on to hopefully outcompete the display tank algae. The negative here would be to negate the pH benefit I get running the reactor opposite my display.

I’ve therefore considered getting a SECOND algae reactor to run when my main tank is lit. That might be overkill, but I’m not sure.

The other option I was thinking about was clams. I’ve read that clams are good filters—the question though is how many and what size would I need to make a significant impact on nutrients. This might not be feasible for that reason. On the plus side, I’ve got a good CA reactor, so keeping up with CA would not be an issue.

Legitimate concerns. You would need to take the chaeto reactor off line while using Vibrant weekly. Once you went back to every other week it's fine. My fuge does well staying on the every other week dosing of Vibrant. You do lose some pH stability while doing it, but to me clearing the algae was a higher priority.

Wrasse-cal · Aug 31, 2018

Well, the algae war continues, but perhaps with some progress. The green hair/turf algae is still there, but is it is finally noticeably improving. On the negative though I'm battling now what I hope is a case of cyanobacteria and not dinos.

My nitrates are steady at 5 ppm and my phosphates read .02 ppm per my nifty new Hanna LR checker. I've been leery of letting my nitrates go below 5 ppm based on some of what I've read on the gigantic dino thread.

Here is what I've done since last week:

1. Added 5 2 inch maxima clams;
2. Added 5 pincushion urchins;
3. Added 4 fighting conchs;
4. Added 4 mithrax crabs (2 red 2 green);
4. Blowing my rocks to dislodge the brown (cyano?) that coats them. (This is probably not doing much.)

My hope with the clams is that they'd be a new form of filtration. (They are also really neat) The urchins appear to be making a dent in the green turf/hair algae. The conchs are active and eating, so I'll assume they are helping.

Alk has been steady at 7.98
pH range is 8.27-8.0
Ca is 410
Mg is 1300
Temp 79-80

Wrasse-cal · Sep 1, 2018

Now I'm at a loss. #reefsquad, is this cyano or dinos?

This first picture (to me at least) looks more like cyano.

This second picture is a close up after blowing my rocks with all of the pumps off. The clumping into strands makes me worried it's dinos?

ndrwater · Sep 1, 2018

Cyano..

Brew12 · Sep 1, 2018

Wrasse-cal said:
Now I'm at a loss. #reefsquad, is this cyano or dinos?

This first picture (to me at least) looks more like cyano.

This second picture is a close up after blowing my rocks with all of the pumps off. The clumping into strands makes me worried it's dinos?

It can be hard to tell with some strains of each without a microscope. I feel it looks more like cyano, but not confident.

Wrasse-cal · Sep 1, 2018

ndrwater said:
Cyano..

Thanks. Per testing, my nitrates are at 5 ppm and my phosphates are at .02 ppm. Short of chemiclean, do you have any suggestions?

Brew12 said:
It can be hard to tell with some strains of each without a microscope. I feel it looks more like cyano, but not confident.

Thanks. Would you still try vibrant?

Brew12 · Sep 1, 2018

Wrasse-cal said:
Thanks. Would you still try vibrant?

I would, but I'm a Vibrant junkie. I feel it has done wonders for my tank. The downside is that it could make the cyano worse in the short term but it would help clean up the algae which will help with nutrients and combating the cyano in the long term.

Wrasse-cal · Sep 6, 2018

I bit the bullet and dosed 3.5 ml of vibrant today.

@Brew12, I estimate this is a conservative half dose for a tank with about 75 gallons water after rock/sand/equipment displacement. Should I do the full 7.5 ml, or wait?

Brew12 · Sep 6, 2018

Wrasse-cal said:
I bit the bullet and dosed 3.5 ml of vibrant today.

@Brew12, I estimate this is a conservative half dose for a tank with about 75 gallons water after rock/sand/equipment displacement. Should I do the full 7.5 ml, or wait?

I would do the full dose. I only know of one case where dosing Vibrant triggered immediate problems. That was in a tank that was loaded with heavy metals from black sand. I know people have accidently done a 10x dose with no issues.

Wrasse-cal · Sep 6, 2018

Brew12 said:
I would do the full dose. I only know of one case where dosing Vibrant triggered immediate problems. That was in a tank that was loaded with heavy metals from black sand. I know people have accidently done a 10x dose with no issues.

OK. I'll do it...4 more ml.

Wrasse-cal · Sep 6, 2018

So, now I wait 2 weeks?

Brew12 · Sep 6, 2018

Wrasse-cal said:
So, now I wait 2 weeks?

One week. 2 weeks is if your tank is clean and you are just trying to keep it that way. I do 2 weeks right now.

rwc2002 · Sep 9, 2018

I'm looking into getting this tank and I cant find anywhere that states the internal display dimensions. Mainly the overflow box any way you could get me those dimensions. I have all my rock already wanting to play with some layouts and get it curing before tank gets here. Need to know how far it comes out and how wide it is in the display. Thanks

Wrasse-cal · Sep 24, 2018

Ugh, whomever said reefing was a relaxing hobby clearly doesn't have a tank like mine!

On Friday at 4:00 PM, my return pump failed suddenly. My Varios-6 started to make a buzzing sound, then stopped working. I disassembled the pump and the magnet was off of the impeller. The pump is less than a year old. Coralvue support was basically closing when the failure happened, so I wasn't able to get much help.

Thankfully, I had a spare pump, my old noisy Sicce 1500 Pro. A quick trip to the hardware store for some fittings and my return was (noisily) humming along.

This morning, Coralvue emailed back and is sending a replacement impeller.

Then on Saturday, I was cleaning my glass and moved a magnetic frag rack. Being lazy, I slid the rack as opposed to sticking my hand in the tank, re-positioning the rack and replacing the dry side magnet. Well, right in the middle of my front pane of glass is a now a deep 10 inch long scratch! My fingernail catches the scratch. I let out some choice words since I don't think a scratch like this can be really repaired.

On Sunday, I noticed my battle with dinos appears to be starting to turn the corner; but not however without casualties. Though I did everything I could to save them, all my SPS frags, but two, have now died or are now close to death with significant tissue necrosis--including a beautiful battlebox from @Battlecorals.

The corals would be smothered with dinos, and while I'd blow them off as often as I could with a turkey baster (multiple times per day) I guess it wasn't enough to keep them alive.

NY_Caveman · Sep 25, 2018

Wrasse-cal said:
Ugh, whomever said reefing was a relaxing hobby clearly doesn't have a tank like mine!

On Friday at 4:00 PM, my return pump failed suddenly. My Varios-6 started to make a buzzing sound, then stopped working. I disassembled the pump and the magnet was off of the impeller. The pump is less than a year old. Coralvue support was basically closing when the failure happened, so I wasn't able to get much help.

Thankfully, I had a spare pump, my old noisy Sicce 1500 Pro. A quick trip to the hardware store for some fittings and my return was (noisily) humming along.

This morning, Coralvue emailed back and is sending a replacement impeller.

Then on Saturday, I was cleaning my glass and moved a magnetic frag rack. Being lazy, I slid the rack as opposed to sticking my hand in the tank, re-positioning the rack and replacing the dry side magnet. Well, right in the middle of my front pane of glass is a now a deep 10 inch long scratch! My fingernail catches the scratch. I let out some choice words since I don't think a scratch like this can be really repaired.

On Sunday, I noticed my battle with dinos appears to be starting to turn the corner; but not however without casualties. Though I did everything I could to save them, all my SPS frags, but two, have now died or are now close to death with significant tissue necrosis--including a beautiful battlebox from @Battlecorals. The corals would be smothered with dinos, and while I'd blow them off as often as I could with a turkey baster (multiple times per day) I guess it wasn't enough to keep them alive.

Wow, what an insane, frustrating weekend. Seems there is no where to go but up from here.

Wrasse-cal · Oct 19, 2018

I think I am turning the corner.

My tank parameters are stable. My nitrates hold between 3 and 5 ppm (with occasional NO3 dosing). My phosphates hold between .03 and .07. Ca is stable at 425. Mg is stable at 1300.

I've finally tuned my Calcium reactor and my KH is stable at 8.4.

My pH swing is only about .1, going between 7.95 to 8.1 daily. (I wish I could get it a bit higher though)

My battle with Dinoflagellates appears to be won. I added a UV filter, dosed nitrates and phosphates, siphoned my sand daily, added filter socks, dosed coral snow, and dosed vibrant. The battle was not without casualties. I lost most of my clean up crew and all of my coral. My clams (thankfully) have not been affected, in fact, they are all showing signs of growth.