Waterbox Marine X 90.3

[xWascallyWabbit]

Hello all,

This will be my first build thread. I'm not a man of many words so I'll jump right into it.

Equipment:
Waterbox 90.3
Sicce Syncra Silent 4.0
4 stage RODI
2x AI Prime 16HD
300w titanium Heater w/ Ink bird controller.

Sand and rock are on their way, I'll update when rock scape is built. I will be attempting an NSA rockscape with marco rock and fiji pink sand

Still to buy:
Protein skimmer - TBD (Open to suggestion)
Nero 5
Gyre -TBD (not needed for several months)

Proposed stocking list and tentative order of introduction into system:
Fritz turbo start 900 (cycle complete)
-Two Ocellaris Clownfish
-CUC as needed
•Throchus Snails
•Nassarius Snails
•Copepod mix (probably ecopods by algae barn for diversity)
-Coraline Algae
-Algae/Sailfin Bleeny
-Royal Gramma
- Yellow tang

After achieving the slow stocking order, it should be about three to five month in. Now I'll begin introducing corals. I'll start with a zoanthid or two to test my lighting and make sure my parameters stay in check.

I'll pause here and wait to update until my rockscape is built. I'll be posting several photos and updating this thread every step of the way. I will be working towards a weekly update to show the good and bad. Have fun following me along this journey and feel free to make suggestions or ask questions.

Happy reefing!

 

[jimmyPx]

Looks good, I too just received my new tank, a Waterbox MarineX 110.4.

I look forward to seeing the rest of your build.

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Ok everyone. Time for an update. I have spent some time and even more money acquiring some necessary equipment. I have also been slowly prepping the tank and I have made some progress that I'll share today.

Up first is the LED backlights, the AI HD Prime 16's

I have done some wire maintenance still more to come. (I'll add a carbon/phosphate reactor, protein skimmer, and 2 nero 5's)

Rodi system will be installed under the sink and the rock broken apart and ready to be turned into an awesome aquascape.

I'll post the next few photos when there is water in the tank!

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Quick update:
The rockscape has been built and is in the tank.

 

[jbozarth78]

What lid did you get for the 90.3?

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

What lid did you get for the 90.3?

I have not ordered the lid yet but I am leaning towards one from top lids. I will be getting one sooner rather than later so I'll post an update.

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Just a quick update for today. I have added the water and we are officially cycling the tank.

Added Fritz turbo start 900 and am currently ghost feeding pellet food until ammonia is traceable.

Today is day two no ammonia yet.

Temp is set to 78.3 - 79.1 w/ an ink bird controller and 1 300w heater. (A second will be added for redundancy in a few months)

Salinity is at 35 ppt

Next update will come when there is detectable Nitrate.

Happy new year everyone!

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Looks like the cycle is currently underway. Definitely a change in the Nitrite from yesterday.

 

[sdjoe]

Nice tank and scape! Just started a cycle on the same.

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Cycle is complete and I have my first inhabitants other than bacteria.

 

[Cincy_Reefer]

Cycle is complete and I have my first inhabitants other than bacteria.

Congrats man! Looking great. What type of clowns you got there?

My 90.3 gets delivered tomorrow, got almost all the equipment aside from a skimmer. Waiting on carib life rocks too.

Are you running with any media in the sump like a bio plate?

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Congrats man! Looking great. What type of clowns you got there?

My 90.3 gets delivered tomorrow, got almost all the equipment aside from a skimmer. Waiting on carib life rocks too.

Are you running with any media in the sump like a bio plate?

Thank you.
It's been fun so far setting up this 90.3

To answer your questions,
The clowns are 1 standard Ocellaris (Nemo) clown. And 1 Black Ice clown
I do have a media reactor from BRS that I will eventually run carbon and GFO if needed. No skimmer yet and i also put all the extra rock from the scaping into the sump.

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Copepods from Algaebarn are in tonight.

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Update time!
Current inhabitants:
-Two Clowns (Nemo & Mr Fishy)
-Engineer goby (Gobi wan Kenobi)
-Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Mr Shrimp)
-Royal Gramma (Not named yet)
-Algae Blenny (Lenny the Blenny)
-Tiger Conch (Sid)
-3 Nassarius snails
-5 Trochus snails

It has been 3 months since the tank has started. I have purchased a protein skimmer (Curve 5 elite) cleaned weekly and a media reactor running 1 cup of carbon changed out biweekly. Water changes have been every 3 weeks so far. I do them as needed and have no corals so my parameters stay pretty consistent except the slow climb of nitrates. Once they hit 10ppm I prep for a water change the next week. 15 gals out and 15 gal back in. My lighting is done by 2 AI 16hd primes. I'm running a saxby schedule that's modified a little bit for toned down whites and less red&green.
Salinity-1.025
Nitrates 5-10ppm
Temp 77-78

Today I noticed for the first time that I have a few tiny spots of coralline algae on my rock!

I will be waiting another month or two to start adding corals as I'd like to make sure my tank is nice and stable and I have my wedding coming up in May plus selling my old house so there's too much to do and I'm delegating my budget to more important things at the moment.

I'm pretty excited that things are coming along with the tank. I'll post a few photos I've gathered.
(White lights are on for photos of fish)

 

[KaitCorals]

Thanks for sharing your plan looks methodical

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Small update today everyone. I have placed my first coral in the tank.

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

What lid did you get for the 90.3?

I have officially ordered the Top Lids lid for my tank. I will post an update when it arrives

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

I have made it to my first frag swap attached are my newest corals.
It also appears my hammer has been growing a little bit.

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Aside from my new coral, I have made a few adjustments to the tank.
- I lessened my carbon usage to 1/2 cup and change it monthly.
- Battled Dino's for about a month. I was running my skimmer 24/7 and I think I stripped the nutrients from the water my nitrates and phosphates bottomed out. I turned off the skimmer and changed my socks less frequently to slowly up the nutrients. Did manual removal of the dino until it regained balance.
- Added some Reef Rax magnetic frag racks I'll continue to adjust their positions until I like the aesthetic.

- I've added new fish a Tomini Tang, Longnose Hawkfish, and Yellow Coris Wrasse.
- Nero 5 ordered, Top Lids lid ordered, and ATO ordered. I'll post updates when it all arrives!

 

[sdjoe]

I have officially ordered the Top Lids lid for my tank. I will post an update when it arrives

I just received my Top Lids lid for this same tank and love it!