AQUAFOREST and WATERBOX OH MY!!

120reefkeeper · Apr 11, 2018

Sometimes I just sit and stare! Lol no coral yet but just looking at the Rock work and the fish .... love it!

jsker · Apr 11, 2018

120reefkeeper said:
Sometimes I just sit and stare! Lol no coral yet but just looking at the Rock work and the fish .... love it!

What is next?

120reefkeeper · Apr 11, 2018

That’s a really great question! I’m thinking more fish or maybe.... just maybe some introductory corals.

This is going to be an everyday type tank so nothing crazy... lol maybe some softies, LPS ,mmmm maybe some easier to keep SPS ??

You’ll have to stay tuned to find out! Lol

C-Reefer · Apr 12, 2018

That's some super cool rockwork. Its going to look incredible filled in! LPS tank my favorite! I like my softies, LPS, and a few easy SPS reefs. Euphyllia are my favorite corals ever. I just love the motion.

120reefkeeper · Apr 12, 2018

Thanks and welcome aboard! [emoji4]

cracker · Apr 12, 2018

surprised I haven't seem this before .

Ruben's Reef · Apr 12, 2018

!!! Awesome build !!! Following>>>

120reefkeeper · Apr 12, 2018

cracker said:
surprised I haven't seem this before .

So am I!! Glad you found it! Welcome[emoji4]

120reefkeeper · Apr 12, 2018

spyder813 said:
!!! Awesome build !!! Following>>>

Thanks for the compliment! Glad to have you! Stay tuned for more! [emoji6][emoji4]

Xclusive Reef · Apr 18, 2018

Mike when your tank requires alk are you going to just dose alk in your tank? I want to run AF but not sure how it works since i only have low alk at this time.

120reefkeeper · Apr 19, 2018

Xclusive Reef said:
Mike when your tank requires alk are you going to just dose alk in your tank? I want to run AF but not sure how it works since i only have low alk at this time.

When it comes to dosing generally people first notice their Alkalinity lower. This has to do with the relationship between Alkalinity, Calcium and magnesium. It’s always best to ensure that your Calcium and magnesium are in balance with the alkalinity your keeping your system at. It is ok to dose just Alkalinity if needed, but be aware that this will in effect have an effect on the other 2.

Early on hand dosing or even just weekly water changes maybe enough to keep up with the demand. As demand grows so does the need to dose and the appropriate way to dose.

For example you maybe able to do water changes at first , then you may have to hand dose. As your corals grow or you add more coral you might try kalkwasser in your ATO.

As you continue to progress you’ll want to add a doser to your system or even a calcium Reactor.

I’ve seen large SPS systems that use multiple levels of dosing IE... a Calcium Reactor and a series of dosing pumps. This was necessary due to the very high demand of such a large system.

All of these dosing options depend on many variables.

System volume, types , sizes and amounts of corals kept and most importantly the demand of the tank. [emoji4]

I hope this answers some of your questions .

Xclusive Reef · Apr 20, 2018

120reefkeeper said:
When it comes to dosing generally people first notice their Alkalinity lower. This has to do with the relationship between Alkalinity, Calcium and magnesium. It’s always best to ensure that your Calcium and magnesium are in balance with the alkalinity your keeping your system at. It is ok to dose just Alkalinity if needed, but be aware that this will in effect have an effect on the other 2.

Early on hand dosing or even just weekly water changes maybe enough to keep up with the demand. As demand grows so does the need to dose and the appropriate way to dose.

For example you maybe able to do water changes at first , then you may have to hand dose. As your corals grow or you add more coral you might try kalkwasser in your ATO.

As you continue to progress you’ll want to add a doser to your system or even a calcium Reactor.

I’ve seen large SPS systems that use multiple levels of dosing IE... a Calcium Reactor and a series of dosing pumps. This was necessary due to the very high demand of such a large system.

All of these dosing options depend on many variables.

System volume, types , sizes and amounts of corals kept and most importantly the demand of the tank. [emoji4]

I hope this answers some of your questions .

makes sense.. I have ordered alk and AF component 123... I am doing 15% water changes and alk at at 7. to get alk to 7.7-7.8 i have to do a 35%-40% water change. lol so I will keep doing water changes and manually dose as needed.

Banouie · Apr 23, 2018

Late to the party but following eagerly. Firstly sterling work, inspiring! I’m also using AF salt and 123, I’m keen to see what other AF products you will be using and the advantages it gives to your livestock. Finally, I currently run Rowaphos through a reactor but am considering a switch to the AF reactor with its mixed media...any stand out results/advantages you can list?

Apologies for the million questions! Good luck with the rest of the project

120reefkeeper · Apr 23, 2018

Banouie said:
Late to the party but following eagerly. Firstly sterling work, inspiring! I’m also using AF salt and 123, I’m keen to see what other AF products you will be using and the advantages it gives to your livestock. Finally, I currently run Rowaphos through a reactor but am considering a switch to the AF reactor with its mixed media...any stand out results/advantages you can list?

Apologies for the million questions! Good luck with the rest of the project

Welcome and Glad you could make it! Ive had great success with all the Aquaforest range. This is not the first system that I’ve run their products on and it won’t be my last. I think the results stand for themselves. If you’ve seen tanks run their products then you know you can expect. Great coral coloration and growth, stable NSW levels and above all consistency is their products at affordable prices! [emoji6]

I would highly encourage you to try more of their offering! You won’t be disappointed with any of them. [emoji4]

120reefkeeper · Apr 23, 2018

Now in further news.... today I was alerted by my Neptune Apex that my Aquaforest/ Waterbox tank had lost communication with the server... hmmm strange.

I quickly logged in to my other tanks and everything is online and ok. I thought well that’s strange....

I was about to get off work so I knew the system hadn’t been down very long and I have a battery backup so I wasn’t super concerned.

I get home and see the system totally down. Everything is off except the battery backup . Upon further investigation I find that I actually tripped a breaker on my circuit breaker panel.

So I decided to reset it and investigate further. I noticed one of my 2 heaters was not coming on. The tank temperature had dipped to 77 degrees Fahrenheit so both heaters should be functioning.

I attempted to unplug and plug the heater back in.... nothing .... dead. This heater is only about 3 months old mind you.

So I pull the heater out of the sump and look what I found.

I have left a message with the manufacturer of the heater and hope to hear back from them soon.

So I decided to add a poly filter to the tank along with fresh carbon. I’ve also taken my heater from my saltwater mixing station and put it online into they system and no ..... it’s not the same brand . [emoji6]

NY_Caveman · Apr 23, 2018

120reefkeeper said:
Now in further news.... today I was alerted by my Neptune Apex that my Aquaforest/ Waterbox tank had lost communication with the server... hmmm strange.

I quickly logged in to my other tanks and everything is online and ok. I thought well that’s strange....

I was about to get off work so I knew the system hadn’t been down very long and I have a battery backup so I wasn’t super concerned.

I get home and see the system totally down. Everything is off except the battery backup . Upon further investigation I find that I actually tripped a breaker on my circuit breaker panel.

So I decided to reset it and investigate further. I noticed one of my 2 heaters was not coming on. The tank temperature had dipped to 77 degrees Fahrenheit so both heaters should be functioning.

I attempted to unplug and plug the heater back in.... nothing .... dead. This heater is only about 3 months old mind you.

So I pull the heater out of the sump and look what I found.

I have left a message with the manufacturer of the heater and hope to hear back from them soon.

So I decided to add a poly filter to the tank along with fresh carbon. I’ve also taken my heater from my saltwater mixing station and put it online into they system and no ..... it’s not the same brand . [emoji6]

Well, that is no fun. In general, it seems heaters of any manufacturer are one of the least expensive items we put in our tanks and yet consistently cause the biggest headaches.

120reefkeeper · Apr 23, 2018

NY_Caveman said:
Well, that is no fun. In general, it seems heaters of any manufacturer are one of the least expensive items we put in our tanks and yet consistently cause the biggest headaches.

Totally agree, 3 months??? Lol

I’m one of those guys who actually takes heaters out after 1 year and tosses them in the trash. This one surprised me!

Fudsey · Apr 23, 2018

That looks very familiar to me. I had a heater that looked very similar to that one do the exact same thing.

Mind PMing me the brand to confirm?

Xclusive Reef · Apr 23, 2018

Fudsey said:
That looks very familiar to me. I had a heater that looked very similar to that one do the exact same thing.

Mind PMing me the brand to confirm?

are you worried at all that it could have leached something into the system?

120reefkeeper · Apr 24, 2018

Xclusive Reef said:
are you worried at all that it could have leached something into the system?

I am but at this point all I can do is try to treat etc. the tank currently doesn’t have coral yet. The fish look fine so far. What I’ll probably do is a couple of water changes and then send off an ICP-OES test and see how things look. These days I don’t get to excited about what has happened and just do what I need to do