DarkReefer's Waterbox 70.2 (My First Marine Tank!)

MarkOfTel

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Hi DarkReefer,
I have just got a reef 70.2 and wanted to know how high your water level is in the DT? Also how high it is in the sump with the return pump running?
 
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DarkReefer

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Hi DarkReefer,
I have just got a reef 70.2 and wanted to know how high your water level is in the DT? Also how high it is in the sump with the return pump running?
Hey mate,

the water level in my DT is high enough to just start going into the overflow, once I got it to this height. I filled up the sump without the pump running initially and filled it up until there was probably about an inch or two off the top. (I think the pic of the sump in post # 8 is with it running.) This is so that if you have a power outage you can see how high your sump will be and not flood the place.

Once you turn the pump on the water level, particularly in the pump chamber will drop, this is normal, don't try and top it off unless it's sucking air and then I'd be doing minimal, as if the power goes out and you've overfilled it it'll spill everywhere.

Hope that helps
 
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DarkReefer

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Finally have some life in the tank!
Certainly been a bit of a process to get here. Just hope that things continue well and the fish and snails stay happy.

Was initially going to get a zombie snail as I they looked to be big meaty things and thought it'd be cool. Ended up with 2x Trochus Snails instead. Reason for this, after discussing with LFS, it was suggested that these would be better for my tank in it's current state as the algae will likely show up soon etc and these are apparently better at controlling that than the zombies are. Zombie snails are so cool though, we got a demonstration on how they act when food comes out and they're pretty interesting!

Picked up my Octo 110S Skimmer, purchased an AI Nero 3, bought the last 2 orange clown fish they had in stock, some food and I was on my way!

Acclimating
20210130_134011.jpg
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The Nero 3, currently have it running around 51% (about 5047 LPH)
20210130_134024.jpg


The Octo Skimmer, bit of a tight fit but she's in there.
20210130_154230.jpg

Still working on dialing in the head but I think this is ok...(will continue to monitor though).
20210130_154257.jpg


Finally have the lights going, have it set to about 50% on acclimation mode now.
Clowns are hovering around one side of the tank at the moment (side closest to the rest of the room really).
20210130_154114.jpg
+

Already pulled this guy off of the glass and put him to the bottom of the tank and he's made his way back up to the top again almost immediately and hovering around the top of the water.
20210130_154144.jpg


This guy on the other hand has made himself at home on the rocks. Always have to go looking for him as he moves around and blends in quite well lol.
20210130_154138.jpg



Full tank shot
20210130_154218.jpg


Now to sit back and enjoy for a few weeks until things stabilise some more, then to look at some corals :)
 

ReefRusty

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I find the snails sit at the top of tank where water ends. But are very active during the night on sand bed.

Happy to see life in the tank. What food did you get. How have they found their new home?
 
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DarkReefer

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I find the snails sit at the top of tank where water ends. But are very active during the night on sand bed.

Happy to see life in the tank. What food did you get. How have they found their new home?

Ahh okay, yeah the snails have basically found their own spots and stopped (basically where they are in the pictures). I expected that at night they'll fire up and start moving around again so good to hear that is the case.

Clownfish seem to be doing well swimming about okay. They seem adamant to stay in that particular section/side of the tank though. They haven't ventured into the rock area or to the otherside where the powerhead is yet.

Food I got is some Vitalis marine pellets for now. Fish seem to eat them too as I gave them a very tiny bit earlier.
I'll add or potentially switch to frozen foods or something a bit later when there's corals and other fish to feed also.
 
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DarkReefer

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Update!
Today I added my very first corals!
I got 3 to start off with, some zoas, a duncan/daisy?, and a green hammer.

This was was my first time trying to dip them, I used ReVive coral cleaner. I'm sure a few different people have different ways to do it, but I just put 1 capful into the bag that they came in, shook it up a bit (not too violently though), and then let them sit for 5-10 minutes. Gave them a quick rinse in some RO water and then straight into the tank.
This was the way I was told to do it by my LFS and apparently they way this particular guy did it, seemed the most straight forward to me and he said it worked so we'll see how they get on.

Was going to glue them in but the glue/gum thing I bought was some no brand stuff which seemed to be stuck in the bottle. Cut the tube open and it was like the glue had coagulated into some very thick substance that didn't want to move. Was very sticky but wouldn't come out of the tube with ease, so into the bin it went.

These are all pics taken within in minutes of adding to the tank so nothing has opened up etc. Will take some more when they hopefully open up and become happy.

Zoa
20210207_135804.jpg


Hammer
20210207_135739.jpg


Duncan
20210207_135913.jpg


All in one
20210207_135845.jpg
 
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DarkReefer

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Looking great can't wait to see the open mate. How am your parameters? I'll inbox you some great zoa frags in Perth
Cheers mate,

Didn't actually get them tested. I was going to buy the Hanna Alk and Phosphate test units but when I asked the guy if I need to worry about those parameters yet, he's like nah not yet. Give it a few months and once you've added more livestock etc then you'll probably need to monitor it but for now water changes will be fine.
 

CrimsonTide

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Everything is looking good! Strangely I added duncan to my tank on the same day! Great minds think a like. Hope they all do well send a picture with the duncans and hammers open. They look like nice pieces! I almost boughtca hammer yesterday too but they were very small at the store and I was worried my clowns might just pester it to death!
 
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DarkReefer

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Everything is looking good! Strangely I added duncan to my tank on the same day! Great minds think a like. Hope they all do well send a picture with the duncans and hammers open. They look like nice pieces! I almost boughtca hammer yesterday too but they were very small at the store and I was worried my clowns might just pester it to death!

Thanks! Your duncan looks great, certainly seemed bigger with longer tentacles. Looks amazing.
Will definitely post some new ones tonight.
The hammer and duncan certainly opened up more as time went on yesterday and duncan a lot more over night.
Hopefully by the time I get home should be some good shots!
Hopefully the Zoas have really come out too.
 
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DarkReefer

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So here's some updated pics. The hammer and duncan have certainly come out more, then duncan definitely isn't as amazing as yours @CrimsonTide but still looks interesting.
Zoas looking nice and bright but looking forward to them hopefully getting larger over time.

20210208_172913.jpg


20210208_172857.jpg


20210208_172905.jpg
 

CrimsonTide

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So here's some updated pics. The hammer and duncan have certainly come out more, then duncan definitely isn't as amazing as yours @CrimsonTide but still looks interesting.
Zoas looking nice and bright but looking forward to them hopefully getting larger over time.

20210208_172913.jpg


20210208_172857.jpg


20210208_172905.jpg
Everything looks good. I like the hammer and zoa. The duncans look fine. They might get more stringy as time goes on. U can always try to feed them with a pipette some food.
 

CrimsonTide

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The duncans will probably eat whatever you are feeding the clowns. Just use a pipette and send it to their little mouths. But coral food would work as well now that you also have the hammers.
 
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DarkReefer

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The duncans will probably eat whatever you are feeding the clowns. Just use a pipette and send it to their little mouths. But coral food would work as well now that you also have the hammers.
I'm only feeding some sort of soft pellet at the moment, I did have to try it with one though, closed right up obviously as soon as I touched it and it took the food. It opened back up some time after though.

Looks like my ugly stage is about to hit me hard.
Diatoms is it ?
Started noticing some darker patches on the sand, even some browny patches on some of the cement I used to hold the rock together.

This should be fun LOL

Hard to see due to lighting but here's some pics.

The dark patch next to the duncan on the sand is one.

20210209_183032.jpg


The dark streak across the sand toward the front of the tank there is also another patch.
20210209_183045.jpg


What's the best way to combat this? snails and regular WC?
Any other suggestions ?
 

ReefRusty

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Im going through it now, but left it for 10 days then vacumed up the sandbed, I'm sure it will come back but looking very white and crisp for now. No doubt it be short lived.
 
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