DORY'S PLAYPLACE

Mitch Summerford · Dec 19, 2019

First of all let me introduce myself. I have been in the hobby for 1 year and have a waterbox cube 20. I have been successful for the most part growing all kinds of coral and keeping a few fish, but already upgrading.

Honest review - I received my Waterbox 130 yesterday and there was good and bad. The good is I still believe it is the best product for that price range. The cabinet is heavy duty and nicely set up, the sump is great (besides the small ATO, but I'm converting to a refugium). Also it is beautiful. There is some bad though. The instructions are literally 1 page with a few pictures. I mean come on there's like 200 pieces. Luckily there is a youtube video, but it is out of date and there is a few things that are different. Also the Waterbox QC must not be great. The right side back panel wasn't drilled at the top where you have to put 2 cam screws. I drilled it myself. Also 3 of the nuts that go on the leveling feet didn't have threads on them so you couldn't use them, luckily they give you 2 extra so I'm only down 1 which shouldn't be a huge deal. Last they are supposed to give you enough white leveling feet to go around the outside front and sides, but I was one short so had to use a black one. Again not a huge deal but it's like I'm spending 2500 dollars you expect it to at least have the right parts. Took me like 4 - 5 hours to get this thing done. I will say the way it was packed was great! In the end I can live with these things because after you power through it's beautiful piece of furniture. Also I love the T that comes on the the return bulkhead that allows you to put a 1/2" manifold.

The parts. I'm currently waiting on a buddy to help me get the tank on the stand and will post pics when I get everything together. I should have it all plumbed and aquascaped by the end of the week.

Equipment
2 eheim jaiger 150w heaters
1.0 Torque reactor
2 maxspec gyre 330s
Icecap battery backup v2 (when they become available at the end of the month)
2 AI Hydra 52s
Jebao return pump
Regal 150 INT protein skimmer
Red Sea Filter Cups
Tunze 3155 and 20Gallon Container
Doser: GHL 2.1 or Coralbox Wifi doser (Will get when I need to start dosing)
Clearview classic lid (have to wait like 4 weeks for this)

Stocking List
Blue tang
Yellow Tang
Desjardini Tang
Tailspot Blenny
2 designer clowns
1 male Lyretail anthia
Leopard Wrasse
Naoko wrasse
Goby of some kind

If anyone has any questions on the tank or any suggestions let me know.

Auquanut · Dec 22, 2019

Congrats on the new tank! It's kind of surprising and disappointing about the condition you received it in. One would expect more from a reputable manufacturer. Glad you got it sorted out. Sounds like you have a solid plan for moving foreword. Good luck on the build.

Mitch Summerford · Dec 31, 2019

Update, didn't realize how much work setting up everything for a big tank takes. I have half of the aquascape done (the other half is just going to set in from my nano tank.) I love the Caribsea arches, that is all that was used. All the plumbing is done. I love how converting my ato to a fuge worked out, I bought an acrylic sheet from BRS and siliconed it in so light won't hit anything else. Only issue I have right now is my skimmer is overflowing nonstop on the lowest pump setting so seeing if it just needs broken in. Letting it run for now. I also want to make a floating shelf with some extra magnets I have soon.

Cycle is pretty much complete I have sky high nitrates though so will start some small water changes until I can get them down before I transfer and add fish. I don't have anything bigger than a 20g container so will have to do a few. Here is some pics of what I have so far. Also, I'm still working on the wire management and when I swap everything over will set up my DJ switch and make it look all neat.

Also I have no patience I want to add fish so bad but all the LFS are out of fish because they don't get fish in during holidays.

Mitch Summerford · Dec 31, 2019

Also forgot to mention I ordered a clearview lid. I was going to rent a par meter and check my par but should I wait until I get my lid to test par? Should I just test it without the lid and then add a few percent? Any suggestions?

Mitch Summerford · Jan 3, 2020

Here is an update, I got all of my livestock moved over to the new tank. My nitrates are still high but working on getting the fuge going to help. I dropped my primd hd in the water trying to mount it and that was expensive mistake. Also I just cemented a tunze magenet to make a floating shelf on the back wall. We will see if it works.

Mitch Summerford · Mar 4, 2020

Haven't updated in a while. My custom floating rock worked perfectly. I got a blue tang and got velvet

so I'm going fallow and I started a QT so I can QT all fish now. I'm focusing on coral right now while going fallow. I rented a par meter and got everything dialed in. Here is my par I finished on. I'll try to get some pics of the new coral I just got. Also am going to set up my doser this weekend as well.

Mitch Summerford · Mar 9, 2020

Another update: got my komeor x1 dosers hooked up and running. Just doing alk and calcium right now. Dialing in the daily dosage as it got a little high at 9.4. I added my first expensive corals a few days ago: bubble tip nem and a large Pink Hammer. Both are doing great besides the nem is now in the back where you can't see it

. Any ideas on how to get it to move up front and stay? Also I am QT'ing my fish in my closet and all is going well there. Almost done with copper and had to treat the tang with antibiotics which was successful. Feeling good where am at, since it's only been going a few months. Here is a video of what it looks like right now.