Fez's slice of the Reef aka the Waterbox 70.3 Build

Fezbearer · Jul 26, 2020

Doing my first WC since the tank fully cycled, and made the mistake of getting distracted while I was measuring salt. Ended up with an SG of 1.035. Kicking myself for that, doubly so for letting the water mix for half the day before testing. Making more RODI to lower the SG, down to 1.027 now.

Fezbearer · Jul 27, 2020

Heading out tomorrow to pick up my CUC. For a 40g tank, what is a good mix? 3-4 Cerith, 3-4 Trochus, and a Nassarius?

SofishticatedREEFER · Jul 28, 2020

in my 50.3 my starting line up 5astreas 4 ceriths 4 nerites 3 nassarius 3 stomatella 1 conch I’ll prob get 3 trochus 3 more nassarius n 1 conch down the line

Fezbearer · Jul 28, 2020

Just got done acclimating the snails. I ended up with 3 nassarius, 3 cerith, and 5 trochus. Nassarius buried themselves immediately. The cerith are meandering around the sand bed, Three of the trochus stuck to each other during the transfer from bag to tank. One is wiggling his parts, and the final one wants nothing to do with them and moved to the other side of the aquarium.

Fezbearer · Aug 2, 2020

Snails are doing their thing in the tank, and have managed to eat most of the algae in the tank. I am putting in bits of nori for them to find, and a small piece of wakame. I'm also putting in small amounts of the betta flakes that I used to feed my carnivorous plants.

Since there isn't much to watch in the tank, I'd been amusing myself watching the nassarius arising from the sand bed every time they sense in the tank. There's also these two jerks. For the first couple of days this trochus would just chill there until the cerith would try to climb on him. He'd knock him off and then go back to chilling in his spot.

Fezbearer · Aug 5, 2020

The plywood panel that I order from Home Depot arrived on Monday. After opening up the box, I noticed a slight error. I ordered .5" plywood, but got .75". Measured out the size of the internals of the cabinet and cut it. Glued a couple of 1x2's in the back for support, for the mounting screws. Drilled most of the holes, and then took a break as I wasn't totally in love with how I organized the panel.

Fezbearer · Aug 7, 2020

Threw on a couple coats of stain on the panel yesterday morning. Glued in the grommets yesterday evening and let everything dry. Mounted the panel into the Besta cabinet early in the morning and then started mounting my gear.

Fezbearer · Aug 16, 2020

Update: At the moment, I'm glad I've been holding off on my initial stocking. I'm currently dealing with the heatwave in California, so I'm getting a chance to find ways of cooling my tank sans chiller or AC. I'm using a combo of icepacks, ice cubes, and frozen milk jugs. This seems to be working, though I definitely need to purchase a few more icepacks and freeze more water.

Flux Capacitor · Aug 16, 2020

Fezbearer said:
Update: At the moment, I'm glad I've been holding off on my initial stocking. I'm currently dealing with the heatwave in California, so I'm getting a chance to find ways of cooling my tank sans chiller or AC. I'm using a combo of icepacks, ice cubes, and frozen milk jugs. This seems to be working, though I definitely need to purchase a few more icepacks and freeze more water.

How hot is the tank getting? You could use a clip on fan over the top of your tank. That should cool you right back down without needed to freeze anything. Mine will cool my tank 3-4 degrees if I let it. I set my apex to turn the fan on when the tank goes .5 degrees over 78, works like a charm!

Fezbearer · Aug 16, 2020

Aero175 said:
How hot is the tank getting? You could use a clip on fan over the top of your tank. That should cool you right back down without needed to freeze anything. Mine will cool my tank 3-4 degrees if I let it. I set my apex to turn the fan on when the tank goes .5 degrees over 78, works like a charm!

It maxed out at 80.2 while I was sleeping and I had exhausted all ice packs and ice bottles. I'm grabbing a fan. I grabbed a couple more ice packs and water bottles that I can freeze. Going to be tinkering with that in addition to the fan. The last couple of weeks in August is always hot, so I have expected this and planned on using the heatwave as a way to figure out what was effective.

Flux Capacitor · Aug 16, 2020

You can get one pretty cheap, Ace Hardware had them for like $15. With the apex it’s a breeze (no pun intended). Let us know how it works

Fezbearer · Aug 18, 2020

Clip on fan should be here today. Yesterday after I got home form work I jury-rigged my stand fan to blow across the top of the tank. The tank is down to 78.3

Fezbearer · Aug 31, 2020

No real updates at this time on the tank. I've started the school year, so apart from a water change and testing, and price quotes for a lid, I haven't done much with it in the past couple of weeks. Since there hasn't been much of anything to report, here's a picture of one of my snails.

Fezbearer · Sep 4, 2020

With the CUC nearing the end of its QT, its finally time for the fish! For the initial stock I’m ordering a pair of clowns; a caramel and a gladiator from Ocean Devotion. I can’t wait. I’m going to head to Home Depot this weekend to grab the stuff for a DIY screen.

Trey · Sep 4, 2020

Fezbearer said:
Update: At the moment, I'm glad I've been holding off on my initial stocking. I'm currently dealing with the heatwave in California, so I'm getting a chance to find ways of cooling my tank sans chiller or AC. I'm using a combo of icepacks, ice cubes, and frozen milk jugs. This seems to be working, though I definitely need to purchase a few more icepacks and freeze more water.

How do you live with out AC?

Fezbearer · Sep 4, 2020

Trey said:
How do you live with out AC?

I grew up screwing around on the beach or doing historical reenactment in Southern California. The summers in Silicon Valley are mild in compariso. I can deal with the two weeks of mid 90’s weather.

Trey · Sep 4, 2020

Fezbearer said:
I grew up screwing around on the beach or doing historical reenactment in Southern California. The summers in Silicon Valley are mild in compariso. I can deal with the two weeks of mid 90’s weather.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the heat. But I can’t sleep in it. I keep the house at 68 in the summer

gray808 · Sep 4, 2020

You asked before about dividing the middle area of the sump for a 'fuge, so I thought i'd show you what I've done (I also have the 70.3).

I have my skimmer sitting on top of a media block, to the back of the middle compartment. In front of it, right where the incoming water from the initial chamber flows in, I have a roughly 5"x5" cubical acrylic isolation tank. Currently it just has a bunch of sponge filters building up some biota. Across from it, mounted to the sump glass between the middle chamber and the ATO chamber, I have a cheap powerhead.

My plan, once I get chaeto, is that it will live in the isolation tank, with a Kessil H80 Tuna Flora over it, and the powerhead giving some current to rotate it.

Since I just moved my first batch of fish in from QT, I figure I don't need to rush getting chaeto.

--Gray