My 100.3 Waterbox

[mOReilly43]

Hello all, I am new to R2R. I wanted to share my waterbox that I got about 6 months ago. The tank was already running for about two years before I moved it to my house. Since then I haven’t done a lot too it just maintained it. This winter I’ve had sometime to make it my own, I bought 2 assorted beginner coral packs from WWC and a 75 gal CUC. I also bought a salifert testing kit so that I can begin to monitor and grow the corals. I’ve added some pictures to my thread in hopes that people with more experience can give me some advice. Currently I’m most worried about my Zoa’s as they have never really opened up consistently or fully aswell as my harvest moon that may be fading in color. I also think I have dinoflagellates hence the new CUC. Let me know what you think and please give me some advice!! I’m super happy that I stumbled upon this site and have been reading threads ever since.

 

[kevgib67]

Welcome, glad you are here! What jumps out at me is your low nutrients. You are starving them. These corals like higher nutrient levels. Aim for nitrates 10-15 and phosphates.05-.01.

 

[mOReilly43]

Welcome, glad you are here! What jumps out at me is your low nutrients. You are starving them. These corals like higher nutrient levels. Aim for nitrates 10-15 and phosphates.05-.01.

Thanks!! Yeah I put my protein skimmer on a 9 hr schedule and started feeding a little more, I hope that does the trick. Thanks for the advice!!

 

[kevgib67]

Thanks!! Yeah I put my protein skimmer on a 9 hr schedule and started feeding a little more, I hope that does the trick. Thanks for the advice!!

I would turn your protein skimmer off or lower it so it doesn’t produce skimmate but still gives good gas exchange. Decrease water changes and continue increased feeding until levels are reached.

 

[mOReilly43]

I would turn your protein skimmer off or lower it so it doesn’t produce skimmate but still gives good gas exchange. Decrease water changes and continue increased feeding until levels are reached.

Sounds good, I will do that! What’s skimmate? Will this fuel my Dino problem as well?

 

[kevgib67]

Sounds good, I will do that! What’s skimmate? Will this fuel my Dino problem as well?

Skimmate is the organics the skimmer pulls out in the collection cup. Dinos appear when nitrates and phosphates bottom out to near zero, so no.

 

[mOReilly43]

Skimmate is the organics the skimmer pulls out in the collection cup. Dinos appear when nitrates and phosphates bottom out to near zero, so no.

Oh sweet I didn’t know that thank you.