Waterbox 20 build/progress

[Metal_Angler]

Starting this thread to track our (my gf and me) progress on our 20 gallon Waterbox Cube.
Backstory: Kept reefs as a teenager before LED's were a thing. Had one reef system while I was active Duty but didn't last long so I decided not to get into it again till the time was right.
Fast forward 10+ years after service:
Took my GF to Reefapalooza to try to get her hooked... it worked and I won a raffle, bought some gear, and we're off to our first reef tank together. Haha

My first build thread so bare with me.

Gear list so far:
• Waterbox 20G Cube
• Coral Box Moon LED Plus
• Aqamai KPS
• Neotherm 100W (×2 maybe)
• Coral Pro Salt

We were thinking of getting a Reefkeeper Controller. Overkill with what we have or worth it? I've never used one before. Input would be appreciated.

Filtration is just the sock and stuff it comes with, plus Marine Pure for added bio filtration and Chemi Pure Elite to take care of the biological filtration.

I want this tank to be relatively low maintenance and avoid dosing if I can.. who knows though?

Mixed reef.
We will start the cycle process as soon as we can but we're waiting on the piece of furniture it'll be going on.
Doing it with dry rock to have a little scape thing going, live sand, and probably dose something as well.

I'll add some stock photos of stuff I got for aesthetics.

 

[Ron Reefman]

First, welcome to Reef2Reef!



Second, congratulations on winning something at RAP! I was there Saturday and found just what I was looking for and then some.

OK, so I have a 40g cube, so we are kind of in the same ballpark size wise. Do you intend to have a sump and/or a refugium? How about a skimmer? Be careful with the furniture. Even just 20g weights 160+ pounds. I used a gloss white under sink kitchen cabinet and added a couple of 2x6's under a 3/4" marine plywood top covered with FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic). I have an auto top off 20g tank under the 40g DT and a 2nd cabinet with a 40g sump/refugium. There is also a 16g tank I use for a variety of purposes like frag tank, holding tank, weird new inhabitants test tank, quarantine tank for stuff I bring home from the beach or snorkeling.

If you have any questions or want any help, I'd be happy to offer what I can. I'll be following your build. Good luck.

Here is my system while I was finishing the 2nd cabinet.

 

[RIreefGuy]

Welcome aboard and thank you for your service! Looking forward to following along =) I also have a 20g. It's a fun size.

 

[Spendoc757]

I just bought a innovative marine 14 gallon peninsula tank off Craigslist left week that can with a clown fish and a small piece of live rock. I’m completely new to salt water so I’ll def be taking some notes from this thread.

 

[Metal_Angler]

First, welcome to Reef2Reef!



Second, congratulations on winning something at RAP! I was there Saturday and found just what I was looking for and then some.

OK, so I have a 40g cube, so we are kind of in the same ballpark size wise. Do you intend to have a sump and/or a refugium? How about a skimmer? Be careful with the furniture. Even just 20g weights 160+ pounds. I used a gloss white under sink kitchen cabinet and added a couple of 2x6's under a 3/4" marine plywood top covered with FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic). I have an auto top off 20g tank under the 40g DT and a 2nd cabinet with a 40g sump/refugium. There is also a 16g tank I use for a variety of purposes like frag tank, holding tank, weird new inhabitants test tank, quarantine tank for stuff I bring home from the beach or snorkeling.

If you have any questions or want any help, I'd be happy to offer what I can. I'll be following your build. Good luck.

Here is my system while I was finishing the 2nd cabinet.

I plan on utilizing the built-in filtration system with sock, sponge, and ceramic rings. I'll just be adding Marine Pure and CPE. I've ran nanos before on just that and never had to utilize a protein skimmer or refugium.
We're focusing on corals. We want a reef tank, not a fish tank so I'm hoping the bio load stays low enough to not need a skimmer.

We're getting a new dresser for the GF. That's what the tank will be rested on. It'll be thick and strong enough to support the load.

New to controllers and we're thinking of getting the Reefkeeper. Any knowledge on that? Good idea?

 

[Metal_Angler]

Welcome aboard and thank you for your service! Looking forward to following along =) I also have a 20g. It's a fun size.

Thank you!

 

[Captain Quint]

Welcome to R2R fellow Veteran.

Please keep us updated with pics.

 

[Metal_Angler]

Welcome to R2R fellow Veteran.

Please keep us updated with pics.

Yes I will definitely be documenting with pictures. I'll be sure to keep this thread updated through everything. [emoji4]

And thank you for your service, brother.

 

[Metal_Angler]

Waiting on my GF to find the thread... hehe

 

[revhtree]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Ron Reefman]

I plan on utilizing the built-in filtration system with sock, sponge, and ceramic rings. I'll just be adding Marine Pure and CPE. I've ran nanos before on just that and never had to utilize a protein skimmer or refugium.
We're focusing on corals. We want a reef tank, not a fish tank so I'm hoping the bio load stays low enough to not need a skimmer.

We're getting a new dresser for the GF. That's what the tank will be rested on. It'll be thick and strong enough to support the load.

New to controllers and we're thinking of getting the Reefkeeper. Any knowledge on that? Good idea?

You are probably right about not needing a skimmer or sump with just corals in the tank.Even some CUC should be OK.

As for the controller, I had a full blown Apex system and I found it to be more effort, and way more cost than it was worth. I hung onto it for a while but eventually ended up selling it. I really don't see the need on a small and simple tank. Heck, an auto top off isn't even important if there isn't a skimmer!

My cube is DIY so no filtration attached. But all I use is one filter sock, the macro algae in the fuge and a skimmer. No carbon, no GFO, no Marine Pure, no anything extra. I'm a firm believer in 'natural' is best.

 

[Metal_Angler]

You are probably right about not needing a skimmer or sump with just corals in the tank.Even some CUC should be OK.

As for the controller, I had a full blown Apex system and I found it to be more effort, and way more cost than it was worth. I hung onto it for a while but eventually ended up selling it. I really don't see the need on a small and simple tank. Heck, an auto top off isn't even important if there isn't a skimmer!

My cube is DIY so no filtration attached. But all I use is one filter sock, the macro algae in the fuge and a skimmer. No carbon, no GFO, no Marine Pure, no anything extra. I'm a firm believer in 'natural' is best.

CUC We'll probably just have a conch, and a few ceriths. She wants a starfish but I think that may have to wait for a bigger system.

Ok good to know. I like the ease of mind controllers bring. Like a second set of eyes on the parameters n such to maintain stability. Definitely not getting an APEX but Reefkeeper seems like an affordable option though.

A thought: the wavemaker and light are both wifi, both have an app to operate. Would I even connect them to the controller to begin with? Would that only leave me with PH (thinking of doing Kalkwasser in the topoff water once tank takes off), temp, and salinity probes? Still worth it?

I built reef systems in the past relying on natural filtration/fuge as well. I only added what the ecosystem could sustain naturally. The tanks thrived till I took them down. [emoji16]

 

[Metal_Angler]

Also, end goal on fish:

Pair of clowns. A naked and black n white one

Goby/shrimp pair.

 

[Metal_Angler]

My first DC pump/wavemaker. This is the schedule I chose.
May have to view from bottom up.. time is on the left.

Tank started cycling last weekend. Pics of tank/scape to come.

 

[KorD]

Welcome to R2R, thanks for your service!
I like the setup you got going and what's all run in it. I used my sock for the first few days and then got rid of it.
I only needed it to help clear the water of all the debris from putting in the crushed coral substrate. I do however run a sponge in my sump between the bubble trap for just in case reasons.

 

[Salt Creep01]

How do you like the aqamai ? I’m thinking of getting one for my 25 lagoon

 

[Waynerock]

My first DC pump/wavemaker. This is the schedule I chose.
May have to view from bottom up.. time is on the left.

Tank started cycling last weekend. Pics of tank/scape to come.

I put in a second KPS in my reefer a little after Christmas and have been enjoying it a lot. The app sucks and having to jump to each pumps’s network to make changes is a total pain but I dont make changes much. They are super quiet, actually dead quiet and have a wide spread and nice even flow. I wish I could have both connected together and make changes together, oh well. I am very happy with my purchase

 

[Metal_Angler]

How do you like the aqamai ? I’m thinking of getting one for my 25 lagoon

Aqamai is perfect. No complaints!

 

[Metal_Angler]

The scape is kind of a half-moon shape. I think I like it.

Just finished setting it up in it's new home.
Tank had been cycling for a while so should be fish ready. I'll test and add something besides pods soon.

How do ya'll feel about the scape?
Don't mind the floating bag of media. lol

 

[Metal_Angler]

Everything is done. Installed the media rack in the first chamber with filter floss on top, Chemi Pure Elite in the second, bio balls in the third. The second chamber of the waterbox has been converted into a simple refugium with marine pure gems on the bottom with some chaeto on top. Got a grow light that matches my tank off Amazon, cut the clip off, then installed to have a sleek profile that looks like the Coral Box. I like the way everything turned out. I hope it performs well.

Oh yeah. Found some small clams on my media bag that was in the refugium. They ok? I forgot to take pics.

The bag in the overflow in the pics are my new snails acclimating.