Tarpon Reef- waterbox 130.4

[bigdog7]

Hello! Here is my journey into a bigger reef tank! I am coming from a Biocube 29 that’s around 11years old.

Ordered my Waterbox june 5th and received it July 24th.....

I have the stand built! And the Tank is sitting on top!
I can say that the directions are pretty limited with building the stand.

I missed a few steps
Rushing through as I was excited and my wife and kids wanted to go to dinner!

The next 2 days I had a early fishing charters and i was able to fix and correct my mistakes while
Building the cabinet.

I forgot to add the little stickers to
Cover the cam locks and did not
See the Nuts that screw on the leveling feet.

I am planning on plumbing the drains tonight! I am going with Blue Pipe and plan on taking the drains down with a 90degree along the wall and then into the sump.

I hope I have all
The pieces to go from metric to standard! We will see if that’s the case tonight!

I am waiting for my UV light to show up tomorrow and then can plumb the return!

I plan to T off the M2 pump into a manifold
On 1 side and then the other will flow through the UV and then into the Tank. I debated on how to hook this up and then woke up last night and settled on this idea! I will run an apex to adjuat
Flow rates coming from
The return through the UV and into the Tank!

 

[bigdog7]

Ordered the wrong unions.... and now the plumbing is delayed! Finished the cabinet off but still need to fix the hinges and line everything up!! Still on pace to fill by Friday! And created my control board! Will have it on hinges and open like a door!


Progress continues tomorrow

 

[bigdog7]

My goal is to get Tarpon Reef wet by Friday!! If and only if I get all the plumbing done!!!

It seems like it took forever but!!!!! I finished the control board tonight!

mounted the power strip! The Apex Module for flow rate and leak detection!

I have room to mount my Tunzee Ato! I will eventually add Phillips hue lights in here as well!!!

slowly but surely it is coming along!!!

 

[bigdog7]

Lots of work progress!!!! Making salt water now and the final scape is happening!!! A week behind schedule but that’s ok!!! Had to paint the drain pipes as the 32mm unions i ordered never showed up.... so some kryon spray paint and it’s a perfect match!!!! Was able to paint the orange gate valve handles too!!!! Will update more this week!!!!

 

[bigdog7]

The aqua scape is complete!!!! Mixing saltwater and we will be ready to go!!!!

 

[bigdog7]

We have water!!!!

and we just dumped in the Dr Tims one and only and jacked the temp up to
82! Will bring it back to 78 Thursday and move
My clowns in the tank Friday or
Sat! I also need to
Set up a small
QT:.. whats
Everyone using?

 

[bigdog7]

We have water!!!!

and we just dumped in the Dr Tims one and only and jacked the temp up to
82! Will bring it back to 78 Thursday and move
My clowns in the tank Friday or
Sat! I also need to
Set up a small
QT:.. whats
Everyone using?

 

[Jgerm]

Looking Great!
I have used 20g long tanks for Qt in the past and i plan to set one up again here in a few weeks.
hang on filter, heater, ammonia indicator, some pvc fittings... easy and effective

 

[bigdog7]

Thanks! I added a qt this week! But forgot about the bacteria sponge.... so I am qt info some snails
And crabs.... I threw In my filter socks from my old tank after I cleaned it out.... (forgot to save some things from the )

I just ordered some
Sponges to throw in my sump....

I wonder how long i need to keep them in?

Looking Great!
I have used 20g long tanks for Qt in the past and i plan to set one up again here in a few weeks.
hang on filter, heater, ammonia indicator, some pvc fittings... easy and effective

 

[keywestreefer]

Thanks! I added a qt this week! But forgot about the bacteria sponge.... so I am qt info some snails
And crabs.... I threw In my filter socks from my old tank after I cleaned it out.... (forgot to save some things from the )

I just ordered some
Sponges to throw in my sump....

I wonder how long i need to keep them in?

From what I have seen, a month is what most people recommend. Obviously without this time it would make more sense to just dose bacteria in a bottle. I think you mentioned you were just QT'ing snails and carbs??? If so, they have a very little bio load. Just do a water change every 7-10 days. I see what I think is fish in the photo, so I am not sure.

 

[Letterkenny]

Have you thought about renting a par meter for the lights?

 

[bigdog7]

So the snails are doing well in qt! No fish just snails and crabs!!!

 

[bigdog7]

My cuc are eating well in QT! This whole QT stuff is not so much fun....