TIDE’s Waterbox 25 Build Thread

TIDE09

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Hi Guys! Welcome to my build thread. Little about me, I come from koi keeping. Love watching the koi swim, water chemistry, and it’s just relaxing to sit by the pond hand feeding the koi and drinking a beer. Been keeping koi for about 3 years now. Current koi pond is around 1,000 gallons and have 8 koi.

About a year ago I started looking into saltwater. I’ll be honest, I have too many hobbies as it is but the idea stayed in the back of my head and couldn’t shake it. Well, FB marketplace got me and picked up a Waterbox Cube Peninsula 25 and here we are.
I’m new to saltwater but familiar with the nitrogen cycle, filtration, etc. Hopefully you all can guide me in the right direction with my tank so I am open to everyones knowledge!

Tank Goals
  • Create a lightly stocked, minimalistic aquascape with a mixed reef style. Easy to care for and hardy corals. Build focusing on good filtration, water parameters, and quality hardware.
Clean up crew
  • Blue leg and scarlet hermits
  • Sexy shrimp
  • Nassarius, turbo, and trocus snails
  • Conch
Fish
  • Pair of clown fish
  • Saddleback toby puffer (maybe, I understand the risk so it will depend on the fish itself and the tank)
  • Watchman goby

Build list (Updated 8/7/22)
  • Waterbox Cube 25 Peninsula
  • Sicce Syncra 1.0
  • Kracken Reef Mesh Lid
  • Kracken Reef Floss holder
  • InTank 2nd chamber basket
  • InTank surface skimmer
  • 30# Algaebarn dry rock
  • Aquael Ultra 100W heater
  • VCA Random Flow Generator

Any ideas/changes would be appreciated for sure!
 
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TIDE09

TIDE09

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Update 8/7
Purchased the tank, came home and cleaned it. Picked up a stand at Petsmart that was on sale. The pump that it came with is a a Sicce Syncra 1.0 and the mesh cover is from Kraken Reef along with their floss cup. Right now just running a mixture of vinegar and water to get rig of any build up while I’m waiting on the rest of the items to come this week.

Waiting on InTank Aquatics 2nd chamber and skimmer, along with Aquael Ultra 100W heater and VCA Random Flow Generator.

I went with Algeabarn for their dry rock mainly because I liked how it was natural so I picked up 30# of that along with their cycle kit and some PNS Substrate Sauce.

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In the mean time, I started to get together my ATO area and gathering my testing equipment. This area will be the “brain” of the tank. I ordered a 6 outlet switchable surge protector from Amazon That will be mounted in this area as well. I’m going to be using a 5 gal cheap aquarium from a local pet store for my ATO reservoir.

Testing equipment includes Hanna Ammonia checker, Hanna Nitrite checker, API test kit, and a cheap refractometer from Amazon. Temp, TDS, and pH will be checked by a Bluelab combo meter.


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TIDE09

TIDE09

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Update 8/13
Been a busy week getting the tank ready to cycle. The vinegar and water solution cleaned the tank out to like new condition. All the previous owners salt deposits and “gunk“ disappeared. I was impressed really. On Thursday night I removed the vinegar/water and wiped everything down until it was dry, than rinsed with RO water.

Installed the Aquael Ultra 100W heater in the return chamber and put the pH/temp/TDS probe under the inTank media basket in the 2nd chamber. It fits perfectly at the bottom. First chamber has inTank filter floss in a Kraken floss cup. I plan on putting Chemi Pure Blue in the first chamber as well. Second chamber will be for Chaeto. The ATO will also add RO water to the second chamber as well to prevent the optical sensor from being disturbed.

Since the heater is in the return chamber I went ahead and ordered a XP Aqua Duetto ATO. I wanted to get a Nero 3 however everyone seams to be out of stock. Lighting will be a AI Prime 16HD as well.

Friday I went to my LFS and gathered the rest of the supplies. Picked up a bag of Caribsea Special Grade and RedSea Coral Pro salt. Came home and saw that my rock also showed up!

Came up with an scape idea, added sand, and filled with RO. I added Prime just incase there was any contaminates left. Currently waiting for the salt to dissolve fully before starting to cycle.

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TIDE09

TIDE09

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Update 8/14
Added LED lights. Really like the look of them. I think it adds another dimension to the tank.

Jars on the side are going to be my copepods and phytoplankton cultures.

Started cycling. Increased temp to 82F, used Algaebarn Nitrocycle to get the ammonia to 3ppm and added Fritz TurboStart. Now we wait!

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TIDE09

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Still cycling. Ammonia is 3ppm and nitrite at 1.9ppm using Fritz. Salinity 1.027, pH 7.9 and temp is 80F.

Also changed my aquascape. This adds more of a 3 dimensional shape IMO. Plan on having my frag rack on the right back glass.

And my XP Aqua Duetto showed up and got that installed. Prefect timing because I go on vacation tomorrow.

Currious to see how the tank does when I get back home.
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Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 52 48.6%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 60 56.1%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 25 23.4%
  • None.

    Votes: 27 25.2%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 8.4%
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