Waterbox 25 - Waterlevels & Heater

[Haaps]

Hi there,
I recently discovered my water levels were too high and I normally have my heater in the return chamber of my waterbox 25, but with reducing the water level it makes it difficult to submerge it and I'd rather not put it in the display tank. Any suggestions? I'm curious how people arrange filter media in the middle chamber to also accomodate a heater.

I've attached images after reducing the water level in the display tank, but I think the water levels are still too high in the back chambers. Currently the heater is fine, but I do think my levels are too high.

I've read conflicting info that the water should "fall" from the baffles into the next chamber.

Thanks!
Kyle

 

[Reef_at_Sea]

Hello, this is how your water level in the sump should be when your pump is running.
Put your heater in the middle chamber?
Make sure to put your ATO in the return chamber :)

 

[old_salt]

Never a good idea to put a heater in the return chamber.

I suggest replacing the sock with a media tray:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/waterbox-25-peninsula-aio-filtration-setup-quesiton.958636/

 

[Haaps]

Hello, this is how your water level in the sump should be when your pump is running.
Put your heater in the middle chamber?
Make sure to put your ATO in the return chamber :)

Thanks, got it working better now. I don't have room in the middle chamber for the heater due to the sponges and what not, but once my cycle is done I might look into rearranging things.

I'm not bothering with an ATO to start, will just do manual for the time being. It's not bad just dumping about .5 gallons in every other day.

 

[Haaps]

Never a good idea to put a heater in the return chamber.

I suggest replacing the sock with a media tray:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/waterbox-25-peninsula-aio-filtration-setup-quesiton.958636/

A media tray would clear up space in the middle chamber, but I'm not really interested in doing much customization to start. Filter socks work fine for many people and all this stuff I've learned is a matter of circumstance or preference. We'll see how it goes with the sock and then go from there :)

 

[Reef_at_Sea]

Thanks, got it working better now. I don't have room in the middle chamber for the heater due to the sponges and what not, but once my cycle is done I might look into rearranging things.

I'm not bothering with an ATO to start, will just do manual for the time being. It's not bad just dumping about .5 gallons in every other day.

I would suggest getting an ATO pure for stability reasons.
I would also suggest to remove all the sponges, they harbor alot of detritus causing nutrient issues.
All i use is filter floss in a media cup in the first chambers that i refresh every day.

 

[officialreefbros]

I have a 25 peninsula and agree! An ATO helps a ton with stability. I removed all my sponges after a few months since they started clogging up and messing up the water flow. What's been working well for me is I only have filterfloss in the 1st chamber, Hester and a small carbon bag in the middle and pump in the 3rd. You want to make sure you get the cascading levels like in this picture to make sure you get full turnover though the AIO chambers.

Hello, this is how your water level in the sump should be when your pump is running.
Put your heater in the middle chamber?
Make sure to put your ATO in the return chamber :)

 

[jay1976]

Get the aquael heater much smaller than the eheim it also can't burn out, fits perfectly in the return chamber.been running one for two years in the return chamber no issues.also have a bubble magus skimmer in my middle chamber,and bio media below that.the sock works best btw.

 

[jay1976]

Also a nice upgrade ai axis pump mutch better flow.

 

[Reef_at_Sea]

I have a 25 peninsula and agree! An ATO helps a ton with stability. I removed all my sponges after a few months since they started clogging up and messing up the water flow. What's been working well for me is I only have filterfloss in the 1st chamber, Hester and a small carbon bag in the middle and pump in the 3rd. You want to make sure you get the cascading levels like in this picture to make sure you get full turnover though the AIO chambers.

I have the same setup haha, except in a 50.3 AIO.

 

[officialreefbros]

I have the same setup haha, except in a 50.3 AIO.

How do you like the 50.3 AIO? Would you do AIO again or swap to a sump? I'm debating upgrading!

 

[Reef_at_Sea]

How do you like the 50.3 AIO? Would you do AIO again or swap to a sump? I'm debating upgrading!

Never doing AIO ever again, there is way more equipment for big sumps then for AIO sumps.

 

[Haaps]

Get the aquael heater much smaller than the eheim it also can't burn out, fits perfectly in the return chamber.been running one for two years in the return chamber no issues.also have a bubble magus skimmer in my middle chamber,and bio media below that.the sock works best btw.

I got a Cobalt neo-therm a little while back. Same form factor and it's been great.

 

[jay1976]

Never doing AIO ever again, there is way more equipment for big sumps then for AIO sumps.

Aio is very difficult,takes for ever to mature and isn't very stable ,ever.

 

[Haaps]

I have the same setup haha, except in a 50.3 AIO.

What's a hester?

 

[Haaps]

Got the water levels sorted and also upgraded to an AI pump.