WaterBox 7225 Peninsula - with a display fuge and frag tank (430+ gallon system)

[keeping a reef]

While traveling a LFS had a 70% sale on WaterBox aquariums, long story short, the tank has arrived!

the ultimate goal is to have a bare-bottom, SPS dominant mixed reef.

With no plan initially in mind, I took the time over my holidays to decide on a clear plan and plot the path forward, but as the proverb goes.. the best laid plans of mice & men often go awry..

Initially, I attempted to purchase a the self cleaning roller mat/skimmer from smarter reefs, but unfortunately they decided not accept my order due to concerns with technical support (I am based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates). I still am interested in the XL version, but have yet to hear back from them since their initial rejection, my alternative would be a ClariSea 5000 G3 along with a Bashsea skimmer or the new aqua forest all-in skim protein skimmer still debating and I am in no rush.

While researching lights; thanks to this community, I came across ReeFi Uno 2.1 Pro, and thanks to many reviews/comparisons I have settled on them as the main lights and have ordered & received 4 (although the research says that I would only require 3, I ordered an extra just in case or to end up using for a frag tank). Thank you Daniel for the quick delivery & the ReeFi cap!

I'm excited to get the aquarium running but avoiding rushing the process, hoping to identify within the next week or so what the ultimate build will look like. my wishlist include ozone reaction chamber, dual chamber calcium reactor, bio media reactor (hoping to achieve bare bottom tank) and a stand alone display fuge. I do understand that I may need to make a custom sump.

As for flow & return pumps, I decided to order 2 of the new Jecod DMP-65M along with the Jebao MDP-15000 to be used as a return.

I am considering adding a 50 gallon water chamber externally to the system to increase the water volume and aid in simplifying water changes (it would help by isolating the chamber from the system with valves, flushing it down the drain, replacing the saltwater mix and reintroduce the chamber back to the system).

I was hoping the Hydros Maven would be out by now, but looking at how they are planning to approach the reagent supply it may not be the right choice for me. I was really hoping to have an all Hydros controller ecosystem but I might end up ordering the ReefBot Lab for the testing (due to its compatibility with most test kits), but still doing my research.

Any advice and/or experience is appreciated, I don't know what will come next but I look forward to updating this thread and sharing the final build/ecosystem.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i have a clarisea and really like it. i bought it specifically because it didnt need an app to run

 

[keeping a reef]

The next bit of kit has arrived! Jecod DMP65M, I believe the M is for Bluetooth/app control but the listing did mention WiFi, but no clear indications of WiFi on the box, will find out when I cross that bridge.

If anyone has any advice on placement for a peninsula style tank I would appreciate it. For now I think I will mount one slightly above the halfway mark on 1 side of the return chamber and the other slightly below the halfway mark. Will test and adjust accordingly.

Looking forward for the rest of the gear to arrive.

 

[keeping a reef]

Also, I’m facing an issue with my lights.

Ideally I would like to have a black extruded aluminum bar hanging from the ceiling with a 10cm height canopy to match the cabinet and lessen the light spill and can be raised and lowered electronically either by remote or app. I do realize that I’ll be customizing and adding the canopy post purchase.

I haven’t found a system that compares to what I have in mind, if anyone could point towards a solution it would be highly appreciated.

 

[DarkReefer]

Not sure if I'm right in thinking this, but Parker's Reef on YT has a canopy on his 'dream reef tank' and I'm pretty sure he can raise and lower his aluminium bars that the lights hang on for maintenance and the like.
Have a look and see if it gives you any ideas/helps.

Regarding filter roller, for me personally I had issues with my SK5000. Within a week or so of setting it up, I had issues with the controller on the unit being faulty and had to send it off to be fixed.
Then about 6 months or so later I kept getting issues where it wasn't rolling within the 8hr window or whatever and would set the alarm off... turns out it was overflowing (water pushing through the side of the unit). I'm assuming due to me running too high pressure on the return but I'm not 100% sure. Also changing out the roll was a painful experience.
Went to a Reefmat1200 and haven't looked back, it's been great. If you've got the space, maybe consider one of those instead?

 

[keeping a reef]

I've been busy gathering equipment slowly over the past couple of months, still a few pieces missing but expecting them soon, below is a photo dump of everything I've gathered so far:

Above is what I've gathered so far, still waiting for 2 control X10 and a few solenoid valves for the ro/ato, one image I dont have clearly of is the Enaly Ozone unit, im also waiting for the delivery of my Reef Octopus EXT 250.

I've designed the system to have 5 bodies of water: Sump, Main display, frag tank, display fuge and 200L water volume for easy water changes (using a 200L dosing container that I can isolate from my system and drain directly to the drain under my sink, also I am able to refill it directly from my saltwater mixing station and reintroduce it to the system)

below is a basic layout of what the system will look like and a photo of the carpentry company installing the additional cabinets made from Marine Grade plywood, melamine on the counter and waterproof PU paint to match the original waterbox cabinets.

Also currently producing the 2 additional tanks and canopy for the lights through a local vendor.

I am excited for all that is yet to come and I look forward to it.

 

[Euphyllia098]

Nice build, following along.

 

[Bruttall]

Following

 

[PR_nano]

Following along too.

 

[keeping a reef]

Frag tank & display fuge rough sketches, expecting them to go into production within the next couple of weeks.

For the frag tank, I’m expecting to have an overpowered pump and have a random flow spray bar along the top back and drill a hole on the bottom front to have a spray bar blowing along the bottom of the tank to stop any detritus build up plus contributing to the random flow, only time will tell how successful this system will turn out.

For the fuge, it’ll have a lockable lid, the flow will just go from one side to the other gently, the plan is to have the overflow from frag tank feed into fuge which will then feed into the sump (frag tank will have emergency overflow to sump as well)

hoping to house a day octopus in the fuge at some point once the system is stable, I’ve successfully kept an octopus before and enjoyed interacting with it.

Also expecting to receive my 2 hydros control x10s before the end of the week.

Researching plumbing for now to better understand the next steps

 

[keeping a reef]

My 2 control X10s have arrived! Thanks to Aquarium Specialty for sending them over

Fuge, Frag Tank and light canopy under production, expecting to receive them within 2 weeks

Pending items:
- Reef Octopus EXT 250 with automatic neck cleaner
- plumbing (planning to cross this bridge once everything is in place - will order all my plumbing from https://flowcolour.cn )
- additional sensors from Hydros - although I have quite a few, I’m sure I’ve missed a few and will know once I have the system put together

Contemplating ordering the WaveEngine from hydros but first want to see how the jebao wave makers will work

 

[keeping a reef]

It's moving day!! moved the tank onto the stand, exciting times!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[keeping a reef]

The skimmer has arrived!!

pending now is the frag tank, display fuge and plumbing.. expecting the two tanks within the next week or so, plumbing ill plan when everything is in place..

for now im going to try and put everything where it needs to go and will need to heavily modify the sump to accommodate the 2x 20k jebao return pumps and 8.5k return pump (one pump for main display, one pump for both frag and display fuge and the 8.5k for the additional water volume hidden in the cabinet for water changes) as well as the roller mat..

I do know that I have a few sensors missing from hydros plus a few solenoid valves, but ill get to it once its clear what I'm missing.

hoping to kick start the tank either after the first week of December (national day holidays is during the first week) or might wait until 1/1/2026 to officially get it going.

TBS wont deliver the ultra live sand to Dubai (they dont have exporting permits) - will have to look for a local alternative, although I do feel with the Aquaforest live sand and live biofill I should be ok.. I just want to have a diverse biome to start.

I'm a big fan of Serious Reefs and I appreciate the content they're putting out and im planning on trying to follow their Biome Cycle method which I found to make more sense. Time will tell what this tank will experience, but I hope to keep this thread updated through the good, the bad and the ugly.. wish me luck

 

[squidarcher]

The skimmer has arrived!!

pending now is the frag tank, display fuge and plumbing.. expecting the two tanks within the next week or so, plumbing ill plan when everything is in place..

for now im going to try and put everything where it needs to go and will need to heavily modify the sump to accommodate the 2x 20k jebao return pumps and 8.5k return pump (one pump for main display, one pump for both frag and display fuge and the 8.5k for the additional water volume hidden in the cabinet for water changes) as well as the roller mat..

I do know that I have a few sensors missing from hydros plus a few solenoid valves, but ill get to it once its clear what I'm missing.

hoping to kick start the tank either after the first week of December (national day holidays is during the first week) or might wait until 1/1/2026 to officially get it going.

TBS wont deliver the ultra live sand to Dubai (they dont have exporting permits) - will have to look for a local alternative, although I do feel with the Aquaforest live sand and live biofill I should be ok.. I just want to have a diverse biome to start.

I'm a big fan of Serious Reefs and I appreciate the content they're putting out and im planning on trying to follow their Biome Cycle method which I found to make more sense. Time will tell what this tank will experience, but I hope to keep this thread updated through the good, the bad and the ugly.. wish me luck

Wouldn’t you be able to get Red Sea sand & rock pretty easily? I would argue that’s even better than Florida stuff.

 

[keeping a reef]

Wouldn’t you be able to get Red Sea sand & rock pretty easily? I would argue that’s even better than Florida stuff.

unfortunately not, they cant ship it over.. I will however go with the aquaforest biofill and biosand and hope that will be enough to kickstart the biome cycle, other than this, aiming to follow Serious Reef's biome cycle method

 

[keeping a reef]

Sump successfully modified and I assembled and put in some of my gear, I'm one step closer to my dream reef tank.. still waiting on the fuge and frag tank to come in, last update I got from the manufacturer today is that he expects to have them ready for delivery by Monday, excited for the next steps, once everything is in place, ill be able to better plan the plumbing

 

[keeping a reef]

planning on mounting all my controllers on a cabinet wall (away from view, facing the fuge).

Anyone able to give any advice/examples on mounting a hydros control x10 in terms of the cutouts for the dosing tubes and cables or do I just need a 2cm high cutout as wide as the controller under it?

 

[keeping a reef]

planning on mounting all my controllers on a cabinet wall (away from view, facing the fuge).

Anyone able to give any advice/examples on mounting a hydros control x10 in terms of the cutouts for the dosing tubes and cables or do I just need a 2cm high cutout as wide as the controller under it?

Currently working on the setup of the control panel (which will be mounted on the side cabinet where I can see it clearly from my desk and away from the entrance of the room. I've moved things around abit from these locations to allow for the easy removal/placing of the control panels. planning on mounting the hydros control x10's next, should be done within the next day or so, I see the finish line, excited to get to the point where I can focus on cosmetics like scape and HDPE base for the aquarium (the main display will be bare bottom with an HDPE base and the display fuge will have a thick layer of sand at the bottom - 7 bags of bio sand from aqua forest)

RODI/Saltwater mixing station placement of units done, will plumb everything once I have all the plumbing for the entire system planned, but im happy with the look and the hydros start should make things a lot easier - will post a full picture once everything is plumbed and ready but the idea is 5 stage RO with pump and stage 1 and stage 2 DI

 

[keeping a reef]

Control board setup, I’m happy with the spacing, I hid the XP8’s in the cabinet behind the control X10s because I don’t think I will be able to keep the plugs/wiring as neat as I would like.