Waterbox Mini Peninsula 15 build and impressions

[ying yang]

Once the light schedule was set I ordered a Nero 3 Wave pump for flow. I installed it below the return outlet and set it to about 65% flow random. It provides a nice flow pattern down the viewing side of the aquascape.

It was getting to the point that plugging and unplugging gear was a chore so I installed an American DJ PC-100 rack-mount AC switch panel from an old tank build on some left over wood I had around. I mounted it vertical so That I would have room in front of it for an eventual ATO reservoir. The mounting board is temporary (or so I'm telling myself) until I finalize the gear layout.

Hi read first page your build thread and skipped through other 2 pages,hope your orange monti survived ( will read another time other 2 pages) but dumb question time,I did read about your switch system but couldn't see anywhere if you just plug stuff Into back iff it or cut plug off and wire each item into every switch so be grateful if you could explain plug or cut please ha ha )

 

[tharbin]

Hi read first page your build thread and skipped through other 2 pages,hope your orange monti survived ( will read another time other 2 pages) but dumb question time,I did read about your switch system but couldn't see anywhere if you just plug stuff Into back iff it or cut plug off and wire each item into every switch so be grateful if you could explain plug or cut please ha ha )

The power strip I use is an American DJ PC-100 (they now make the PC-100a). I bought them at a Guitar Center around 20 years ago and they are really handy. I also use them for model railroading and my wife uses one for a Christmas display. It takes regular US 2-prong or 3-prong plugs on the backside of the unit and the switches are on the front. Here is a link to the product page at American DJ: https://www.adj.com/pc-100a

And a product shot of the front and rear:

The orange monti is doing fine and starting to grow. Thanks for asking.

 

[tharbin]

I noticed that not only was my magnesium being used faster than my water changes replaced but that very slowly the alkalinity and calcium were going lower. I was going to use All For Reef but decided to stick with a two-part instead, at least for now. I have used ESV Bi-Ionic for years but I decided to give ATI Essentials Pro a try so I picked up a pair of bottles while I was at the LFS. Based on my dosing schedule, it is probably a life-time supply unless I add another or bigger tank...

I just started dosing the Essentials Pro so it is way too early to say anything positive or negative beyond 'nice bottles'. I plan to start with dosing 0.5ml of Part 1 and of Part 2 (concentrated) mid-week and see where that puts me. I'm not trying to raise alk or ca above my Red Sea Blue Bucket levels, just maintain them. By dosing mid-week I keep the dip between water changes smaller. If I find I need to increase the dosage I will add days instead of amount per dose. Since Essentials Pro includes Mg I am going to stop adding my RPM Mg and see where things go. I expect I will probably still end up adding a little from time to time as the tank is monti-heavy (relatively).

 

[ying yang]

The power strip I use is an American DJ PC-100 (they now make the PC-100a). I bought them at a Guitar Center around 20 years ago and they are really handy. I also use them for model railroading and my wife uses one for a Christmas display. It takes regular US 2-prong or 3-prong plugs on the backside of the unit and the switches are on the front. Here is a link to the product page at American DJ: https://www.adj.com/pc-100a

And a product shot of the front and rear:

The orange monti is doing fine and starting to grow. Thanks for asking.

Ok thanks for reply and thats great about equipment plugging in,as for a moment worried would have cut the plugs off and wire them into the unit ( therefore probably warranty ,the manufacturer say not covered if altered etc)
Will look into getting an English one as be much easier at water change day just switching off rather than unplugging 4 things,and all my rats nest of wires is in corner left of tank with a 2 seater couch infrint for good measure ha ha

 

[tharbin]

Ok thanks for reply and thats great about equipment plugging in,as for a moment worried would have cut the plugs off and wire them into the unit ( therefore probably warranty ,the manufacturer say not covered if altered etc)
Will look into getting an English one as be much easier at water change day just switching off rather than unplugging 4 things,and all my rats nest of wires is in corner left of tank with a 2 seater couch infrint for good measure ha ha

When I replied I didn't even think to see where you were located. There are probably comparable units in the UK. I'd check with music equipment suppliers as I would think this kind of unit would be needed for any DJ-type entertainer. Nice tank and I know what you mean about unplugging. My plugs were all behind the tank and hard to reach.

 

[tharbin]

So, I haven't adjusted my dosing yet as I only have one data point but I did a quick back-of-the-envelope type calculation and at my present dosing rate I will need to replace my bottles of Essentials Pro in the spring of 2099...

 

[tharbin]

Just saying Hi. Nothing really new except I don't think the Candy Cane is going to make it. Once I got a good look at it the polyps were mostly separated from the skeleton, not a good sign. I threw it in a low flow area and forgot about it for now. Doubt it will be there in a few days.

The hammer is placed kinda-sorta in place but not glued in as I may adjust its position a little in a few weeks depending on how it responds.

 

[tharbin]

Yesterday I decided it was time to clean the two Nero 3 pumps. I cleaned them both in RODI with BRS citric acid and they really needed it. When I was done, I put the rear unit on first and turned it on to make sure it was working correctly. I rather liked the flow pattern with just it and the return pump so I have removed the front (original) Nero 3 from the tank, at least for now. I also changed the flow pattern to pulse. As @BBogdan suggested, I set it to 1s on and 1s off. You can hear it but it is not objectionable at my settings (35% 11:00pm-10:00am, 50% 10:00am-11:00am, 65% 11:00am-10pm, 50% 10:00pm-11:00pm). It gives a better pseudo-wave-action than I was getting with the random flow and the hammer coral seems to really like it.

I'm finally seeing some polyp extension on the two Beach Bums and I'm starting to really wonder about what the WWC Grafted Monti will end up looking like. I'm starting to see some orange polyps in the previously green areas. I'll try to get some pics in the next couple of days.

 

[tharbin]

Thought it was about time for a small update. The corals are settling in nicely and all are growing. There is still some cyano but not much and the hair algae is almost gone. I am getting some turf algae that came in with the coral rubble that I'm keeping an eye on.

You can't see it in the pics but the grafted monti cap and the orange monti cap are both encrusting.

The sunset monti looks very different from when I got it but it is starting to grow nicely and the hammer has almost doubled in size.

 

[tharbin]

Took a few top down shots today. Thought I'd share one. This was shot holding an old yellow filter over the lens so the colors are a lot closer to what I see.

As you can see, there is still a little cyano but less every day. The Beach Bums are finally starting to recover and spread. The CA glue scar in the top of the mystic sunset monti is about half as big as it was last month so it is finally encrusting over the damage.

 

[Woodyman]

Took a few top down shots today. Thought I'd share one. This was shot holding an old yellow filter over the lens so the colors are a lot closer to what I see.

As you can see, there is still a little cyano but less every day. The Beach Bums are finally starting to recover and spread. The CA glue scar in the top of the mystic sunset monti is about half as big as it was last month so it is finally encrusting over the damage.

I'm excited for my beach bum monti to grow out! It's just about fully encrusted over the plug!

 

[tharbin]

I forgot to mention, I removed the InTank Surface Skimmer last week to quiet the tank a little more. So far no negative effects other than visually as the water level is about a 1/4" lower than I would like to see it.

 

[tharbin]

I'm excited for my beach bum monti to grow out! It's just about fully encrusted over the plug!

They are really nice. I got both of mine for $25.00 at a local LFS. We had seen it a few weeks earlier and my wife really liked it but I felt that I already had enough monti for such a small tank. Anyway, next time we were in the LFS my wife went looking for it and all they had was one rather large chunk for a few hundred dollars. They fragged off a small piece for us for $25 then fragged off another small piece and gave us that one for free. I consider that a pretty good deal. The most expensive coral in the tank is the hammer I paid $35.00 for.

I actually would like to add one or two branching corals up top, one at the front of the scape and one at the rear; a replacement for the candy cane that didn't make it on the back down low; an acan or micromusa in the sandbed and a gorgonian at the bottom of the scape at front. That should do it for the tank, assuming everything lives and grows.

 

[Woodyman]

I got a rather large chunk from a Tidal Gardens live sale I believe in February. Grown a good amount since. I think it's time to transplant it out of my frag tank and into another.

 

[tharbin]

I got a rather large chunk from a Tidal Gardens live sale I believe in February. Grown a good amount since. I think it's time to transplant it out of my frag tank and into another.

Very nice!

 

[Woodyman]

Very nice!

I'll like it better when it's about 4x the size!

My picture doesn't have the same contrast, but you can see the growth, these are 1" plugs, and it's since covered and is growing down the side almost to the rack it's resting on.

 

[tharbin]

I'll like it better when it's about 4x the size!

My picture doesn't have the same contrast, but you can see the growth, these are 1" plugs, and it's since covered and is growing down the side almost to the rack it's resting on.

That's quite a lot of growth. How long have you had it? I'm finding the Beach Bums to be the slowest growers in the tank at the moment but them again they are still recovering. I don't know what happened to them but both were 90% gone three months ago. Now they have regained most of their color and are starting to encrust. Fingers crossed...

 

[Woodyman]

That's quite a lot of growth. How long have you had it? I'm finding the Beach Bums to be the slowest growers in the tank at the moment but them again they are still recovering. I don't know what happened to them but both were 90% gone three months ago. Now they have regained most of their color and are starting to encrust. Fingers crossed...

I got that Feb 18th. So almost 5 months now.

 

[TheWB]

Took a few top down shots today. Thought I'd share one. This was shot holding an old yellow filter over the lens so the colors are a lot closer to what I see.

As you can see, there is still a little cyano but less every day. The Beach Bums are finally starting to recover and spread. The CA glue scar in the top of the mystic sunset monti is about half as big as it was last month so it is finally encrusting over the damage.

Looking good. I love top down shots but they always seem to get ruined by the reflection of my lights.

 

[TheWB]

I'll like it better when it's about 4x the size!

My picture doesn't have the same contrast, but you can see the growth, these are 1" plugs, and it's since covered and is growing down the side almost to the rack it's resting on.

Darn it, now I want one, lol.