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Waterbox Marine X 60.2 - In Search of Stability


Nano_Addict

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Moving up to a "large" reef, but never abandoning the best reefing forum out there!

 

Quick background.  Currently I'm running an Innovated Marine Fusion 20 that has been up for around 3 years had it's share of ups and downs.  Around 6-9 months ago I had a dino outbreak that killed 95% of the coral I had, which in turn sent the tank into a new cycle.  Since that point, I've been working on stabilizing the tank, but haven't been adding much in the way of livestock or coral.  The thread for that tank is in my signature if anyone is interested.  The fusion has been a great tank and has taught me a lot. Specifically that just because the community loves a piece of equipment or lots of people keep a specific fish or coral, that doesn't mean it's the right choice for my personal tank.  Over the past few years I definitely rushed the addition of livestock and swapped in and out equipment far too frequently.  My goal with this new build is to do the research and buy what is right for this tank from the start.

 

To that end, back in October I finally pushed the button and ordered a Waterbox Marine X 60.2 (total volume ~54.5 gallons).  However, since apparently every tank in America is on backorder, I'm still waiting for that glorious shipping notification.  In the meantime, I've been gathering equipment, dry rock, and working on the aquascape. 

 

I want this tank to be interesting and last me for years to come, but I am also aiming for a somewhat lower maintenance / more forgiving setup. So, while I LOVE sps, I'm planning for this to be mostly softie, LPS, and euphyllia. Currently, I have two clowns which will be coming over to the new tank, but not much else will be transferred.  I think a total of 5(ish) fish would be very doable in this tank, but the stocking list is still up in the air.

 

Equipment

  • Waterbox Marine X 60.2 (~54.5 gallons without rock and equipment) (44 gallons with rock and equipment)
  • Lighting - 1X Kessil A360X + Kessil Spectral Controller X
  • Return Pump - EcoTech Marine Vectra S2 (1400 gph max)
  • Flow - 2X EcoTech Vortech MP10 / 1X Hydor Koralia Nano
  • Natural Filtration
    • ~25lbs Marcorocks Reef Saver
    • ~20lbs Marcorocks Bahama Aragonite Dry Sand (may switch this to live sand)
    • ~15lbs Ocean Direct live sand
    • 1X Brightwell Aquatics Xport-Bio Dimpled Brick
  • Mechanical Filtration
    • Klir Di-4 - Drop In Automatic Fleece Roller
    • Skimmer - Regal 150SSS 6" Space Saving Protein Skimmer (VarioS) - Taken offline June 2022
  • Controller - Neptune APEX EL
  • Heater - 2X Bulk Reef Supply Titanium 100 watt + controller
  • Dosers - 2X Bulk Reef Supply 1.1 mL/min 
    • 2X Neptune DOS - Dosing BRS/Tropic Marin Hybrid
  • ATO - AutoAqua Smart Micro ATO

Cycle

  • Brightwell Microbacter Quick Cycle
  • Brightwell Microbacter XLM
  • Brightwell Microbacter Clean

Livestock

  • 2 Clownfish (1 Percula (Purchased 2016) / 1 Ocellaris (Purchased 2018))
  • Swissguard Basslet
  • Tailspot Blenny
  • Yellow Watchman Goby
  • Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
  • Tuxedo Urchin
  • Various Snails 

 

Here's a picture of the aquascape.  I'll try to get a video this weekend to better show the depth, but I'm pretty satisfied with how it came out.  Right now it's only super glued, but once I'm fully satisfied I plan to mortar it together.

Aquascape.thumb.jpg.b631eb6be538cce79379a9c080dba85f.jpg

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On 12/4/2020 at 11:09 PM, onthefly said:

Looks good so far!  Tagging this since I'm waiting for my x90.3..I'm in the same "planning" boat 🙂

Thanks!  Do you have a thread started yet?

 

I've never built an aquascape from dry rock before, I've always just stacked pre-soaked rock once it was already in the tank.  While I'm not looking forward to the longer cycle, I really enjoyed the ability to create something that was very close to the structure I had in my mind.

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On 12/7/2020 at 7:32 AM, Nano_Addict said:

Thanks!  Do you have a thread started yet?

Not yet....Still doing all my planning!

 

One thing I've learned in my old age....patience is priceless!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Update! There is no update.  @Waterbox Aquariums has really been disappointing on getting the tank shipped to me.  After telling me once it "landed" it would be shipped immediately, it's been sitting at their distribution center for over a week.  

 

In the meantime, I came to the realization that my aquascape failed to account for the internal overflow box.  DOH!  After some measurements and mocking it up out of cardboard, the rockwork (which I had already mortared together DOUBLE DOH) definitely wasn't going to fit.  So I proceeded to break it apart and attempt to create another similar structure which would actually fit within the tank.  After several hours of cursing myself and the rock, I think I got the structure back to something that I like.  There are a few pictures below, I'm happy to hear anyone's thoughts, positive or negative on the scape.  It hasn't been mortared back together yet so there's a

possibility it still changes slightly.

 

I've also been starting to work on a stocking list.  Definitely looking for some feedback here.  My goal is to get active/exciting fish that are also utilitarian in nature.  I want the fish to work with me to help prevent pests / algae / and keep the sandbed in decent condition.

 

Preliminary Stocking List

Fish

 - 2x Clownfish

 - 1x Tailspot Blenny

 - 1x 6 line wrasse

 - 1x Goby pistol combo.  Goby type is still up in the air.  Maybe a yellow watchmen or something more rare like a yasha?

 - 1x small tang, yellow or purple. My thinking was to get one small and then trade back to the LFS once it starts to outgrow the tank.

Inverts

 - 1x emerald crab

 - 2x pom pom crab

 - 1x skunk cleaner shrimp

 - 1x pistol shrimp (from existing tank)

 

1.thumb.jpg.3523e01f2c90007a8d7bd9aa5733d9c2.jpg2.thumb.jpg.5bba6a6c8b8c386d86ce4a523a319eb9.jpg3.thumb.jpg.3f0ec6bfa069bd7178a72271057f5bc7.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

What are the dimensions for the overflow...looks like 10 or 12 x 2?

 

I was "eyeballing" this as I laid out my aquascape, but I think I underestimated the size. 😕

 

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3 hours ago, onthefly said:

What are the dimensions for the overflow...looks like 10 or 12 x 2?

 

I was "eyeballing" this as I laid out my aquascape, but I think I underestimated the size. 😕

 

Check out the photo below.  Someone on the Waterbox facebook page measured their 60.2 for me.  I would assume the overflow would be the same or similar for a 90.3, but you could always post the question and see if someone can confirm for you!

OVERFLOW.thumb.jpg.8a54e65e65f0c4135e6978eda0d286e4.jpg

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12 hours ago, onthefly said:

YEEEEEEESSSSSSS!

 

Congrats and thanks for the info....the 3 1/4 is the one that worries me.  Oh well, I'll find a way 🙂

Yes! The overflow definitely presented some issues when I was building the aquascape.  Good luck, can't wait to follow your build as well!

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After a long weekend filled with several exasperated moments, the tank is assembled, leveled, and ready to get some water in it!

 

The assembly process was pretty straightforward, but as others have mentioned, Waterbox's instructions are on the minimalist side of things.  However, once you get the first couple pieces together things start to move quickly.  Overall it probably took me about 2 hours to unbox and assemble the entire thing.

 

The real nightmare was leveling the tank because as you can see the room that the tank is going in has carpet in it.  The Waterbox stand has 12 individually adjustable screw in feet to assist with leveling which were super difficult to get adjusted uniformly  Adjust one on the level to even things out and now the front right is out of whack.  Anyway, after about 4 hours of messing around with it, I accepted the fact that I needed to cut through the carpet to make sure the feet were setting on solid concrete.  This approach worked well, but overall the leveling process what not enjoyable haha.

 

Following the leveling fiasco I was finally able to get back into some of the fun parts of setting up a new tank.  First was installing some minimalist cabinet lighting so that I can see what's going on when I open the sump door.  If anyone is interesting these motion sensitive stick on lights work amazingly well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015PPQQES/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Here's a few pics of the build.

 

1.thumb.jpg.dbbfb4453685364ada252b5ae14e6d10.jpg

 

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While I get the tank up to temp and the salinity stabilized I plan to run minimal filtration.  Probably just some floss and the filter bag... maybe some carbon to get the remaining dusty fines from the stand and marcorock.  However, I'd waited long enough to assemble the Reef Octopus skimmer I snagged on Black Friday.  This thing is.... large.  Certainly oversized for the tank, but the DC pump should allow me to tune it down to match the bioload.  In any instance, it's not about where you are, but where you're going and I want the equipment on this tank to last the life of the tank.  Annoyingly the skimmer was missing the gate valve.  After a quick email, they are sending me a replacement.

 

Few pictures of the sump setup and skimmer.

7.thumb.jpg.2de5d01f3d8f0a971b0b064d2b58176d.jpg

 

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Rock is in!

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Now to get the sand in and the water filtered!  Can't wait to see this thing running.

 

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  • Nano_Addict changed the title to Waterbox Marine X 60.2 - The Tank has Arrived!

The tank is wet, salty, and cycling!

 

After almost a day of making RODI water I had enough to fill the tank and sump.  Interestingly, I measured only about 39 gallons out of the 54.5 volume advertised on Waterbox's website.  Obviously the rock and sand take up some volume, but I wasn't expecting it to be that much.  Either way, I just tripled the volume from my previous tank.  I'll take it! 

 

1.thumb.jpg.c2af5f3127f4317bd89f0a08d201e1fe.jpg  2.thumb.jpg.9ee057ddd0c41237cd3bcbcdd83f3779.jpg

 

After testing my existing vortech MP10, the magnetic hold seemed plenty strong even though the glass thickness is technically above the max tolerance for the MP10 so I went ahead and ordered a second.  I also decided to go with MarcoRocks sand... I'm not sure about this decision since currently I have a temporary MJ600 powerhead in the tank and it's already blowing the sand everywhere, the addition of MP10s to the tank isn't likely to improve the situation.  It's possible I may need to take it out and replace with crushed coral or something similar. We shall see.

 

3.thumb.jpg.eec9e2b757aa207d40030eb938ff3245.jpg

 

On to the cycle! I decided to give Brightwell's dry rock starter kit a shot.  I dosed the ammonia/nutrients as directed and ended up with as close as I can tell 2ppm ammonia which is exactly what the instructions say it should be.  Next I put the Microbacter Start XLM into the tank and the cycle is off! According to the directions, if all goes as planned the tank should be cycled in approximately a week.  I'll be measuring ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate along the way and will keep the thread updated on the tank's progress.

 

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  • Nano_Addict changed the title to Waterbox Marine X 60.2 - Let's Cycle!

Summary so far...

 

Day 1 - Ammonia 2ppm

 

Day 2 - did not test, didn’t have nitrite kit yet... dumb on me.

 

Day 3 - Ammonia ~2ppm (looks lighter than day 1...maybe it's just my eyes)

             Nitrite - 0ppm (maybe a little darker than 0?)

Day 4 - Ammonia ~2ppm (looking lighter than yesterday...hard to be sure)

              Nitrite - 0.0 - 0.25.  Definitely darker than zero and darker than yesterday.

 

According to the instructions I have if your levels are over 0.25ppm you can "add more bacteria if desired".  Going to do that tonight!

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Dosed the recommended amount of additional Microbacter XLM to the tank last night (day 4) after not seeing any real change in the ammonia or nitrite levels. Looks like that may have done the trick! Today's levels are finally showing some movement.

 

Day 5

Ammonia - 1ppm

Nitrite - 0.25 ppm

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Day 7

Ammonia - 1ppm

Nitrite - 1ppm

Nitrate - 25ppm

 

After dosing the additional Microbacter XLM as instructed, I did not see the same decrease in ammonia I saw after dosing on day 4 since ammonia still appears to be around 1ppm. If I squint and think wishful thoughts, maybe it's lighter than yesterday.  However, nitrite definitely increased.  One would think with Nitrite going up, ammonia would be going down.

 

Also kind of wishing I'd been measuring nitrate all along just to see how it's been progressing.  Anyway after measuring today it's at 25 which means the cycle is working, it just still has a little ways to go before the tank is ready.

 

Since this is where Brightwell's instructions end, I'm not entirely sure of the process moving forward.  The plan is to give the tank a few more days and see if ammonia starts to come down.  If not, I may purchase some cured rock from the LFS and toss it in the sump to help the bacterial diversity in the tank.  I know I'm definitely not risking the clowns I've had for four years to test if the tank is ready or not.

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  • Nano_Addict changed the title to Waterbox Marine X 60.2 - Still Cycling

I was stressing on my numbers and how the bacteria was moving it around for a while and I kept adding and adding different product. I finally let it be for a little longer and it all worked out 

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Updates, not really much... Things are still moving along, just slowly.

 

Day 8

Ammonia - 1ppm

Nitrite - 1-2ppm. Hard to tell.

 

Day 9 - Ammonia - 0.50ppm

              Nitrite - 2ppm

              Nitrate - 40ppm

 

9 hours ago, JustReading said:

I was stressing on my numbers and how the bacteria was moving it around for a while and I kept adding and adding different product. I finally let it be for a little longer and it all worked out 

I think this is key, patience.  To that end, I haven't added any additional bacteria since day six and am at the wait it out part. Anyway, here's a very quick and glare filled tank picture!

 

IMG_1633.jpeg

 

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Suhweet!

 

Sitting at 7week..and no email yet!

 

BTW...I just saw that AI "nerf"d" their HD line with a firmware update...making it so people can "overdrive" their LEDs...and potentially burn their lenses (probably for the best!).  Anyway,  I just called WB and switched from 3x Primes to 2x Radion G5 Blues....so excited!

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  • Nano_Addict changed the title to Waterbox Marine X 60.2 - In Search of Stability

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