Getting back into reefing!

Jake970

New Member
Hi all,

I finally pulled the trigger after a 2 year break and moving from CO to Belize and back. Ordered a Waterbox 70.3 yesterday! Also got my first piece of equipment for it as a place holder in my house.

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/index.php?media/thumbnail_20190506_083118.15996/
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/index.php?media/thumbnail_20190506_083105.15995/

Going to stock my tank with the following:

2 black ice clown fish
2 pederson anemone shrimp
2 scarlet skunk shrimp
2 sea urchins
1 yellow watchman goby paired w/ pistol shrimp
1 blue mandarin goby (captive bred)
4-5 azure damselfish
and possibly a springeri dottyback

Plants/Algae

green finger algae
red gracilaria algae
dragon's tongue algae
colony polyp orange/green
green toadstool
lavender mushroom
toadstool mushroom leather
heteroxenia polyp
(getting a low end light to start otherwise I would get some more advanced corals
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NSBXLT1/?tag=reefsanc-20 )

nassarius snails and hermit crabs for CUC and possibly a sea star or 2

I was planning on converting the ato in the sump to a refugium but I think I will just save up and get a 2nd tank as a display refugium and put sea horses in it.

Anyways I hope to have water in it within the next 2 weeks. Apparently my filter socks and waterbox sticker are already being shipped, not sure how long the tank will take. Should have water in it the day or the day after it arrives. Hoping to get my first fish in there a couple days after that tops. (don't @me about cycling the tank, we have chemicals for that. This isn't reef keeping 20 years ago)

Edit: Just did the calculations and the fish w/ the dottyback puts me at 30.75 inches of fish for a 43.8 gallon display w/ a 22 gallon sump.
 
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nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
:rbwwelc:to RS !

Congrats on the new tank ! Look forward to following as it comes to life !

If you click on the little picture frame icon & add the image address it will show up in post.

index.php
 

Jake970

New Member
Well apparently I ordered an out of stock model, so I won't be posting any updates until the end of the month when it should be in stock and shipping :(
 

Jake970

New Member
Tank arrived today!

The cabinet was a nightmare to set up. To be clear it was crazy easy as far as actually putting stuff together goes but the instructions were not helpful at all and I had to contact waterbox support to figure it out as there is no video for my specific stand online.

I get my liverock tomorrow so once I get my scape how I want I will fill it!
 

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Jake970

New Member
My UV sterilizer comes tomorrow to deal with my God awful cloud in my tank. Also ordering either my black ice clown fish pair or my goby/shrimp pair.

Over the next month I will be replacing the excess rock I put in my sump with blocks and swapping out my current macro algae with chaeto. Turns out I live near Algae Barn so gonna get my sump setup with their products, hopefully have my Mandarian in a month or 2.

Did add an emerald crab and a peppermint shrimp. Probably be another 2 months until I start my corals.
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Jake970

New Member
Good clean up crew purchases, how are you liking your Waterbox?


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Honestly I love it.... I am so mad I ever spent time buying other aquariums. This tank is so good, that it is a constant reminder of how much money I wasted in this hobby not just starting with a good tank.

If red sea offered a finance option I probably would of gone with them but this tank is truly awesome and for a better price. The sump design is 'meh'. It works well but nothing special.

I will be a lot happier once I finish the sump and get that the way I want it. As I plan on having a Mandarin and a pair of stupid expensive clowns be the show case of the tank I feel I need to get that set up first. Once the sump is done and I get my clowns/mandarin I will replace the light then work on an ATO and dosing system then start corals.
 

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
Sounds like a plan, mandarins are one of my favorite fish, so colorful and easy going with other fish.

The WB systems look very cool and the financing option I think gives them a competitive advantage. From my perspective a tank have to be beautiful starting from the outside otherwise.


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Jake970

New Member
I got my first coral in, don't remember what I got cause I was drinking. Apparently ordered a huge bubble tip sea star, that is awesome. Got my yellow watchman goby that is already paired with a pistol shrimp. 2 porcelain crabs and 2 Babylon snails, all from Blue Zoo Aquatics.

Tbh I don't think they actually pair their goby and shrimp. I think they just grab 1 of each and throw them in a bag together when it's time to ship.

Also the Chinese version of marine pure blocks is incredible! I knew they arrived because the ups guy threw the package with them in it against my door and I heard the impact. I was livid, was gonna chase the driver if they were broken so i ripped the package open and they were pristine! About $15 cheaper but not as thick. Structurally solid, I heard marine pure crumbles so I wen with the Chinese version, no regrets so far.

And because my first fish, a neon damsel, is super aggressive he now lives in the sump, which is pretty nice. I'm going to get an 8x8 marine pure block and another pair of the Chinese version to cover the entire bottom then add more live rock on top and some inverts and more copopods down there.
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Jake970

New Member
So got my azure damels (3) and my ORA Springer dottyback comes tomorrow and got a free dwarf moray eel.

Also I now know what keeps happening to my shrimp. My snails murder my shrimp immediately so they are going to have to die for their sins. Jk they are going in the sump, my watchman goby is so lonely and I dont want him to think the eels nest is a suitable home.
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