Shawn's Reef Return - Waterbox 25 Mini Peninsula

[Struansmochkins]

Hi folks,

I'm in early days of a new build after a long hiatus (~15 years) in the hobby. My ambitions in the past largely outweighed success (or budget). I've been planning a re-entry since early 2021 and had a bit of a windfall in the budget category so here we go.

My first post here, related to this build, was here. I'm planning to write-up a few things I've learned or plan to work on soon.

The tank is cycling now and here is a recent picture:

Goals

• Build a sustainable nano reef with substantial automation
• Capable of high light and high flow
• Supportable by non-expert pet sitters while on 1-2 week vacations
• Use existing countertop/wetbar for display area
• Long-term: Auto water changes (pending manual and semi-automatic testing periods to manage risk and get to know the tank)

Livestock
None yet, things being negotiated with my kids:

• Anemone w/ clowns (later on obviously)
• Royal gramma (maybe first add soon)
• Siren call of SPS is causing conflict with anemone plans

Equipment

• Waterbox 25 Mini Peninsula
• Aquaforest AF Rock (40 lbs)
• Special Grade Live Sand
• Nicrew Hyper Reef 150 Light
• RO/DI Filter 50 GPD
• RO Auto Shutoff Kit
• RO/Saltwater Containers (~17 gallon actual)
• Reef salt (HW)
• Starter bacteria (Dr Tims)
• Ammonium Chloride
• NO2 Test Kit (Salifert)
• NO3 Test Kit (Salifert)
• PO4 Test Kit (Salifert)
• NH3 Test Kit (API)
• ATO Pump (Hydros)
• ATO Bracket (Hydros)
• 35 ppt solution
• ATO/AWC Containers (5 gallon hedpacks)
• Heater 100W
• Hydros Control4 Controller
• Hydros Controller Terminator
• Hydros Controller Comand Bus Cable
• Hydros Leak Sensor
• Hydros Feeder
• Hydros 0-10v Quad Cable
• Stereo to Mono 3.5mm splitter (0-10v output muxer)
• Icecap Gyre pump and controller

Food

• TDO Pellet Food
• Piscine Energetics Pellet Food
• Nyos Mysis Plankton
  

Equipment Being Considered / Pending Order

• Alkilinity Test Kit
• Calcium Test Kit
• ATO sensor mounting bracket
• Controller mounting board (probably should DIY this to save money, prototype with wire rack right now)
• Hydros Orp probe
• Nemprotect for gyre
• AWC or Dosing pumps
• All-for-reef (if dosing w/o AWC)

 

[Struansmochkins]

I believe my cycle is nearing completion finally. My first attempt to start with Dr Tim's in a big bucket w/ the rock was a dud though.

Cycling Notes
Start cycling in bucket 11/15/22
- pH measurements with dip strip, questionable
Day 1: 50 drops / 1ppm nh3 / 8.0 ph
Day 2: 2 ppm nh3 / 7.6 ph / 0ppm no2 / 2ppm no3
Day 3: 2 ppm nh3 / ? ph / <0.1ppm no2 / 2ppm no3 / 0ppm po4
Day 4: 50 drops / 1ppm nh3 / 8.2 ph / <0.1ppm no2 / 2-5ppm no3 / 0ppm po4
Day 5: 2ppm nh3 / 8.2 ph / <0.1ppm no2 / 2-5ppm no3 / 0ppm po4
Day 6: 2-4ppm nh3 / 8.2 ph / <0.1ppm no2 / 2-5ppm no3 / 0ppm po4
Day 7: 2-4ppm nh3 / 7.6 ph / <0.1ppm no2 / 2-5 ppm no3
Day 8: 2ppm nh3 / 7.2 ph / <0.1ppm no2 / 2-5 ppm no3
Day 9: 1-2ppm nh3 / 7.2 ph / <0.1ppm no2 / 2-5 ppm no3
Day 10: 2 ppm nh3 / 7.6 ph / <0.1ppm no2 / 2-5 ppm no3
Stays at 2ppm nh3 until tank transfer

Display tank transfer 12/4/22
- pH stable at 8.25 and monitored on hydros
Day 1: 2ppm nh3
Day 3: 0.25 ppm nh3 / 0.1ppm no2 / 2-5 ppm no3
Day 4.1: 80 drops / 0.25 ppm nh3 / <0.1ppm no2 / 2-5 ppm no3
Day 4.2: 2ppm nh3
Day 5.1: 2ppm nh3 / 0.1ppm no2
Day 6: 2ppm nh3
Day 7: 2ppm nh3
Day 8: 2ppm nh3
Day 9: 2ppm nh3
Day 10: 2ppm nh3
(12/15/22) Day 11: 1-2ppm nh3 / 1ppm no2 / 25ppm no3

 

[dstockwell]

Looking good

 

[Gumbies R Us]

You got a nice set up going with a lot of good equipment so far!!

 

[blaxsun]

Good luck with the new reef!

 

[Devaji]

nice! I love the little peninsula tanks. I have a 20 gal. in my tank storage area. yeah it happens. lol

how are you finding the hydros controller? beginner friendly? does it do all that you want/need to do?

 

[Struansmochkins]

Thanks @Devaji

I do like the hydros platform so far. Their support has been really helpful already too. I'm going to write up more on integrating with the nicrew light, gyre pump details, and my port layout later so maybe watch this thread. I'm working on PAR testing to post first.

Overall, it does what I planned for and is reasonably beginner friendly while having tons of features.

 

[Devaji]

Thanks @Devaji

I do like the hydros platform so far. Their support has been really helpful already too. I'm going to write up more on integrating with the nicrew light, gyre pump details, and my port layout later so maybe watch this thread. I'm working on PAR testing to post first.

Overall, it does what I planned for and is reasonably beginner friendly while having tons of features.

good to hear!

 

[Struansmochkins]

I posted the par testing results in the light forum at https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/build-thread-spinoff-1-nicrew-150-par-test.954254/.

 

[Struansmochkins]

Looks like the cycle is coming along and finally cleared ammonia (API test kit reads 0.25 for control water). Now I wait for nitrites to drop before I water change out the excess nitrates.

(12/15/22) Day 11: 1-2ppm nh3 / 1ppm no2 / 25ppm no3
Day 12: 1-2ppm nh3 / 2ppm no2 / 50ppm no3
Day 13: 1-2ppm nh3 / 1ppm no2 / 100ppm no3
Day 14: 0.5ppm nh3 / 0.5ppm no2 / 100ppm no3

9 gal water change 12/18/22
Day 15: 0.5 nh3 / 0.5 no2 / 50 no3 / 8.6 kh / 430 ca
Day 16: 0.25 (0?) nh3 / 1 no2 / 100 no3 / 8.3-8.6kh / 410-420 ca / 0-0.03 po4
Day 17: 0.25 (0?) nh3 / 2 no2 / 100 no3

 

[Struansmochkins]

The cycle did complete and I added a couple frags I got from the LFS here to see how things go. There is a favia, lepto, and pavona freebie I'll use to evaluate tank stability. I'm running a parabolic light scheduled on the hydros that maxes out around 20% blues and 15% whites for now. Things look pretty happy three days in now.

The favia took a nibble of some nyos mysis shrimp I got a picture of.

I'll slowly bump up lighting and work salinity up to 35ppt over the next couple of weeks. If that goes smoothly I'll add some more coral and get fish involved.

 

[OldRed1]

Absolutely love this tank design. Cannot wait to see what you come up with!

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Looking great.

 

[Struansmochkins]

About 3 months in now with mixed success. All three coral are alive but the orange lepto is struggling a bit. The favia is very happy on the other hand. I've added a gramma about two weeks ago.

What I don't understand is why my KH has been dropping off after water changes very quickly. Lately my pH is getting higher than I'd like to see too. Briefly I dosed AFR hoping to raise alkalinity but have since stopped as it seems to drive the pH increase despite alkalinity staying low ~6. The KH test is verified with a reference solution so I'm not sure why I can't keep KH up.

I'm thinking of switching salt mixes away from HW reefer which I hear others have inconsistent results with.

Any other advice welcome. I've attached screenshots of my testing data.