Reef under Siege - Waterbox AIO 50.3

[siege]

This is my office where I work 35 - 70 hours a week (not to mention the time I spend in here to hide because my children are being too noisy). It's almost as if the Waterbox 50.3 AIO was designed to fit in this space... or the space was designed for the tank, take your pick:




Also, my bit 'o rock and bucket of shells - it looks like I might have a line on more live rock than I can use, if I want to drive clear across town to get it, that is. If you've got spare dry rock you're looking to get rid of for free or cheap and are nearby, please send a DM, I'm definitely interested.

I was originally planning on expanding my desk into that space where the tank is sitting. Either the tank or the added desk space could go to my right (and a bit behind, from the perspective of the camera - it's a corner desk, there's more stuff there). I'm torn, though - I'm left-eye dominant, and so tend to favor working that direction, even though I'm right handed. I love the idea of the tank being just there (though I hope the noise won't get to me - I'm on the autism spectrum, and sensitive to such things), BUT, also... it's not visible on my camera when I'm on calls and I kind of want to be able to show off Still, I think I want to see it more than I want others to, especially since I can't have my drums in my office any more like I did at my last place - maybe I can at least get cognitive breaks looking at fish.

Frankly, the biggest problem with it being right there (aside from pump/skimmer noise) that I can see is that I am also light sensitive, particularly on migraine days... which unfortunately happens about weekly, and I tend to keep it fairly dim in my office regardless. So I'm running tests with the lights on (though the tank is empty) to see how well I cope in the meantime, and I guess if it winds up staying there, my migraine days are going to wind up being rainy/cloudy days for the corals. Maybe I can put a curtain on it

Thankfully, the washer/dryer room is immediately behind my office (behind left, from camera). I went ahead and punched a hole in the wall and covered with a removable panel so that I can access the cold water line for my RO/DI and the drain for water changes, which will go a LONG way towards minimizing hassle and making sure I actually do maintenance. That also happens to be the same wall that would be visible behind me on camera though then I'd have to turn around to see the tank. That would, however, also put it right next to the access panel for the water and drain.

To the left of the left-most window, I'm punching a hole in the exterior wall to run some cabling for exterior cameras and WiFi antennae, and while I'm at it I'm going to run an air-line to connect to my skimmer - there are 4 adults, 2 children and 5 cats between the 3 levels of our home (we'll be adding a German Shepherd soon, too), and I tend to keep my office door closed during the day. As a result, I want to try to reduce pH drops from atmospheric CO2, which I already struggle with in my freshwater tank where I'm adding 1/8 to 1/4 tbsp of soda ash a week to that 29g bow, irrespective of water changes, just to maintain a pH of 7.0.

Aquascaping is going to be a bit of a challenge, because I have to consider both the angled perspective from which I will usually view the tank from my desk, as well as from the front-on. I think I have my head wrapped around it, but I need more rock than I have before I can get started. I'm still considering if I want to try to plan for an eel pot, which I do kinda think I want.

Looks like I'll be picking up salt soon now that the group buy is ready. I think I need new media for the RO/DI. Also picking up a Power Bar 8 (not one of the fancy ones) shortly as well. I'm planning on a ~3" bed of black sand. I need wave pumps, a python, and other misc stuff. A QT tank, I guess (anyone got a spare 20 long for sale?) I haven't figured out what I want to use to mix up salt in, but I don't think doing it 5 gallons at a time is a sustainable plan, and need a large container and I guess a pump for it. Need to settle on a skimmer and pick which heaters I want to go with. A light and pump for the fuge, and a step bit to drill it with. ATO kit for said ATO. And finally, I need misc. chemicals/additives and test kits, and then I think I'll be ready to start filling as soon as I finish 'scaping.

One thing at a time, holidays were awful expensive this year: here's to hoping my taxes aren't.

 

[siege]

Complete, Detailed Livestock Plan with Introduction Timeline​

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Introduction Timeline​

Initial Introductions (Once the Tank is Fully Cycled)​

• Corals (Hardy/Beginner):
  • Green Star Polyps (GSP)
  • Xenia
  • Leather corals (e.g., Sinularia spp.)
  • Mushrooms (Rhodactis, Ricordea)
  • Corky Sea Fingers (Briareum asbestinum)
• Misc. Inverts:
  • Cerith Snails
  • Nassarius Snails
  • Blue-Legged Hermit Crabs (1-3)
  • Feather Dusters
  • Porcelain Crab (Neopetrolisthes spp.)
  • Anemone Crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus)
  • Pom-Pom Crab (Lybia tessellata)
• Misc. decorative macro-algae in DT

Next Stage (After Corals and Basic Cleanup Crew Establish)​

• Fish:
  • Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops)
  • Green Clown Goby (Gobiodon atrangulatus)
  • Firefish Goby (Nemateleotris magnifica)
  • Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)
• Corals and nems:
  • Frogspawn Coral (Euphyllia divisa)
  • Torch Coral (Euphyllia glabrescens)
  • Rock Flower Anemones (Phymanthus crucifer, 2 or more)
  • Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor, 1)
  • Clove Polyps (Clavularia spp.)
• Misc. Inverts:
  • Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus)
  • Lettuce Sea Slug (Elysia crispata)
  • Fighting Conch (Strombus spp.)

Intermediate Stage (As Tank Matures and Bioload Balances)​

• Fish:
  • Mandarin Dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus)
  • Pink-Streaked Wrasse (Pseudocheilinops ataenia)
  • 3x Blue-Green Chromis (Chromis viridis)
• Corals (Intermediate):
  • Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)
  • Additional Ricordea Mushrooms (selectively)
  • Zoanthids (Zoas), selectively chosen for unique appearances
  • Candy Cane Coral (Caulastrea spp.), if a good deal is found
  • Discosoma Mushrooms, only if particularly striking
  • Elegance Coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei)

Advanced Stage (Long-Term Mature Tank Goals)​

• Corals (SPS and Advanced LPS):
  • Select SPS corals (e.g., Acropora, Montipora) for higher tank regions
  • Other advanced LPS corals based on availability
• Misc. Inverts:
  • Electric Scallops (Lima spp.)
  • Sea Cucumber (Holothuria spp. or similar)
  • True Nudibranchs (if ecosystem supports them)
  • Mini Maxi Carpet Anemone (Stichodactyla tapetum, 1 or more)
  • Burgundy Starfish (Fromia spp.) or Blue Linckia (Linckia laevigata), only after sufficient research and tank stability
  • Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera elegans), if Asterina star propagation becomes feasible
• Fish:
  • Long-Term Maybe: Garden Eels (if sand depth and space allow)

Considerations:

• Kalkwasser: dosing to be established once coral and macroalgae growth demand it.
• 3-gallon Refugium focus: I love refugiums - I'm awake far longer than my tank is, and the reverse light-cycle is great not just for the tank, but also my viewing pleasure. This one is to contain chaeto, sea lettuce, and a single mangrove. Haven't settled on substrate yet. Goal is to bolster pod population for a mandarin dragonet, as much as nutrient export.
• Lighting: will upgrade with spots or larger lights as necessary for demanding SPS and nems, based on PAR measurements.

 

[scottw]

I see a lot more space for a far bigger tank

 

[siege]

I see a lot more space for a far bigger tank

So, a friend has/had a spare 100g floating around somewhere on her property that she said she'd give me, assuming she can find it in one piece and still holding water.

If so it will eventually land on the wall behind where I sit on the left of this pic (pardon mess, still moving in and unpacking/organizing), once I can get a stand for it. The white square on the wall there is the access panel to the laundry. Lots of room in the closet, but no power, unfortunately.

 

[scottw]

That would be awesome to have a couple tanks in there. Like you, I work from my home prison too so having some life in there will make it a lot more enjoyable for you for sure! Great start to the new tank!

 

[siege]

Yeah. I'm torn tho whether I'd try to start a second reef (would be great to have the extra water and display volume, but the lighting... oy vey, the lighting... and sump...) or do a paludarium. I've seen some of the latter I've really fallen in love with, like this one, and at least the lighting is cheap:

 

[scottw]

I know zero about freshwater tanks, but they are beautiful when planted!

 

[siege]

I know zero about freshwater tanks, but they are beautiful when planted!

Heh. They are a LOT easier to take care of - I can about handle them in my sleep. In my planted 29g shrimp tank (with a few fish - if you can't tell from my stock list above, I like inverts), I track pH, kH/gH, TA, NO2/NO3, NH3, and, once in a blue moon, Fe. That's it. After first standing it back up, I did 15% changes weekly for a month. Now I'm at 10% every 2 weeks or so, where I'll hold for now. Once my next round of planting is done, I'll probably shift to 10-15% every 1 - 3 months for the foreseeable future. I dose 1ml of "shrimp minerals", 1ml chelated iron, 1ml stress coat, 1/8 tbsp soda ash, and 1/8 tbsp epsom salt per 5 gallons changed, no more, no less. It's just that easy, and consistent.

Especially with planted tanks, if you do it right, you can get them to where you do a 10% water change just a few times a year, and feed somewhere between once a week to once a month, especially if all you have is shrimp, snails, some smaller fish, and a healthy micro-/meso-fauna population (copepods, isopods, amphipods, etc.) - it helps though if you're using a sand-capped dirt/soil substrate.

I'm actually looking forward to helping my wife set up her pea-puffer and snail-breeder tanks almost as much as I am my reef.

But there's still nothing that can match a reef tank for sheer, unadulterated, vibrant beauty, movement, and variety.

 

[Hunna]

Heh. They are a LOT easier to take care of - I can about handle them in my sleep. In my planted 29g shrimp tank (with a few fish - if you can't tell from my stock list above, I like inverts), I track pH, kH/gH, TA, NO2/NO3, NH3, and, once in a blue moon, Fe. That's it. After first standing it back up, I did 15% changes weekly for a month. Now I'm at 10% every 2 weeks or so, where I'll hold for now. Once my next round of planting is done, I'll probably shift to 10-15% every 1 - 3 months for the foreseeable future. I dose 1ml of "shrimp minerals", 1ml chelated iron, 1ml stress coat, 1/8 tbsp soda ash, and 1/8 tbsp epsom salt per 5 gallons changed, no more, no less. It's just that easy, and consistent.

Especially with planted tanks, if you do it right, you can get them to where you do a 10% water change just a few times a year, and feed somewhere between once a week to once a month, especially if all you have is shrimp, snails, some smaller fish, and a healthy micro-/meso-fauna population (copepods, isopods, amphipods, etc.) - it helps though if you're using a sand-capped dirt/soil substrate.

I'm actually looking forward to helping my wife set up her pea-puffer and snail-breeder tanks almost as much as I am my reef.

But there's still nothing that can match a reef tank for sheer, unadulterated, vibrant beauty, movement, and variety.

This was my little 7.5g shrimp tank. Like you mentioned, at the end of having it I was doing 3-4 water changes a year. There were ~ 100 neos, 4 amano, and who knows how many snails. I would top off once a week because I DIY’d a plexiglass lid for it with holes drilled in to limit evaporation. Once set up and the plants had taken off, the only maintenance required was trimming the plants back. It was a low-tec as possible, and thrived. I miss that tank, and hate that I let my ex-wife talk me into getting rid of it.

 

[siege]

This was my little 7.5g shrimp tank. Like you mentioned, at the end of having it I was doing 3-4 water changes a year. There were ~ 100 neos, 4 amano, and who knows how many snails. I would top off once a week because I DIY’d a plexiglass lid for it with holes drilled in to limit evaporation. Once set up and the plants had taken off, the only maintenance required was trimming the plants back. It was a low-tec as possible, and thrived. I miss that tank, and hate that I let my ex-wife talk me into getting rid of it.

Wow, love that - definitely another one of Hunna's Stunna's! Since she's the ex-, what's stopping you from setting up another? If you put in some Australian fish it could be Hunna's Freshie Stunna from Down Unda!

They're not exactly free to set up, but compared to a reef... ? Plus, no need to buy fluval stratum or any of those expensive clay substrates, you can use 1" of organic potting soil with a 2" sand cap if you don't mind sacrificing the little extra bit of volume. 1" of sand over 1" of gravel over 1" of soil is also really excellent, as the layer of gravel helps a lot to minimize clouding or soil disturbances whenever you add or move plants. If you've got a healthy freshwater body nearby, you can grab a few leaves out of it, dump them in the newly cycling tank, and get yourself a free and easy micro- and meso-fauna population... or you can put said leaves in a large jar or so, and attempt to culture only specific things like daphnia and apocyclops. Personally, on a new tank, I'd just throw them straight in the DT (but not on an established tank).

 

[Hunna]

Wow, love that - definitely another one of Hunna's Stunna's! Since she's the ex-, what's stopping you from setting up another? If you put in some Australian fish it could be Hunna's Freshie Stunna from Down Unda!

They're not exactly free to set up, but compared to a reef... ? Plus, no need to buy fluval stratum or any of those expensive clay substrates, you can use 1" of organic potting soil with a 2" sand cap if you don't mind sacrificing the little extra bit of volume. 1" of sand over 1" of gravel over 1" of soil is also really excellent, as the layer of gravel helps a lot to minimize clouding or soil disturbances whenever you add or move plants. If you've got a healthy freshwater body nearby, you can grab a few leaves out of it, dump them in the newly cycling tank, and get yourself a free and easy micro- and meso-fauna population... or you can put said leaves in a large jar or so, and attempt to culture only specific things like daphnia and apocyclops. Personally, on a new tank, I'd just throw them straight in the DT (but not on an established tank).

Time, money, and space. I’m about to be combining my little Eshopps Deskmate and WB 25 peninsula into a 40g though, and have been debating running the Deskmate as either a shrimp tank or Betta tank for my 3 year old. I’d prefer shrimp, but she would probably enjoy a betta more at her age.

 

[siege]

Once it's pushed back against the wall, this should be pretty close to the perspective I will normally view it from, so I'm trying to take that into account for how I 'scape it. Now that I've got the lines laid out and the sand level marked (in dry-erase) I'm sure and certain I want to put an eel pot in the back right corner of the tank, but I'm still trying to sort out what will be pleasing both from the front, as well as from this angle.