WAVE BOX 45 Nano

[ReefSteve]

Picked up this tank locally last week as an interim tank to hold a few bits of my current stock during an upgrade as it's proving costly to keep a 3ft tank at 80F in the garage so this little box of saltwater will sit in the somewhat warmer dinning room.

I'm no stranger to small tanks but this is the smallest to date and is going to prove a nice little challenge to keep ticking over methinks...at least water changes won't be a chore volume wise...although could be fairly regular.

Here it is after giving the back panel about 4 coats of 'Midnight Hour' blue emulsion from Wilkinsons.


Specs
'Wave Box 45' (45x28x30)cm glass
37.8 litres (8.5g)
Niagra 300 hang-on filter
Wave Solaris 18w Marine Compact light

All the above set me back £49.99 + £7.99 to buy the marine version of the bulb as the one supplied was a 6500K freshwater bulb, the marine bulb is 10K + actinic.

I'll add pics and notes as it progresses

Cheers
Steve

[ReefSteve]

1/11/2007
Picked up some blue perspex from local reefer (cheers Keith ) and cut a section to fit in the rear corner to hide some extra bits of kit.

4/11/2007
False section in place ready for siliconing


All siliconed up with hang-on filter added, just the course sponge in it ATM


I have added a MaxiJet 250 (375ltr/hr) and a 50w heater (that should slow the leccy meter up a bit) behind the partition

[ReefSteve]

5/11/2007
30 litres RO/DI added and pumps/heater switched ON

18w Solaris lighting in place (plan on another one of these)


Tank running at temp with 18w 'marine' light on and salt added (Red Sea Coral Pro)


Plan to obtain some ROWAPhos/Carbon sponges to use in the filter and I also have a bag of 'Caribsea Aragonite Live sand' that has been sat in the garage for a couple of years and I will be adding in a thin layer of that. Always been skeptical about the 'live sand' in a bag so I have simply rinsed it through numerous times with RO and it is currently sitting in a bucket of saltwater as I understand it can take a while to settle out parameter wise with new sand ...my tanks are usually bare bottom.

Will update with initial water params when salt fully mixed etc

[whiskey2000]

Nice keep pics coming

[ReefSteve]

Current plan of attack is:

1) Add thin base argonite sand + seed with live sand from established tank
2) Source and add quality live rock (3-5kg?) + couple bits of reef bones
3) ROWAPhos/Carbon sponge in filter with bit of floss for polishing
4) Buffer params as required after settled/any mini cycle
5) Transfer clean up crew from current tank
6) Transfer corals + clown fish from current tank
6) Add another 18w lamp

Cheers
Steve

[Flibidib02]

Do you know if these can be purchased separately? And also what are the dimensions? Principally the length?

[ReefSteve]

I'll see if I can measure it for you tonight, check out STM (sponsor) for full range http://www.stm-shop.co.uk/acatalog/c..._Lighting.html or PM me about my local outlet.

Cheers
Steve

[cajen]

Hi Steve - like it: really neat. if you're ever short of 'bodging bits', I've got a garage full! What are you going to keep in it?

[fireproofcujo]

Looking good so far

[ReefSteve]

6/11/07
Initial water params afer 24 hrs mixing:

Temp 79F
SG 1.026
Alk 8 dkh
Ca 440
Mg 1275
PO4 0
Nitrate 0

Very happy with these, it's my second batch of 7kg 'Red Sea Coral Pro' salt and is pretty consistent with the last batch, just need to up Mg a bit.

Aragnoite sand going in tonight then need to source some decent live rock.

Cheers
Steve