New to reef keeping but jumping in..

[Noob2reef]

Hi all,
I have kept aggressive freshwater aquariums for 15 years but I'm going for my dream reef. I'm going with a waterbox infinia peninsula 7225. I have been doing tons of research, but I would like feedback. You can ignore the timings. I just put that in as placeholders. I know a million things can go wrong and plans go out the window.

The Waterbox INFINIA 7225: Master Blueprint

PART 1: MASTER REEF INVENTORY1. The Display System (Waterbox INFINIA 7225 Peninsula)
Tank & Stand: 7225 Peninsula (167-Gallon System) with White Cabinet & B-Framework.
Structural Support: (2) Adjustable Steel Floor Jacks (1.37 to 2.36 meters / 54 to 93 inches).
Lighting: (3) Radion XR15 G6 Blue with RMS Multi-Light Track (70.5") and Slide.
Flow: (1) VorTech MP40 and (1) Sicce Syncra SDC 9.0 Return Pump.
Filtration: Protein Skimmer 400/AC, Phosphate Media (500ml), and Carbon Media (1000ml).
Heating: (1) 200W and (2) 300W Scuba Heaters (800W total).
Automation: Osmolator 3 ATO and ALP Control Box (Management system).
Rock & Sand:
Liferock: (2) 40 lb. Original, (1) 40 lb. Shelf, (1) 20 lb. Arches (140 lbs total).
Sand: (8) 20 lb. bags Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand (160 lbs total).
Supplements: 500ml each of Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium; 50ml Starter Bacteria.

2. The Quarantine System (Top Fin 29G Kit)
Tank & Lid: 29-Gallon tank with integrated LED lid.
Filtration: SilentStream 30 HOB Filter (Hacked with Fluval Foam and Seachem Matrix).
Heater: Aqueon Glass Submersible Heater.
Territory (The PVC Forest): (4) 1" 90° Elbows, (4) 1.5" 45° Elbows, (4) 2" 90° Elbows, (2) 3" T-Junctions.
Security: Mesh/Screening and clear 100% silicone for sealing lid gaps.

3. Water Production & Testing
RO/DI System: Waterbox 4-Stage System + Replacement Filter Kit.
Hookups: Chrome Faucet Diverter, Adapter Kit, and Inline Ball Valves.
Testing:
Digital: Hanna High Range Copper Checker (HI702), Hanna ULR Phosphate Checker (HI774), Hanna HR Nitrate Checker (HI782), HM Digital TDS-3 Handheld Meter.
Analog: API Saltwater Master Test Kit, Salifert Calcium Test Kit.
Salinity: Refractometer with 35ppt Calibration Fluid.
Monitoring: Seachem Ammonia Alert Badge.

4. Chemicals & Maintenance
Salt: (2) 44lb Bags Reef Salt (Waterbox) and (1) Purple Bucket Instant Ocean (Amazon).
Biology: Seachem Stability (500ml), Dr. Tim’s One & Only, and Dr. Tim’s Ammonium Chloride.
Medication: Copper Power and PraziPro.
Equipment:
Basement Mixing Station: 44-Gallon Rubbermaid BRUTE Trash Can (Gray), Matching BRUTE Lid, BRUTE Dolly, and Superior Pump 1/4 HP Submersible Utility Pump.
Glass Scrapers: Flipper Magnetic Aquarium Algae Cleaner and Long-Handled Manual Aquarium Scraper.
Organization: Velcro ties, adhesive mounts, and color-coded cable labels.

5. Master Sump & Biological Inventory
Biological Tier: MarinePure 8x8x4 Block (elevated on PVC couplings), Clean Chaetomorpha, Flexible neck LED.
Mechanical & Organic Export: Red Sea ReefMat 1200 (with 1 spare roll), Waterbox Skimmer 400/AC.
Manifold-Powered Water Quality: Aqua Ultraviolet 40W Classic UV Sterilizer, (2) BRS GFO & Carbon Reactors.
Custom Plumbing & Mounting Kit: UV Mounting clamps, UV-to-Manifold Bridge (Barb couplings/adapters), Reactor-to-Manifold Bridge (Mur-lok Stem Adapters), Braided Vinyl Tubing, and Plastic Ratchet Clamps.
Power & Safety: Iron Forge 10ft Extension Cord (14/3), (2) Kasa HS300 Smart Strips, Ecotech Battery Backup.

Inventory Gaps (The "Future" List)
The "Coral Transition" (Post-Europe): 4-Head Dosing Pump.
Safety & Redundancy: Grounding Probe.
Other Checkers: Salifert or Hanna kits for Alkalinity and Magnesium.

-----PART 2: MASTER STOCKING STRATEGY
The Biological Timeline (2026)
April : 29-gallon QT undergoes a fishless cycle using Ammonium Chloride (target 1.0 ppm).
May ("The Ignition"): Main 225-gallon display is filled. Refugium is seeded with Clean Chaetomorpha and a Copepod Blend.
July–August ("The Europe Hiatus"): No new livestock additions. System matures for 8 weeks sustained by an Avast Plank feeder and the ReefMat 1200.
Master Stocking & Quarantine Waves

(All fish undergo a 30-day therapeutic copper protocol at 2.50 ppm and Prazipro deworming in the 29g QT).

Wave 1: The Pioneers (May)
7x Talbot’s Damsels
2x Ocellaris Clownfish
2x Banggai Cardinalfish
1x Flame Hawkfish
15–20x Nassarius Snails

Wave 2: Character, Color & The Sandbed Syndicate (June)
6x Lyretail Anthias (Harem)
1x Diamond Goby
1x Yellow Watchman Goby
1x Midas Blenny
2x Blue Neon Gobies
2x Fighting Conchs
20x Cerith Snails

Wave 3: The Peaceful Fleet (Early July)
Wrasse Trio (1x Carpenter’s, 1x McCosker’s, 1x Exquisite Fairy)
2x Purple Fire Dartfish (Bonded pair)
1x Royal Gramma
Wave 4: The Herbivore Crew (August)
1x Yellow Tang
1x White Tail Bristletooth Tang
1x One Spot Foxface

Wave 5: The Showpieces (Late 2026)
Blue Throat Triggerfish (Bonded Pair)
1x Flame Angelfish

Low-Maintenance Coral Strategy
The Living Wall: Green Star Polyps (GSP) on the overflow box glass.
Isolate Islands: Pulsing Xenia on a small magnetic or isolated rock.
Island Canopies: Toadstool Leathers at the center of each Liferock island.
The Forest Floor: Discosoma Mushrooms (Blue or Striped) at the base of the rockwork.
Color Shelves: Zoanthid colonies on the Liferock Shelves.
PART 3: BI-WEEKLY MAINTENANCE PROTOCOL

Important Scaling Note: This is the mature-state protocol designed for exporting waste from the finalized bioload. During the early months, rely on your ReefMat, skimmer, and refugium, performing smaller 10-15 gallon water changes as needed based on test results.One-Time Setup: Calibrating the 35-Gallon Drain Line
Turn OFF the Sicce Return Pump and wait 2 minutes for the water to stop draining.
Measure exactly 4.5 inches down the glass from this resting water line.
Place a 1/4-inch sliver of black tape on the outside of the glass, over the black silicone seam next to the overflow box.
Phase 1: The Night Before (The Brew)
Fill the 44-gallon Brute can with 35 gallons of RO/DI water.
Add Reef Salt, drop in the mixing powerhead and heater, and let it mix to 78°F overnight.
Phase 2: The Shutdown & Drain
Turn OFF the Sicce Return Pump, Waterbox Skimmer 400, and Aqua UV Sterilizer. (Leave MP40 running).
Wait 2 minutes for the sump to catch the back-siphon.
Attach the 50-foot hose to the Python rigid tube, drain into the basement sink, and start the siphon.
Vacuum the top layer of the sandbed until the display water line perfectly hits your 4.5-inch black tape mark. Break the siphon.
Phase 3: The Refill (The Heavy Lift)
Connect the 50-foot hose to the 1/4 HP Superior Pump in the Brute can.
Take the hose upstairs, hook it over the display tank edge.
Power the pump until the water rises over the weir and the display is full.
Phase 4: Mechanical & System Check
Turn the Sicce Return Pump, Skimmer, and UV Sterilizer back ON.
Check the Red Sea app to verify the ReefMat 1200 fleece roll.
Empty and rinse the Waterbox Skimmer 400 colle
ction cup.
Rinse the Superior Pump intake with fresh tap water to prevent rust, and set it aside to dry.

 

[diana a]

All fish undergo a 30-day therapeutic copper protocol at 2.50 ppm and Prazipro deworming in the 29g QT).

1) That is a lot of fish (considering size of the fish too) for a 167g display tank.

2) QT tank must be large enough to comfortably handle the number and size of fish for up to 9 weeks.

Days 1 – 2: Observation - let the fish settle in and determine proper diet.

• Set QT temperature to 78 - 80 degrees F.
• Acclimate the new fish to the QT:
  • Measure salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Adjust salinity in QT to within 2 ppt of the salinity of the water in which the fish arrived.
  • Acclimate the fish to the QT gradually over 45 minutes.
• Observe the fish for any symptoms which might influence the treatment(s) you should administer.
• Determine if the fish are eating adequately to proceed.

Day 2: Begin Copper Treatment

• Add Coppersafe or copper power to the QT to achieve a concentration of 2.25 to 2.50 ppm over the course of 24 hours. This can be done in two doses 12 hours apart or multiple smaller doses if you prefer. Coppersafe will not be effective until a concentration over 2.0 ppm is present. A target of 2.25 ppm will allow for fluctuations without the risk of falling below the 2.0 ppm threshold. Hanna Copper checker is the most accurate test to use.
• Never use ammonia removing products or other reducing agents (dechlorinator) when dosing copper. Most products bind copper with an amine to reduce toxicity to the fish. Reducing agents break that bond, releasing free copper that can harm the fish.
• Feed and top off tank water normally.

Days 3 – 32: Continue Copper Treatment

• Monitor copper ppm regularly. If the copper level remains steady day to day, you can test less often, but if the concentration falls below 2.0 ppm, you may need to extend the 30-day count for the copper treatment.
• Monitor water quality parameters as you would for your display tank.
• If the copper or ammonia levels ever exceed guidelines, be prepared to administer water changes (pre dosed with copper) to correct the problem.

Day 34: Copper Done

• Begin copper removal through water changes.
• Binding agents Cuprisorb may be used to hasten the removal process, but work best with ionic copper.
• Carbon is usually too slow or ineffective at removing copper and should not be relied upon without adequate monitoring.

Day 35: Praziquantel Treatment #1

• Confirm copper has been removed adequately to drop the concentration to less than 1 ppm. Copper and Prazi should not be administered simultaneously unless there is suspicion of a severe fluke infection.
• Add Praziquantel to the QT per the dose on the label.
• Ensure the additional oxygenation source is working. This treatment will potentially reduce the oxygen levels within the QT to critical levels without additional air flow.
• Remove carbon or other chemical filtrants. Continuing running any protein skimmers, but don't collect the skimmate, let it run back into the tank.

Day 42, Day 49: Praziquantel Treatment #2, #3

• Add Prazi to the QT per the instructions on the label, 8 days apart. Spacing needed for these treatments is based on killing new flukes hatching from previously laid eggs. The time interval is not well known. A range of 7 to 9 days seems to give the best results.

Day 64: New Fish QT complete

• Observe fish for 2 weeks after last prazi dose. Note: many public aquariums do not move fish out of quarantine unless they are in the middle of a full copper treatment. This vastly reduces the risk from Cryptocaryon or Amyloodinium. To use that method, substitute a copper treatment for this 2 week observation period, and move the fish out around day 10.
• Conduct a 5-minute fresh water dip if the fish is of a species particularly susceptible to Neobenedenia flukes. If flukes are detected, reduce QT salinity to 50% and hold for an additional 35 days.
• Confirm salinity and temperature of QT and DT are the same, add fish to DT.

 

[Haus]

I’d reconsider the flame hawk if you are keeping snails. I had a Falco that cleaned my tank out and from what I just looked up, flames will eat snails as well

 

[MadReefer]

I’d reconsider the flame hawk if you are keeping snails. I had a Falco that cleaned my tank out and from what I just looked up, flames will eat snails as well

I have a flame and yes it does eat snails, esp. small ones. When I did the Reef Cleaners order i received bunch of micro snails; no way they would survive so gave them to Mark C.

 

[horseplay]

Keep a Copperband butterfly to keep the aiptasa in check. Plus it's just so nice to look at. My all time favorite fish. Keep a leopard wrasse to eat all the pests on corals.

There are generally two schools of thoughts regarding QT or no QT. I am in the no QT camp, which is easier. Just dump the fish in. You have a larger tank which make things even easier.

 

[Noob2reef]

Keep a Copperband butterfly to keep the aiptasa in check. Plus it's just so nice to look at. My all time favorite fish. Keep a leopard wrasse to eat all the pests on corals.

There are generally two schools of thoughts regarding QT or no QT. I am in the no QT camp, which is easier. Just dump the fish in. You have a larger tank which make things even easier.

I have been struggling with QT.. I'll be going to a quality shop. The aquarium center in clementon. There is so many passions either way... I have everything to quarantine but I'm just not sure. and yeah the tank's 231 total gallons and I know bigger makes easier maintenance.