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Today on BRStv we have our second episode of the Vertex 120 Clownfish build.
In today's episode we are going to get this tank up and running. We will hit on the aquascape
with the rock and sand used, install the return pump, then move on to the filtration, calcium
and alkalinity solution, install the controller, auto top off, lights, powerheads, battery
back-up, fill the tank and then show how we are going to cycle this thing.
We have two primary goals with this tank which are going to help make sure the clown harem
is a success. Provide adequate filtration that can handle the heavy feeding schedule,
and provide an abundance of habitat so the more timid clowns can escape the aggression
circle of the more dominant clowns.
You can see Lue is pretty close to finished aquascaping the rock using Pukani. We reviewed
a lot of similar tanks with rose bubble tips and wanted to avoid the wall of anemones look
that many have. Instead Lue built this ridge which gets progressively larger from left
to right. Hopefully this will give the aquascape a more three dimensional look once the bta's
are covering it.
We opted to go with Pukani for two reasons. First because presents the bubble tips with
the type of habitat they seem to prefer in an aquarium which is a structure filled with
holes where they can attach their foot deep within the structure. The porous network of
holes Pukani is known for also maximizes the available surface area for filtration which
is going to be key in this tank.
We decided to use the Ocean Direct live original grade live sand. Unlike most of the other
live sands this brand comes moist rather than wet with a breathable bag that maintains natural
bacteria from the ocean.
We took the sides and back of the stand off so putting this together will be easy. This
is one of the more unique features of the stand. The ability to access he sump from
every side and the extra height is going to make this install and ongoing maintenance
a lot easier. Since we are starting with a Vertex tank, stand and sump it seems only
fitting to go pretty heavy on Vertex gear for the filtration.
We are going to use the Vertex V6 circulation pump which is capable of almost sixteen hundred
gallons per hour and can handle up to eight feet of head pressure. There is a base with
rubber feet to reduce vibration transfer and noise. We are going to plumb it using silicone
tubing to further reduce the vibration and noise. And you can see we already plumbed
the overflows to the tank using hard PVC and some ball valves.
For filtration we started with a Vertex Omega 150, to be honest I've been using this on
a lot of tanks lately because it simply works. They're quiet, operate in a wide range depths
and don't require constant tuning. It is that last part that really gets me. As long as
the sump level is stable this thing is super easy to adjust and easily the least finicky
skimmer I have used. We are going to be feeding this tank a lot to reduce food aggression
it is important that we have a highly functional nutrient export system and this is going to
be the back bone of that system.
For chemical filtration we are using the Vertex RX-U 2.0. Other than looking attractive the
thing I like most about the media reactor is the ability to hold carbon and GFO in place
by sliding the filter plate down and locking it in with the screw. This is a feature that
is overlooked on most reactors. The plate allows me to mix my GFO and carbon together
and hold it tightly in place so it doesn't tumble around where the hard GFO could eventually
grind the softer carbon to dust. I typically use a 1/3 GFO to 2/3rd carbon mix. The GFO
will help prevent algae growth and the carbon will keep the water crystal clear.
The calcium and alkalinity requirements will be pretty low because there won't be any corals
however we do want to promote fast growth of coralline algae. The most important component
to coralline algae growth is maintaining calcium and alkalinity but I believe alkalinity in
particular is the most important. Normally I'd use kalkwasser in my auto top off in low
consumption instances like this but we have this Vertex Libra Doser and storage containers
so why not.
We are going to use the Neptune Apex Controller. The removable back in the stand made it super
easy for us to mount everything directly to the board. We also made everything nice and
tidy by drilling a few holes and routing all of the cords on the back side of the stand.
This not only looks sharp but it also keeps all of the outlets out of the sump area and
should be safer. For those of you who have been with us for a while won't be surprised
that we went with the Tunze Osmolator for auto top off. The magnetic level sensors are
super easy to attach, primary sensor has no moving parts and most importantly I have never
had one fail me.
Circulation in a tank like this is always a problem because the anemones like to crawl
around a lot and they can get sucked into the pumps. For that reason we want to keep
the quantity of pumps to a minimum and we are going to use a pair of MP40's, while I
wouldn't call them anemone safe it is nice that they have a foam covers to help keep
them out of the pump.
It's also nice is the MP40's have a battery back-up option as well which will keep the
circulation going for as long as 36 hours in the event of a power outage a number we
confirmed ourselves during a power outage at the previous warehouse that lasted days.
This is one of those elements which will help us bullet proof the tank and protect the harem
from inevitable events like power outages.
Lighting was a tough choice. Anyone who has watched our show for a while knows how much
we like the Vertex Illumina because of the even par, color blending and sleek fixture
look. That said the guys are Vertex are literally going to kill me for putting a competitors
light on their tank but I have a pair of Radion Gen 3's and the team is dying to get some
experience with them. Right off the bat I know I am going to like the actual buttons
much better than the old version, the case is sleeker, I"ve noticed the fan is really
quiet and they now include the indigo and UV on the base model which is perfect for
a 120 like this.
The last element is the Neo-therm heaters and we are ready to go. We got the back of
the tank completely wired up and ready to snap back on the stand. It does take a bit
of force so it's best to do while the tank isn't filled and still moveable. Once we have
everything plugged in we can snap the sides and doors back on, make sure the tank is level
and start filling the tank with fresh saltwater.