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.