Hello folks, Robert from Marine Depot here and welcome to episode number two
of our Mode Aquariums Drop off tank build.
In our last episode we asked you guys which sump we should use
to upgrade the standard glass sump that comes with the aquarium.
Well the results were pretty clear and we'll be using the MD prototype sump for our tank.
These new sumps were made for us by Trigger Systems and will be available on our website soon.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter to stay up to date with these new MD sumps
and all of the latest happenings here at Marine Depot.
In addition to the cable management brackets, the dosing tube holders and the chamber that
be used as either a refugium or a ATO reservoir,
the new MD sumps have a ton of other great features.
We really like the larger 7 inch filter socks that will last longer between cleanings.
The probe holder, the heater holder, the filter sock drain silencer, and the adjustable water
level with self adjusting foam block really set this sump apart
and will surely come in handy when building this tank.
Instead of using a 30 inch sump which fits nicely in the tank stand, we decided to use
the larger 36 inch sump and set it up next to the aquarium.
Why you ask?
Well the biggest reason is that we wanted to have easier access to the sump so that
we can better show you guys the equipment we test and use in future videos.
The larger water volume will help to make the system more stable and the extra room
will come in handy for all the gadgets that will be added to the aquarium.
After mapping out the plumbing we gathered all the parts we would need
and cut all of the pipes to size.
We assembled all of the plumbing without glue for a dry fit.
This helps us to ensure that when we do apply the glue all the fittings and pipes are set correctly.
We needed a way to stabilize the long runs of PVC pipe
so we created a mounting board to support the plumbing.
After getting the PVC mounted we drilled a couple of holes for the power cords to run through,
slipped a couple of plastic grommets into the holes to clean up the edges, and
then attached some power strips on the backside of the board to keep them away from the water
and to better manage all of the power plugs.
Now I know some of you are probably wondering about a controller for this tank, which is
definitely in the plans, but we're going to tackle that topic in a future episode.
We glued the pipes together with some clear PVC cements to help keep it looking nice.
The Mode Aquarium comes standard with uPVC which does not directly connect to standard
schedule 40 PVC fittings without some adaptation.
We were able to utilize a few simple parts from a local home improvement store to adapt
to standard schedule 40 PVC on the drain line.
Details of the parts we use can be found in the description below.
For the return we created a simple manifold for future upgrades and additions.
A short length of vinyl tubing is used between the return pump and our manifold to help dampen vibration
and to allow us to easily service the return pump.
Each of the outlets on the manifold has a 3/4" ball valve
that will allow us to control the flow of water.
These manifolds really come in handy for feeding reactors
because it allows you to feed multiple reactors from a single pump
and eliminates the need for multiple small powerheads in your sump.
This will help to clear up space and reduce the power chrord clutter.
These manifolds can also be used to pump water out of your system for a water change which
really comes in handy with large tanks because it can take quite some time to siphon water
out of your display tank.
Finally another short length of 3/4" vinyl tubing is used to connect our manifold to
the uPVC pipe that comes with the Mode Aquarium.
We use metal hose clamps on the vinyl tubing connections to keep everything secure.
Now that we have the tank plumbed and ready to go its time choose our live rock
and get water into this tank for cycling.
We stock a variety of different dry rock here at Marine Depot and I definitely wanted the
freedom of using a combination of branch, shelf, and standard rock inside of the tank.
So whats it going to be?
The CaribSea Life Rock? or the AquaMaxx Dry Rock?
The CaribSea Life Rock is man-made of aragonite based material and infused with spores of
live bacteria to help quicken the cycle time.
It is also colored with various shades of pink and purple to mimic coraline algae.
The AquaMaxx Dry Rock is naturally collected so every individual rock has a unique organic shape.
The rock is sun dried and is free of living hitchhikers and pest that are commonly found
on naturally collected live rock.
You can let us know which rock option you'd like us to use by clicking on the poll card
in the upper right hand corner of this video and then tune into our next episode to see
this aquascape come alive.
We do appreciate all of you for watching and until next time,
take care and happy reef keeping!