Aquagen Neptunian Cube M180

[Aquagen]

I have been a bit lazy but figured I'd start my build thread now after running the tank for 2 years
Some basic info
Tank - Neptunian Cube M180
Stand - Aluminium Frame with pvc cladding
Sump - Diy 4ft sump. I didn't like the neptunian design as it restricted ability to run twin return pumps

22 February 2022 tank arrived

 

[Aquagen]

This will be where it sits for a while.
My plan was to transfer over my 3ft sps tank but a cracked magnet wiped most out

 

[Aquagen]

My diy sump

1200l x 450h x 380w 180l basic blue planet aquarium

Design is overflows into 3x 4inch socks. Skimmer section overflows into 3x media cups. Then into a fuge. Finally a bubble trap and return section.

All baffles are acrylic and silicon. Yes I'm aware it doesn't bond to acrylic, just make them smaller than you would glass and it sandwiches and holds

 

[Aquagen]

Just some pics of my 3ft before the crash.
Lost all corals but no fish.
Circa 2022

 

[Aquagen]

And my even older 4x2x2 aqueon
Lit with a Sb reef black box, sold complete for a bargain as I was moving house

 

[Aquagen]

Scape for the m180
Made up of Marco flat rocks and mortar

Plenty of free space. Easy to remove as it's 3 individual pieces

 

[Aquagen]

Lighting
I run 3 original popbloom rs90, and 2 popbloom rl90 wifi full Spectrum.
They alternate across the tank and to the eye can't see a difference.
Matching the times between app and controller was a bit of a pain but got it done.
Ontop of these I run 2 5ft Sb reef uv bars.
These are hung off a aluminium frame sold as connect-it in australia, very easy to use.

Currently mounted 300mm above the water. I'll have to do another par test shortly to check levels

 

[Aquagen]

Lights ramp up from 8:30 to 10am
Ramp down 5pm to 6:30
The uv bars are on only through the peak 10am to 4pm
Whites ramp up and down between 60 and 80%
So far I'm happy with the lights. Especially the $$$ saved vs more name brand

 

[Aquagen]

Basic list of equipment

Controller - ghl profilux 4, 3 x ghl power bars, temp and pH probes
I'd never run a tank without a controller of some description due to work schedule.

Skimmer - Coral Box d700 plus. Very happy with this skimmer

Return - Jebao dcp 8000. This runs return flow, a spray bar in my fuge plus a trickle into a nitrate reactor. Eventually I'll add a second return pump so the 8000 will only be for tank flow

Wave makers - 2 x maxspect gyre xf350 mounted horizontally on sides. 2 x xf350 mounted vertically on back corners.
This will be sps dominant and won't be lacking flow.

Heating - 2 200w heaters controlled by ghl. Being in Australia these don't get used much

Cooling - Whole house ducted rc set to 24c during the day. Also run 3 240v fans controlled by ghl. 2 over tank and one in sump. Constant temp of 24.9c.
I have a chiller on standby but haven't needed it

 

[Aquagen]

Current inhabitants
2 gold mollies used at the start. Originally had 5. They are now 3 years old so not sure how much longer I'll have them for

Large ringtail tang
Powder black tang
Blue hippo tang from old tank
1 Bristle tooth tang
2 x blue lined rabbit fish
6 line wrasse from old tank
5 azure damsels
Bi - colour blenny
2 x clown fish I have had for about 10 years
1 collector urchin
1 long spine urchin from old tank
Various snails
1 cowrie snail that is also from old tank

At this stage no further fish will be added

 

[Aquagen]

Filtration

Originally I ran 3 mesh socks changed every couple of days. Have a heap of these that I wash in bleach and re-use.
Have recently installed 2 dropin roller filters made by vastocean and found on aliexpress.
I still need to make a blank for the empty filter sock. And unfortunately can't fit 3 of the roller filters.
I had dramas with the rollers burning through a roll straight away so rewound and moved the level probe. So far so good and a roll looks to last about 6 weeks.

 

[Aquagen]

After the socks is the skimmer. This is a beast pulling out thick black coffee. The only thing I miss is the lack of a neck cleaner. The cup is 220mm and the only sizes I have been able to find are 200 or 250mm.

Photo taken 1 day after cleaning

 

[Aquagen]

Next is 3 media cups full of a mixture of rings, maxspect balls and seachem matrix. This receives the full return flow so probably too much flow for denitrification??
Under the cups is 3 maxspect bio bricks.

The water travels though the cups, around the bricks, under a baffle to my fuge.
This has a whole heap of loose maxspect bio balls and contains a mix of chaeto and caulpera algae. Lit with a tunze eco chic (awesome fuge light as it's water proof, can mount down low to prevent light spill into other areas)

 

[Aquagen]

From there I have 3 more maxspect bricks in a baffle, and 5 more stacked in the return section.
And finally the newest addition to the tank
A Donovans nitrate destroyer made from 3in pvc and 450mm high.
I have struggled with nitrates being over 50ppm, can only assume it's due to bare bottom and not a lot of display rock.
I was dosing up to 120ml of vinegar per day and not seeing a drop in nitrate levels.

I put this online 14 may 2025, so yesterday. I'll keep updating how it goes

Airline tubing is my vinegar feed. Iv reduced it to 20ml day to get the reactor started.
Current nitrate level is 55.2, phos 0.1

 

[Aquagen]

Current full tank shot

 

[Aquagen]

I built this house in 2021 with the fish tank in mind. Tank is in my living area with a drain built into slab for easy water changes
One day I'll set up a auto water change system just haven't yet.
I also made sure there was 2 power points installed on 2 separate circuits. So my return pump is on one circuit and my wave makers are on the other. If one trips I'll still have tank circulation.


One day I may upgrade to a 10ft tank and use the 4th bedroom as my wet area remote sump but it's unlikely

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Current full tank shot

I love the aquascape in there!

 

[Aquagen]

Thankyou
By design it's pretty much 3 frag racks. Each flat ledge has a hole drilled in it for easy coral placement

 

[SFNanoReef]

Hows the tank quality? I am debating a Neptunian Cube M120 or M120 Pro.

 

[Aquagen]

Hows the tank quality? I am debating a Neptunian Cube M120 or M120 Pro.

Tank quality is mint. Fantastic silicon job, low iron glass. Overflow is a bit bulky though.
Stand quality is excellent. Aluminium frame clad in pvc