C.A.D. 39 Gallon... Anyone have one yet?!?!

[dmattlin]

Does anyone know what this little cap is for??

 

[Urchinhead]

Microbubbles are normal for the first few days to a week or so of skimmer operation. It is the 'break-in' period of the skimmer. Just dial back the air intake until the cup stops filling up and then turn off the skimmer. You are not ready to run a skimmer yet because there are no dissolved solids in the tank for it to skim from the water. After your tank has cycled and has built up a bit of bioload then you will turn it back on and let it break in.

 

Would someone please post the internal dimensions of the stand? I need to make sure I have the space I need under there for what I want to do.

 

Thanks!

 

UH

[NaClH2Ofreak]

That little cap I believe is to hook up an air hose to create a venturi. I think that the fitting was originally for a pump of some sort and not a skimmer. Works well though!

 

The internal dimensions are about 15" wide by 20" deep. I used the center brace in my stand. I know others have said that it has no structural benefit but....I dont see how it cant. It fastens to the base and the center of the top. Seems very much structurally important to me. Plus, the doors rest against it when closed.

Dennis

 

[dmattlin]

WOW... I didn't realise the top shelf piece was so thick... NICE

[Jim H]

Microbubbles are normal for the first few days to a week or so of skimmer operation. It is the 'break-in' period of the skimmer. Just dial back the air intake until the cup stops filling up and then turn off the skimmer. You are not ready to run a skimmer yet because there are no dissolved solids in the tank for it to skim from the water. After your tank has cycled and has built up a bit of bioload then you will turn it back on and let it break in.

 

Would someone please post the internal dimensions of the stand? I need to make sure I have the space I need under there for what I want to do.

 

Thanks!

 

UH

 

U

 

 

UH

For the black stand inside it's (L) 20 1/2" (W) 15 3/4" (H) 27 1/2" that's with the middle piece missing and no shelves.

 

Jim

[Urchinhead]

Thank you Jim.

 

Wow! I had the width (depth) at 19" from a conversation with Eddie. Sorry to say this and no offense Jim but can I get a second confirmation on the depth aka width? What I mean by that is the distance from the door when it is closed to he back inside wall.

 

I show the cabinet as being 22.5"(L) x 19"(W) x 27.5"(H) and I need to make sure if it is 19" deep or not. If it isn't I am toast on what I am doing and will have to completely rethink things!

 

Edit: I don't think there is a difference but just in case I am going with the 39G Pro and not the Sig and I am not sure if they are the same stands...

 

Thanks!

 

UH

[Oscar]

My 39G signature and cabinet were picked up by UPS on Wed Feb 20th. CadLights provided me with the tracking numbers. When I check the UPS site by tracking number one item shows leaving the UPS depot in New Jersey on the 22nd but the second package is not showing as leaving their depot.

 

These pacakges are heading to British Columbia.

 

Do any of you have experience in tracking shipments with UPS? Is the tracking procedure reliable or just a wild ass guess?

[Gvtv44]

I am so gonna intercept it!

 

UPS is usually EXTREMELY accurate

[dmattlin]

My 39G signature and cabinet were picked up by UPS on Wed Feb 20th. CadLights provided me with the tracking numbers. When I check the UPS site by tracking number one item shows leaving the UPS depot in New Jersey on the 22nd but the second package is not showing as leaving their depot.

 

These pacakges are heading to British Columbia.

 

Do any of you have experience in tracking shipments with UPS? Is the tracking procedure reliable or just a wild ass guess?

 

Just based on my own experences..

UPS tracking is OK.. Fed Ex is better... both are better than DHL

 

FedEX>UPS>DHL

[NaClH2Ofreak]

My experience as well, UPS is usually pretty accurate. DHL's tracking system is COMPLETLY WORTHLESS...just like the rest of their company!!!!

 

Dennis

[Gvtv44]

Really? I had considered Fedex to be the worst.. maybe it's because of the grudge I have against them

Long story below..

 

 

So, my dad loves collectible knives... I ordered him a really expensive, original knife by a private guy... well, he ships FEDEX, from Cali, to NJ.. got it shipped to work, we were there... never came 2 days before xmas- check online, and it says could not deliver... sent back to shipper... I was like WTF? Basically, we canceled the order, but yea.. WTF would they send it back and not try to resend it?

 

I like USPS, UPS, DHL, and FEDEX in that order I have never had something damaged via USPS, and UPS has only slightly damaged things, DHL has lost some stuff (don't they always), and FEDEX just doesn't deliver their packages

[Oscar]

Thanks for the quick response all.

 

The odd thing about the tracking statement on the tank package is that just 8 hours after it was shown as leaving CadLights there was a note that appeared to say that it was in their depot in BC awaiting payment for brokerage fees.

 

Holy cow! how could it get here that fast? Then the next day an additional note was added onto the tracking statement saying it left New Jersey. I guess the previous note was to either advise me or their depot in BC that it would be arriving?

 

Anyway geting a bit off subject but I will post again once the 2 packages arrive and what condition they are in. It will hopefully be a useful reference point for others.

[thelastmucci]

Hey Freak I have a question for you. I plan on getting the sig series sometime in the future (don't know what my living arrangements are going to be for the next 9 months so it might be pending) I was curious. When you say "hook up an air hose" to that valve would that make the skimmer better than it already is. I've read that venturi skimmers are at the top of the skimmer food chain and was curious if you knew how to do it and if it's an easy mod or not...thanks for any info you can provide.

 

 

Tony

[NaClH2Ofreak]

I dont think it was me that recommended hooking up an airhose to the skimmer. In my opinion, it wouldnt need it. It works pretty dang good right out of the box. I set mine up in my temporary little rubbermaid bin. It started pulling brown gunk w/i about an hour or so. I couldn't keep it level in the rubbermaid bin without building some sort of platform so, I pulled it off. I think it's going to work perfectly on the 39gal sig tank. I was very impressed by this skimmer. And Ive used a lot of different skimmers including the Deltec APF-600 Im selling now.

 

Dennis

[thelastmucci]

thanks appreciate it.

[2nd nature]

the 39 pro looks sweet. is any one running a 250 hqi on these.

[ravynnm]

FWIW I did a cost/performance analysis over UPS, FedEx, DHL. Two months exlusive usage on each carrier. DHL lasted 5 shipments. 3 out of the 5 were delivery failures, i.e., they didn't arrive on time. We use UPS for domestic and FedEx for international.

 

Out of curiousity, I'm looking to buy for April. I'm between Finnex and Cad. I'm confused. I don't think a single person or no more than one has had a trouble free delivery and set up of CAD and everyone still swears by it. My concerns with the Cad are I can't find clear pics or diagrams of the back, I haven't seen a diagram of water flow, no specs on stock pumps, why a chiller and no heater, and wtf with a return in the lower mddle side back? Not to mention, over cut on over flow, piece meal correction. I feel this is still very much a beta product. I like the volume, I like the looks, but I'm thinking, after having spent the afternoon reading every post in this thread, it's more trouble than it's worth. Or, at least a crap shot on when and what you'll get.

 

Edify me.

 

Ravyn

[Jim H]

Thank you Jim.

 

Wow! I had the width (depth) at 19" from a conversation with Eddie. Sorry to say this and no offense Jim but can I get a second confirmation on the depth aka width? What I mean by that is the distance from the door when it is closed to he back inside wall.

 

I show the cabinet as being 22.5"(L) x 19"(W) x 27.5"(H) and I need to make sure if it is 19" deep or not. If it isn't I am toast on what I am doing and will have to completely rethink things!

 

Edit: I don't think there is a difference but just in case I am going with the 39G Pro and not the Sig and I am not sure if they are the same stands...

 

Thanks!

 

UH

 

UH,

I measured it again and it was 15 3/4 from the back to the door thats with the middle support in sorry.

jim

[NaClH2Ofreak]

Ravy..FWIW, I think that the tank setup and so forth is absolutly AWESOME! I havent seen a 39gal rimless tank built out of 8mm glass ANYWHERE before. The skimmer is very good quality and works really good. The lighting is pretty top notch and looks VERY GOOD. No external ballasts to deal with. There is no chiller, only a fan. A fan that mounts to the glass and has flexible legs to aim it just right. Never saw anything like that before. And the hand finished cherry stands for $200 are absolutly BEAUTIFUL!!

 

The whole problem thus far, has been that Eddie chose to use the, IMO, absolute WORST shipping company in the world. If it werent for DHL, there would not be many issues in my opinon.

 

Dennis

[Urchinhead]

UH,

I measured it again and it was 15 3/4 from the back to the door thats with the middle support in sorry.

jim

 

No worries mate. Thank you for the remeasure.

 

In anticipation of that being the case I came up this weekend with what I think is a pretty slick under stand fuge/sump design that takes into account the lack of distance back to front and side to side but still gives me over 20% more volume in terms of water and a safety zone for overflow of about 2 gallons while still keeping the skimmer, heater, return pump, polyreactor (for charcoal and phosphate removers) and other miscellaneous kit under the tank.

 

I am working with a 15"(L) x 12"(W) x 14"(H) design that will fit under the cabinet lengthwize from front to back (meaning the 15" part goes from the back to the front instead of sideways like normal) which means not loosing the middle support or taking up too much space overall.

 

UH

[X3-3.0i]

last mucci: the skimmer food chain is like this:

 

#1 best, Key-hole air injections system: MTC, Precision marine, ETSS and so forth

#2 Pin-wheel: Cadlights skimmer , Turbo floater

#3 most commonly used, straight venturi (no tubes)

#4 cheaper form of venturi, with tubes attached to an air pump: finnex skimmers, generic LFS beginner skimmers

#5 Lime-wood or other material airstone skimmers: bottom of the chain coralife mini 10G-30G starter skimmers.

[thelastmucci]

thanks X3....I guess when all the books I had were published the pin wheel and key hole weren't around yet..its good to learn this kinda stuff.

[ravynnm]

Ravy..FWIW, I think that the tank setup and so forth is absolutly AWESOME!

 

Den,

 

Thanks for the reply. I agree the skimmer sounds superior to the finnex. I KNOW DHL, unless you're shipping large packages overseas is about the worst going. Any help on getting a clear picture or diagram of the back set up. I freely admit, I'd rather have 39 gallons than 32. I'm also in complete lust with the cherry stand. Though I currently only have FW, as one of my roomies says, "Each tank is a work of art and you don't want to detract from it." He was speaking in reference to not hanging a pc over one of my 55's. But total appearance of a set up is important.

 

However, if I'm going to drop 2K on a project, I want to make the most informed choice I can.

 

Thanks again man.

 

Rav

[LiveRock27]

Are yall having to run a chiller with the C.A.D. setup? I am looking at one, but just wanted to see how the heat was from the light setup. Thanks.

[Gvtv44]

As long as ambient room temperature is ok, C.A.D. insists it won't be necessary with the fan style "chiller". What scares me are internal ballasts= heat, but someone with one will be better able to answer your questions...