TimDanger's CADlights 39g Pro

[new2reef]

very unusual. i wonder if there's a problem with your impeller or something? i think the reviews of the pump on marine depot talked about someone getting the wrong-sized impeller on one of their pumps.

 

Thanks for heads up on MD reviews. It does seem another person had the vibration issue I do, but seems no one else does. I've already pulled trigger on .020. Hope it's silent and maybe helps with bubbles.

 

$48 is a lot to lose - main reason I don't order thru mail. Actually, a couple yrs ago, I dropped by the Atlantis's shop (I live a couple hrs away) based on the fantastic corals their web site. None of the on-line corals were in the shop - was very disappointed. They must have a separate facility that has on-line corals.

[timdanger]

so, last night at 4AM (2AM-4AM = the only time that anything goes wrong with the tank), the mp10 again started making crazy grinding/seize-up sounds. i was able to get it to stop this morning, but i've had it with this thing. i'm just waiting for it to break down entirely.

 

i'm going to have to call ecotech and see what i can get worked out. last time i called them, they said i would have to send the unit in for them to evaluate it/fix it. but, in the meantime, what am i supposed to do without flow? i've got my return pump + the tunze 6025, but the mp10 is still like 65% of my display flow. i'm put in the position of either (a) having to go out and purchase another pump or ( hoping that 35% of my current flow would be adequate to sustain my SPS for 7-10 days while i ship to ecotech, ecotech tinkers with the mp10, and then ecotech ships it back (which i do not think it is). That is so frustrating when you've paid such a premium for a pump like this. the thing is not even 4 months old. if i bought a tv locally, and it was doing weird things/intermittently not working after 4 months, i'd take it back to the store and exchange it for a new one. i don't understand why ecotech wouldn't do the same thing, especially given the fact that with a tv, there's no reason you can't just go without it while it's getting fixed -- but, the SPS aren't going to survive without that flow.

 

hopefully ecotech will do something to make this right.

 

 

Thanks for heads up on MD reviews. It does seem another person had the vibration issue I do, but seems no one else does. I've already pulled trigger on .020. Hope it's silent and maybe helps with bubbles.

 

$48 is a lot to lose - main reason I don't order thru mail. Actually, a couple yrs ago, I dropped by the Atlantis's shop (I live a couple hrs away) based on the fantastic corals their web site. None of the on-line corals were in the shop - was very disappointed. They must have a separate facility that has on-line corals.

 

re: tunze noise, a few other people on here and on the RC cadlights build thread are using the tunze 1073.040, too -- i wonder if you just got a bad one.

 

you're right about the $48 being a lot to lose -- i did call them up, and they said that i could still qualify for the free shipping promotion they have going on depending on what i ordered, so at least i may be able to save some of it (there's a $10 box charge even when you get free shipping).

 

i asked them to send me pictures of a couple of things a week ago -- they still haven't done that. so, again, i'm going to have to call them back.

 

re: visiting the ATL shop, i do believe that they have a separate aquaculture facility (at least that's what it sounded like from talking to the people on the phone). that is kind of funny that they don't have that same stuff in the store, but maybe it's so they don't have to keep such stringent inventory controls. they only seem to update their website once a week (tuesday morning?). so, even when i bought my corals on a wednesday, the 'wysiwyg' entries for the corals i bought were still on the website until the following tuesday. seems weird, like they'd get a lot of duplicate orders/angry customers that way. oh well, not my problem.

[steely185]

Did I ever get back to you about that bulb? I couldn't remember if I got back in touch with you about the radium.

[timdanger]

Did I ever get back to you about that bulb? I couldn't remember if I got back in touch with you about the radium.

 

you did! thanks. i'm actually doing some research into it right now. while i've read nothing but good things about the radium 20k, my concern with the radium is that i already have actinic supplementation (2x24w T5HO bulbs), and i wonder if i'm not going to be over-emphasizing color at the expense of growth rate (and growth rate is important because i'm planning to mostly populate my tank with primarily frags, not big colony pieces).

 

but, looking at the radium, i've read that it may have PAR ratings as high as a lot of other bulbs of a lower spectrum. and, i'm still in the process of researching what about light it is that makes corals grow (i.e. is high par the goal, regardless of kelvin rating (with the lower kelvin bulbs usually having the higher PAR)? or, does the kelvin rating matter too?). i've read that most corals' zooxanthellae (other than deep water species) are able to use yellower light more efficiently than bluer light. but, i don't have much insight into why this is true, or any citation.

 

do you have any insight to offer here to help sell me on your bulb?

[timdanger]

so, last night at 4AM (2AM-4AM = the only time that anything goes wrong with the tank), the mp10 again started making crazy grinding/seize-up sounds. i was able to get it to stop this morning, but i've had it with this thing. i'm just waiting for it to break down entirely.

 

i'm going to have to call ecotech and see what i can get worked out. last time i called them, they said i would have to send the unit in for them to evaluate it/fix it. but, in the meantime, what am i supposed to do without flow? i've got my return pump + the tunze 6025, but the mp10 is still like 65% of my display flow. i'm put in the position of either (a) having to go out and purchase another pump or ( hoping that 35% of my current flow would be adequate to sustain my SPS for 7-10 days while i ship to ecotech, ecotech tinkers with the mp10, and then ecotech ships it back (which i do not think it is). That is so frustrating when you've paid such a premium for a pump like this. the thing is not even 4 months old. if i bought a tv locally, and it was doing weird things/intermittently not working after 4 months, i'd take it back to the store and exchange it for a new one. i don't understand why ecotech wouldn't do the same thing, especially given the fact that with a tv, there's no reason you can't just go without it while it's getting fixed -- but, the SPS aren't going to survive without that flow.

 

hopefully ecotech will do something to make this right.

 

just got off the phone with ecotech. they were actually very helpful and it sounds like they're going to take care of this for me! they're going to send me a new mp10 (i just had to give him CC info), and then i will send in my malfunctioning mp10 after i get the new one (so i don't have to be without flow), and then they'll either fix my old one and send it back to me, or i'll just get to keep the new one. either way, i am very happy that they were willing to work with me on this. the fact that they are willing to do the right thing to stand behind their product earns them a lot of favor with me. thanks ecotech!

[Zer0]

Hey, awesome tank. Got a quick question. Did you purchase that sump from somewhere? Or is it DIY? Also, is it 20 inches or less lengthwise? Looking for one similar to that and that sump is pretty nice.

[timdanger]

Hey, awesome tank. Got a quick question. Did you purchase that sump from somewhere? Or is it DIY? Also, is it 20 inches or less lengthwise? Looking for one similar to that and that sump is pretty nice.

 

thanks!

 

the sump came with my system from Cadlights. the dimensions are 20" x 11" x 13". you can buy the sump separately for $135+shipping directly from Cadlights.

[Zer0]

Sweet! Thanks for the info dude.

[timdanger]

Got my replacement mp10 dry side and wet side from ecotech. it seems that the dry side was definitely the problem. it is so much quieter now. that makes me very happy, because i frankly was having trouble understanding how people tolerated the noise levels i was getting from the mp10.

 

but now, much much improved. still not silent or anything, especially at 100%, but night mode (when it really matters) is almost inaudible from 10 feet away.

[Rehype]

Im glad to hear it tim. Nothing is more intolerable than a noisy pump

[timdanger]

big pic updates coming soon. i've added several new corals and completed a re-build of my lid (now more like becact's).

 

Here are the corals I've ended up with from atlantisaquarium.net after dealing with the DOA Lime in the Sky colony:

 

ATL Ocean Blue Papillare

 

ATL Intense Blueberry Tip Prostrata

 

ATL Pink Flamingo Selago

 

Tyree Idaho Grape Montipora

 

Seems like some pretty good stuff, no? Wait til you see the pictures.........

[Markushka]

Those are some really nice corals!

[timdanger]

Those are some really nice corals!

 

they really make it seem that way, don't they?

[timdanger]

full disclosure, i am running a 14k Prism HQI with 2x24w T5 actinics that are about 7 months old. ATL says that they are using 20k radiums on their website, but talking to their employee, they are actually running ushios now (20k i believe).

 

with that out of the way, the photos of these ATL corals in my tank:

 

ATL Intense Lime in the Sky Acropora Pulchra

sadly, DOA:

 

now, for the living ones:

 

ATL Ocean Blue Papillare:

acclimating:

 

tissue recession that it arrived with:

 

compare to: ATL's picture

 

ATL Pink Flamingo Selago:

 

compare to: ATL's picture. i will say that, although this does not look like the color of the picture on ATL's website, I still like this one, and the frag was a reasonable size.

 

Tyree Idaho Grape Monti:

shown in actual "colors", including black spots and generally garbage look. at least it's a decent sized frag. i complained to Atlantis' owner about this one; he said if it didn't recover, he'd refund my money.

 

compare to: ATL's picture

 

ATL Intense Blueberry Tip Prostrata:

this thing is TINY. i hope this colors up. right now, this is a pretty good representation of it's actual color (or lack thereof).

 

compare to: ATL's picture

[timdanger]

and, some updated pics of my existing inhabitants:

 

growth pic of my orange digitata:

 

when i first got it (1/20):

 

and today, a little under 3 months of growth (4/13):

 

rear view:

 

 

i finally got a couple good color representation pictures of my frogspawn under the halide. not great pics, but good/accurate colors:

 

 

 

gramma!

 

 

i also remade my lid (like becact's) -- it fits perfectly inside the rim of the tank. i made the curve by tracing the front of my tank on a 2x4, then nailing nails along the line about every 2", and then bending standard window screen framing around the curve. i then nailed a nail on the opposite side of the curve to hold it in place for a few minutes, and voila! perfect curve!

 

and, although i don't have clips to hold it up like a shelf, i had the idea to suspend it from above using little plastic tabs. this is not the actual way it works right now (still haven't gone to get a tab), but this picture shows the basic concept:

[timdanger]

without even getting to the condition of the corals i ended up with here, the entire experience with them has been more than a little disappointing, and to think that this is what i ended up with for my $200 is pretty annoying. i'm going to write a review in the reviews section when i get a chance to give more detail about it. but, isn't anyone else disturbed by the disparity in color between the ATL photo representations and what i have here?!

[bdesper311]

Sorry to hear about you bad experience, that has happend to me before with a different place online. I love your lid, I made one similar but went streight across without the bow... I did not know it would be that easy to make the bow... might have to make me a new one...

[timdanger]

Sorry to hear about you bad experience, that has happend to me before with a different place online. I love your lid, I made one similar but went streight across without the bow... I did not know it would be that easy to make the bow... might have to make me a new one...

 

it really wasn't too hard. i got the mesh from a user on here, Acroholic. now, having said that, i did have to add/subtract a little from the curve with manual bending/straightening after the fact to get it to fit properly (the front of the tank isn't a perfect curve, and my nails weren't perfect on the line, so...).

 

but, i really do recommend it.

 

one suggestion is that it's a little tough to get the square plastic fittings to shape to the curved part of the lid -- so, i had bought a heat gun ($20 from Lowe's for a variable speed Wagner (750F or 1000F)). however, you could probably do this with a hair dryer and get a similar effect. just heat it up so it gets a little maleable, and it'll cool down and set at a better angle.

[Markushka]

wow that is quite a difference in colours, thats just truly disappointing. I hope that they all colour up in your tank but it may take a bit. On the other hand the growth in the digita is amazing! how long have you had it?

 

plus thats a really good idea for a lid i'll have to do it on my hex, tho that might be a bit harder to execute.

[rizakaniza]

How about a FTS?

[fiddly_foo]

WOW I'm never buying from them.. that would piss me offf How are all the corals doing you got so far..?

[timdanger]

wow that is quite a difference in colours, thats just truly disappointing. I hope that they all colour up in your tank but it may take a bit.

 

no kidding, man. very frustrating. still haven't had anything show any better color, but i am going to put in a new radium 20k bulb tomorrow to hopefully help with this situation (thanks Dan!). I'll also be adding a dual reactor from bulkreefsupply in the near future to make sure i'm doing whatever i can to limit nutrients (just because i can't detect them doesn't mean they aren't there!).

 

 

On the other hand the growth in the digita is amazing! how long have you had it?

 

thanks! i've had it since January, so just a few months. it's been a good grower for me, though i wish the branches were a little thicker. i've tried to increase the flow around it by pointing the tunze 6025 more directly toward it (it was more "sideswiping it" with flow before) to see if i can't get it to grow a little better.

 

 

plus thats a really good idea for a lid i'll have to do it on my hex, tho that might be a bit harder to execute.

 

well, that'd be a pretty severe stretch on the corner pieces. but, i bet you'd be able to cut the corner connector pieces and glue them back together at the angles you need. that'd probably work (and there wouldn't be too much stress on the glued pieces, since they'd be cut instead of stretched).

 

How about a FTS?

 

i'll get one tomorrow after i add the new bulb (and new corals) from Dan.

 

WOW I'm never buying from them.. that would piss me offf How are all the corals doing you got so far..?

 

i am very dissatisfied with the whole situation. to make things worse, they then had the audacity to send me a marketing email with like 15 pictures of their "amazing" new corals -- but, that email contained my email address just in the CC line (along with everyone else's on the list). unbelievable.

 

the corals are doing ok -- the prostrata/idaho grape monti are both still brown. the flamingo is nice looking, but is definitely not the pink color they show -- it's more of an orangeish-pink. hopefully the radium 20k bulb will help the situation, but who knows. i'm already running a 14k bulb with 2x t5ho actinics.

[Rehype]

Wow sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with these guys. Its really frustrating that alot of online vendors dont correct the white balance in their photos to accurately reflect coloration.

[timdanger]

A few updates...

 

First, i got a great deal from Steely185 on a new radium 20k bulb and some SPS frags. I got a piece of his gorgeous pink/orange monti cap, as well as a few other awesome pieces (pink milli, spumosa, blue tort, huge purple digitata, etc.). the radium is still pretty white, but even out of the box it is bringing out a lot of colors i hadn't seen from my corals before installing it. so, i'm pleased with the radium so far, and even more pleased with the frags!

 

And, I got in on a Bulk Reef Supply group buy, and i just put in an order in.

 

First, I bought 2x 24w ATI Blue Plus T5HO bulbs to replace the stock T5HO bulbs that came with the Cadlights fixture (which are dimming rapidly). Couldn't really decide what direction go with this, but I figure I can experiment a little bit. If I don't love the look of the radium with 2 Blue Plus bulbs, I am thinking about trying out an ATI Pro Color or a KZ Fiji Purple, or maybe even a UV Actinic White to help with pinks/oranges/reds.

 

I also bought a dual media reactor and some Rox 0.8 + granular GFO to go with it, an Air King clip-on fan to replace the stock cooling fan (last ditch effort before a chiller), plus a few other misc. items. I've noticed a little bit of pink cotton candy algae taking root here and there, so i figure it's about time to get this reactor going and seeing if i can't eliminate a little bit of what i'm assuming is a nutrient problem (even though i've still never detected nitrates/phosphates).

 

Pictures forthcoming!

 

 

Wow sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with these guys. Its really frustrating that alot of online vendors dont correct the white balance in their photos to accurately reflect coloration.

 

ya, it's ridiculous. thanks for the sympathy, though.

[timdanger]

just happened to notice tonight while doing some tank maintenance... most of my hermit crabs seem to have.. disappeared? i had like 12-14 blue-leg hermits and 2 red legs back in september... and, now i can only find 1 red-leg. where did they all go? i wonder if a fish is eating them. jawfish? gramma? very unusual.

 

edit: did find 1 blue-leg this morning. my new suspect is the emerald crab (who i haven't seen in weeks, but i'm assuming is still around)