Jump to content
SaltCritters.com

Rizakaniza's Cadlights 39g Pro Build Thread


rizakaniza

Recommended Posts

rizakaniza

Alright, so I have been doing research for months and months and I finally decided against the Red Sea Max and the Nano Cube for the Cadlights 39g Pro. I've currently saved up half the money that I need for it, so purchasing it is still a few months away. I've been thinking of different ways types of aquascaping and I am stuck between making a sort of island in the middle of the tank or making a rock/foam wall so it appears like an entire face of reef. Anyway, those are just some ideas I am running through my head. I've heard a lot of people talk about the benefits of a deep sea bed, so I'm thinking maybe a 3"-4". I'll be looking forward to any help I can get once I get the tank.

 

BTW, funny story, I was in my favorite LFS and they asked me if I wanted to but one of their tanks and I told them about the cadlights and the store owner ran to her computer to look it up. She was so amazed she filled out the distributor request form right there and faxed it over. If she can get it and save me some shipping costs that would be great!

Link to comment
  • Replies 411
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I was thinking about going with this setup as well, but decided against it only for personal reasons (needed separate electrical breaker for the setup, setup difficulties, my beginner status) - but it's a really cool setup and I hope it goes well for you.

Link to comment
rizakaniza
I was thinking about going with this setup as well, but decided against it only for personal reasons (needed separate electrical breaker for the setup, setup difficulties, my beginner status) - but it's a really cool setup and I hope it goes well for you.

 

 

JL,

Why do you need a separate electrical breaker? My apartment curretnly only has 2 prong outlets in the area where I want to setup the tank. I was just thinking of having a gfci installed by an electrcian where I want the tank installed.

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

Alright, so the money came in a little faster than I expected. I was going to buy the setup through my LFS, but they were trying to charge me an additional $300. Instead I am planning on buying it from Ken at OceanReeflections. I don't know how he does it but his price and shipping is cheaper than from the manufacturer. I know they used to make a cherry cabinet (which the wife prefers...and you know how important it is to make the wife happy in a hobby like this), so we are hoping to still be able to get that. I plan to order the tank today.

Link to comment

I finally pulled the trigger. The Cherry cabinet was going to cost $175 extra, so I opted for the black instead. Ken at Oceanreeflections has been extremely helpful so far. I guess I have about a 7-14 day wait for the tank at this point. :unsure:

Link to comment

On my cad i bought a wash stand from ikea and built a granite top and i love it. I have three doinf pump there is enough room for a chiller with a good amount of air flow and a huge storage tank for my ATO water. I know in LA there are a couple ikea's so i thought i might give you another option. Also welcome to the CAD club

 

 

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20141184

 

never mind it looks like you already bought a stand

Link to comment
On my cad i bought a wash stand from ikea and built a granite top and i love it. I have three doinf pump there is enough room for a chiller with a good amount of air flow and a huge storage tank for my ATO water. I know in LA there are a couple ikea's so i thought i might give you another option. Also welcome to the CAD club

 

 

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20141184

 

never mind it looks like you already bought a stand

 

Scotty,

Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately I already purchased the stand. I'm happy to be a part of the CAD club. I am very anxious to receive the shipment. :D

Link to comment

Hey,

 

Glad to see that you purchased this as well. I am currently awaiting the shipment of mine. I am definitely curious to see how your setup goes and what other mods, if any, you will be making to it. Do you plan on using the stock skimmer, pump and lights? Do you have any auto top-off? What do you plan on putting in the sump chambers?

 

Sorry for the questions but these are things I have thought about with my setup. Post pics when you get it, haha.

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Hey,

 

Glad to see that you purchased this as well. I am currently awaiting the shipment of mine. I am definitely curious to see how your setup goes and what other mods, if any, you will be making to it. Do you plan on using the stock skimmer, pump and lights? Do you have any auto top-off? What do you plan on putting in the sump chambers?

 

Sorry for the questions but these are things I have thought about with my setup. Post pics when you get it, haha.

 

Thanks.

 

Actually, I have been pondering the same thing. I think for the time being I will stick with the stock skimmer. If I did switch to anything different, it would probably have to be the Tunze, because I have only heard good things about it. I'm going to stick with stock lights and pump as well, but when I am ready to introduce corals I am looking at adding some Hydor K2's. As for ATO I am undecided. I have heard people liked the JBJ. As for sump, I like the idea of a deep sand bed or maybe some fiji mud. As time goes on and more reefing money comes in I'd like to get a controller.

 

As far as aquascaping goes I have two ideas in mind. First is a high rise island aquascape. Second is making a foam rock wall using egg crate and foam sprinkled in sand and rubble so that is has the look of being an entire wall of reef that descends forward. What are your thoughts on this?

Link to comment
JL,

Why do you need a separate electrical breaker? My apartment curretnly only has 2 prong outlets in the area where I want to setup the tank. I was just thinking of having a gfci installed by an electrcian where I want the tank installed.

 

Sorry, probably should had clarified it up for ya. On paper I was looking at the draw with voltage, and based on where I was going to put it I realized that I didn't have enough room on the circuit - I would have had to run a fat extension or move the tank and neither appealed much to me. It was more of a for-my-situation sort of a deal, running the bigger tank and a separate sump tank and all it would have been more difficult given my electrical shortcomings.

 

My hope is when we move I can upgrade to something a little bigger, much like this setup.

Link to comment

...how does one avoid going crazy waiting for a tank to arrive? ...it won't even be here for at least 7-10 days... omgomgomg

Link to comment
...how does one avoid going crazy waiting for a tank to arrive? ...it won't even be here for at least 7-10 days..

 

I'm in the same boat bro.

Link to comment
Sorry, probably should had clarified it up for ya. On paper I was looking at the draw with voltage, and based on where I was going to put it I realized that I didn't have enough room on the circuit - I would have had to run a fat extension or move the tank and neither appealed much to me. It was more of a for-my-situation sort of a deal, running the bigger tank and a separate sump tank and all it would have been more difficult given my electrical shortcomings.

 

My hope is when we move I can upgrade to something a little bigger, much like this setup.

 

haha, my cadlights 12 gallon, took bout 18 days to be precise.. to get home, yes i was driving nuts!!!!

 

luckily i had nano-reef.com to keep me busy, hehe!

 

gl with ur cadlights, and welcome to the club...they worth every penny...

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

:happydance: My third replacement tank will be here Friday, July 17th. :happydance:

 

What happened to page 2 of my thread?

Link to comment
The site crashed yesterday night. so all posts from july 1st until this morning were lost.

Dude, that sucks. I lost my best work. omgomgomg:rant::tears:

Link to comment

Alright, so in light of the fact that most of my posts were lost in the crash I will repost the directions for setting up the sump.

 

Here is what should come with your skimmer assembly

 

P7020003.JPG

 

First attach the airline silencer to the top of the air hose connected to the skimmer

 

P7100014.JPG

 

P7100015.JPG

 

Next attach the greay nipple to the bottom of the air hose

 

P7100016.JPG

 

Then attach the skimmer powerhead to the hole on the bottom of the skimmer

 

P7100017.JPG

 

P7100018.JPG

 

Then attach grey nipple to the other socket on the skimmer powerhead

 

P7100019.JPG

 

P7100020.JPG

 

Next take the valve with the double elbows and attach it to the skimmer

 

P7100021.JPG

 

P7100022.JPG

 

Then attach the straight tube to the other elbow

 

P7100023.JPG

 

P7100024.JPG

 

Then place the skimmer in the back left chamber of the sump

 

P7100025.JPG

 

It is not recommended, but if you insist on using the bioballs then place them in the front left chamber and place the filter paper on top of that

 

P7100026.JPG

 

P7100027.JPG

 

After that attach the PC light strip to the middle chamber for the refugium. The light has a on/off switch attached to the back, so place in such a way that it is easily accessible, unless you have it hooked up to a controller. I like having it attached to the side wall.

 

P7100028.JPG

 

P7100029.JPG

 

Do not tighen screws until you hear the acrylic crack

 

P7100030.JPG

 

Then screw black piece into the return pump and attach appropriate hose to that. After that tighten the nut until it holds the hose tightly in place.

 

P7100031.JPG

 

Lastly, I placed the cooling fan over the return pump chamber.

 

P7100032.JPG

 

Here are various angle shots of the sump setup

 

P7100033.JPG

 

P7100034.JPG

 

P7100035.JPG

 

P7100036.JPG

 

You now have your sump set up. The only remaing thing you will need to do is attach the wider tube from the overflow box in the tank and have it drain into the skimmer chamber of the sump.

 

 

 

For anyone wondering about the glass thickness here are some shots

 

P7100014.JPG

 

P7100015.JPG

 

P7100016.JPG

Link to comment

This is what the second tank that was delivered looked like after UPS was finished with it. The first tank actually looked a lot worse.

 

Broken%20Tank%201.JPG

 

Broken%20Tank%202.JPG

 

Broken%20Tank%203.JPG

 

Broken%20Tank%204.JPG

 

I also want to note that I installed a 20 amp GFCI where the tank will be located. The brand I used was from Lowes and featured an end-of-life power lockout which I liked, because I don't need to guess when it is no longer protecting me from electrocution. The unit wont allow power through when it dies.

 

P7070007.JPG

 

P7070014.JPG

Link to comment

Here is a picture of what the cabinet looks like before it was built

 

P7020006.JPG

 

Here's what it looked like an hour later

 

P7020011.JPG

 

Here's what it looks like with doors (it may not look exactly right because they are not yet permanently attached. The sump needs to be placed in the cabinet before the doors are attached.)

 

P7020012.JPG

 

And here is a little shelf that can be placed inside. There are two height positions that you can setup. Some people don't like it, but I may try using it. I would advise cutting a second square hole in the other side so that the line into the sump and the return line can pass through. Then maybe you could secure power strips or what not to the shelf. I think it makes it look a little neater.

 

P7020014.JPG

 

Now here is what all else came with the tank

 

Lighting

 

P7020007.JPG

 

Cooling fan is quite large

 

P7020008.JPG

 

750 gph Return pump

 

P7020009.JPG

 

PC Light Strip for refugium

 

P7020010.JPG

 

Ballast for the Metal Halides

 

P7020001.JPG

 

Bioballs and filter paper

 

P7020002.JPG

 

Skimmer assembly

 

P7020003.JPG

 

UV Light

 

P7020004.JPG

 

Plumbing (notice there are actually 3 hoses there and not two. Two of the hoses are blending together in this pic. The shortest thin hose connects the return plumbing to the lock lines.)

 

P7020005.JPG

 

And when everything arrives it comes in two boxes this size

 

P7020006%20(2).JPG

Link to comment

Ugh... so much bad luck with shipping Cadlights 39G tanks.. I've heard awful stories.

 

Sorry to hear about your cracked tank.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...