50g Cadlights Build Thread
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OP
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rtparty
2500 Club Member
Well, life has been busy with the little one so the tank is just doing its thing right now.
The diatom stage finally kicked off and I'll be adding a clean up crew this week. Just a few snails to start.
I also changed up my T5s to 2 Blue Plus and 2 ATI Actinic bulbs. Mixed with the Radium, it is perfection.
I'm bad at pictures and need to be better. Once there is something worth filming, I'll snap some more pics.
The diatom stage finally kicked off and I'll be adding a clean up crew this week. Just a few snails to start.
I also changed up my T5s to 2 Blue Plus and 2 ATI Actinic bulbs. Mixed with the Radium, it is perfection.
I'm bad at pictures and need to be better. Once there is something worth filming, I'll snap some more pics.
Daniel@R2R
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Awesome! Congrats!!!Then this little guy decided to join the world! So excited. Mom and baby are doing great
OP
OP
rtparty
2500 Club Member
5 Astraea snails and 5 Cerith snails were added last night to start cleaning things up. They were all still going this morning although one astraea hasn't really moved so it may not make it. Thankfully my LFS sells them for $0.50 each.
On another note, I think it's time to sell the Reef Dynamics skimmer. It's a fantastic skimmer but takes up too much room in my small sump. I'd really like to get a space saving, DC pump skimmer. That way I can move the chaeto out of my return section and into the main compartment where it will receive better flow.
Next big purchase is an ATO setup. I'm really liking the AquaMedic Pro ATO. Unless I can find a deal on a Tunze, I'll go that route.
Hopefully I can grab some pictures this weekend since this thread is pointless without them!
On another note, I think it's time to sell the Reef Dynamics skimmer. It's a fantastic skimmer but takes up too much room in my small sump. I'd really like to get a space saving, DC pump skimmer. That way I can move the chaeto out of my return section and into the main compartment where it will receive better flow.
Next big purchase is an ATO setup. I'm really liking the AquaMedic Pro ATO. Unless I can find a deal on a Tunze, I'll go that route.
Hopefully I can grab some pictures this weekend since this thread is pointless without them!
Then this little guy decided to join the world! So excited. Mom and baby are doing great
Treasure this... In a blink of an eye they are graduating high school and heading off to college.. Really it goes by fast.
OP
OP
rtparty
2500 Club Member
New skimmer on the way. The Reef Dynamics just takes up too much space in my small sump. Real estate is a premium with a small sump so I needed a space saving design. Hello Skimz SN123! It should be here this week.
Time to sell the RD skimmer. It's an amazing skimmer though.
Time to sell the RD skimmer. It's an amazing skimmer though.
OP
OP
rtparty
2500 Club Member
New skimmer is here and breaking in:
Pump is noisier than I expected but it needs a couple days to quiet down. If it doesn't, I will take it out and make sure everything looks okay. The couple videos I watched about this skimmer, you couldn't hear the pump like this. Not a big deal so far.
You might be wondering what the egg crate contraption is. It's my quick fix for chaeto until I figure something else out. I will either go with a chaeto reactor (I have a phosban reactor I could use) or an in tank style refugium. My best tanks have had a refugium of sorts. This way I have a place to grow pods totally uninterrupted, nutrient reduction and a reverse daylight photoperiod.
My fuge light was about $15 (light and cord) and worth every penny. The bulb is made by Sandalwood on Amazon. It was on sale for $9. The cord was like $6 if I remember. The chaeto has easily doubled in size in 2 weeks.
So far so good. I hope to add a fish or some coral pretty soon. Want to let the skimmer break in and get going, test my water and then do a water change.
Thanks all!
Pump is noisier than I expected but it needs a couple days to quiet down. If it doesn't, I will take it out and make sure everything looks okay. The couple videos I watched about this skimmer, you couldn't hear the pump like this. Not a big deal so far.
You might be wondering what the egg crate contraption is. It's my quick fix for chaeto until I figure something else out. I will either go with a chaeto reactor (I have a phosban reactor I could use) or an in tank style refugium. My best tanks have had a refugium of sorts. This way I have a place to grow pods totally uninterrupted, nutrient reduction and a reverse daylight photoperiod.
My fuge light was about $15 (light and cord) and worth every penny. The bulb is made by Sandalwood on Amazon. It was on sale for $9. The cord was like $6 if I remember. The chaeto has easily doubled in size in 2 weeks.
So far so good. I hope to add a fish or some coral pretty soon. Want to let the skimmer break in and get going, test my water and then do a water change.
Thanks all!
A+Aquatics
Rare Coral Curator
The stand and pvc choice really stand out here! Nice!
Nice build, I have the same exact tank from Cadlights. I love the tank itself but I really hate the sump that came with the tank but I've managed to deal with it for about 4 years now lol. Mine came with the pipeless skimmer that was garbage from the get go so I returned it for the PLS-150 which I've used since then.
OP
OP
rtparty
2500 Club Member
Thanks so much! I'm really glad I took the time to plan out the plumbing and use colored PVC this time around. So much better than just plain white
I don't mind the tank so far. However, the more I clean and study the glass, the more issues I find. I've found multiple air pockets in the glass itself. Also, the idiot (sorry to be rude) that had it before me scratched it severely. Quite annoying.
The sump does what I need especially after I cut out two of those pointless baffles. Sure, I'd love a custom acrylic sump with a few compartments for all the equipment but budget says no.
Thanks for following!
kilgoretrout
Active Member
I have the 70G version and love it! I saw the 50G in person recently and wished I had gone with that.
OP
OP
rtparty
2500 Club Member
Now some new additions and news since this tank hasn't had anything going on almost all summer.
Green Birdsnest that needs some TLC.
Green and purple acans
Not sure on name. Guy said it was a moon coral...
As for the news:
The Tunze power heads will be retired this week and replaced with 2 MP10wQD! It's been years since I had Vortech pumps on my tank(s). Can't wait for the clean look and controllable aspect to come back. This entire tank has been about clean, modern and minimalist. The Tunze just stick out too much for me. Space is a premium on smaller tanks.
I had to take the chaeto out recently as it wasn't growing at all for some reason. There is plenty of food for it to grow and do well but it just wasn't. The light in the stand was also growing algae and other nuisance items in my sump. I'll need to figure something out because I really like chaeto and the more natural approach.
Thanks all for looking!
Green Birdsnest that needs some TLC.
Green and purple acans
Not sure on name. Guy said it was a moon coral...
As for the news:
The Tunze power heads will be retired this week and replaced with 2 MP10wQD! It's been years since I had Vortech pumps on my tank(s). Can't wait for the clean look and controllable aspect to come back. This entire tank has been about clean, modern and minimalist. The Tunze just stick out too much for me. Space is a premium on smaller tanks.
I had to take the chaeto out recently as it wasn't growing at all for some reason. There is plenty of food for it to grow and do well but it just wasn't. The light in the stand was also growing algae and other nuisance items in my sump. I'll need to figure something out because I really like chaeto and the more natural approach.
Thanks all for looking!
OP
OP
rtparty
2500 Club Member
This tank's time is short lived.
A 120g tank has been bought and is being planned. It will be a couple months to get it setup and the new rock cured. I want the 120 totally in place and ready before I transfer anything. I don't think I will move any of the sand or rock from this tank over.
The updates have been non existent in here because I can't stand this tank at this point. It has been nothing short of a nightmare and I will never recommend a 2 foot cube to anyone.
A 120g tank has been bought and is being planned. It will be a couple months to get it setup and the new rock cured. I want the 120 totally in place and ready before I transfer anything. I don't think I will move any of the sand or rock from this tank over.
The updates have been non existent in here because I can't stand this tank at this point. It has been nothing short of a nightmare and I will never recommend a 2 foot cube to anyone.
Last edited:
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