Alex's Cade Reef 1500 S2

[afternoondelight]

Yes, Gen3. @wsanley Here are the close-ups of mine. Looks exactly like @Kevinmj70. I used the following silicone tube to connect the pipe to sk500 input.

Amazon product

Alex, what pumps did you end up buying an operating? How is everything going for you at this point in time…?

 

[wsanley]

@wsanley

Did you get it to fit? If not how old is your Cade? A while back they made a change to the sumps making the filter sock chamber about an inch wider. There is a post about it on one of the Australian forums.

No, I never did get it to fit. I did some back and forth correspondence with AlgaeBarn and they determined that the change shouldn't have affected my system and that it should fit. I decided to just go with filter cups and Poly-fil fiber. Working well so far. I kept the SK5000 as a backup for my 125g.

 

[afternoondelight]

No, I never did get it to fit. I did some back and forth correspondence with AlgaeBarn and they determined that the change shouldn't have affected my system and that it should fit. I decided to just go with filter cups and Poly-fil fiber. Working well so far. I kept the SK5000 as a backup for my 125g.

That's a bummer. I pulled the sock frames out and it fit in mine like a glove. I'm still trying to figure out where to put my skimmer. It will obviously fit in the larger part of the sump just downstream of the "sock zone" but then where do you place the refugium? The only thing I can come up with is I may need to silicon in a glass divider pane to separate the largest reservoir and place the skimmer on the left side and the 'fuge just to the right (before the area that has the media boxes) or I guess you could scrap the media boxes and put the 'fuge in their place.

What have any of you guys figured out?

 

[Chenko]

So it's been a year since my last update. Yes, a whole year! SOOOOOO much to update. So much learned. So much to learn :)

Here is a sneak peak. I filled the tank and started cycling first week of February. Here is the current picture from Sunday the 22nd. I'll start scribbling my findings about the tank, the equipment, the livestock and lessons learned.

 

[EliMelly]

Love the Achilles

 

[Marcos Avellan]

Hello, I just pulled the trigger on a Cade 1500 s2 and am going through the planning stages of buying equipment and where things should go, and I was wondering where you guys ended up putting the skimmer? I read some people talking about the refugium being small due to where they had to place their skimmer, I was wondering what you guys pulled off and what skimmer you have? Thanks!

P.S. What pumps did you guys go with as well? Thanks!

 

[Chenko]

I went with Tunze and put in the big chamber .. closer to you to the left. I first got the smaller one (9410), but then bought the big one (9430). Go with the big one right away... you'll be happy. With smaller one, I had to clean out the container every few days. With the large one, I do it every 2-3 weeks. Also, all my PH issues disappeared when I got the big one.

 

[Chenko]

btw... LOVE the Tunze.. self adjusting to the water level. Skims wet, but I like it.

 

[afternoondelight]

So it's been a year since my last update. Yes, a whole year! SOOOOOO much to update. So much learned. So much to learn :)

Here is a sneak peak. I filled the tank and started cycling first week of February. Here is the current picture from Sunday the 22nd. I'll start scribbling my findings about the tank, the equipment, the livestock and lessons learned.

Looks GREAT! Well-done sir

 

[Marcos Avellan]

Another question, about the tunze stream 3, any issues with the magnets not sticking well? I ask because it is rated for up to 15mm glass and the cade 1500 is 15mm, I was wondering if being on that limit potentially made it weaker or if you feel it sticks on well? Thank you, this build thread has been very helpful

 

[Chenko]

Another question, about the tunze stream 3, any issues with the magnets not sticking well? I ask because it is rated for up to 15mm glass and the cade 1500 is 15mm, I was wondering if being on that limit potentially made it weaker or if you feel it sticks on well? Thank you, this build thread has been very helpful

None at all. I originally thought of getting Stream 3+ with bigger magnets.. but no need.

Also, stay tuned.. will update a lot more.. hopefully tomorrow.

 

[Marcos Avellan]

Perfect, thank you, that's the exact dilemma I was considering, the 3+. Glad you could confirm that the 3 was enough, thank you, very helpful!

 

[Chenko]

So here is my fully updated system:

Tank Gear:

• CADE Reef 1500 S2. 169g total (143g display, 26g sump) - 12g ATO, 59"Lx27.5"Wx23.6"H (stand 35.4"H)
• Top Lids Luxury Top for CADE Reef 1500 w/ Food & Auto Food Regulator Cups w/ Black screen)
• Tank Lights: 2 x Kessil AP9X LED Aquarium Light & Mounting Arm Bundle w/extension bars
• Heaters: 2 x Bulk Reef Supply 300W Titanium Aquarium Heater w/ Inkbird ITC-306a WiFi
• Return pump: SICCE Syncra SDC 9.0 Water Pump 1000-2500 gph WIFI DC Return with Controller
• Powerheads: 2 x Tunze Turbelle Stream 3
• UV: Aqua Ultraviolet UV 57 Watt Classic
• Fleece roller: ClariSea SK-5000 Gen 3
• Skimmer: Tunze 9430.001 DC Master DOC Skimmer
• CO2 Scrubber - IceCap Large CO2 Scrubber w/IceCap Color Changing CO2 Absorbent Media
• Macro Reactor: Tunze MAR-3182 Macroalgae Reactor w/Algae Barn Chaeto
• GFO Reactor: IceCap Medium INT Media Reactor w/BRS HC GFO
• Feeder: Hydros Wifi feeder

Aquarium Controller: Coralvue Hydros

• Mounted on Black Aquarium Controller Board
  • Control X4
  • Control X10 (w 4 pumps)
  • Minnow (w 2 pumps)
  • Kraken
  • 2 x Control XP8 Energy Bar
• JB Aquatics Hydros 0-5V Push Button Box
• iV Pro w/ Ready-To-Use Alkalinity Testing Reagent
• 2 x 1" Flow Sensor
• PH probe
• Conductivity probe
• 2 x Water level sensors
• Skimmer Sensor
• Rope Leak Sensor Kit

Power Out gear:

• Renogy 12V 200Ah lead battery to power Kraken and Tunze powerheads
• Anker Solix F3800 w/extra battery for 8kW backup for water heater
• 2 x 200W solar panels and 2500W Champion dual fuel inverter generator to recharge Anker

Water Change gear:

• RO/DI: Bulk Reef Supply 7 Stage PRO Plus 150 GPD Water Saver RO/DI System
• 32g BRUTE for RODI water w/Sicce Ultra Zero Utility Pump and Python 30' water hose
• 44g BRUTE for Salt water w/Sicce Ultra Zero Utility Pump and Python 30' water hose and 2 BRS 600W Titanium Aquarium Heater w/ Inkbird ITC-306
• Salt: Tropic Marin Pro Reef (160g box)

Parameters/Test kits:

• Salinity 1.025-1.026 - Hanna Marine Salinity Tester
• Nitrates: trying to be under 20, but still battling 20-40 (and sometimes spikes to 50)
• pH: ~8.3 (.1 swings) - Hydros PH Probe
• dKH: ~9 (.5 swings) - Hanna
• Phosphates: 0.1-0.2, trying to be under 0.15, and just got there - Hanna
• Calcium: 440 - Red Sea
• Magnesium: 1350 -Aquaforest Test Pro
• PAR Meter: Apogee MQ-510

Feeding/Dosing/Maintenance
Daily:

• Dry pellets via auto-feeder at 9am
• Tropic Marin All-For-Reef: auto-dose 32ml (4 x 8ml)
• Algae Barn Oceanmagik: 60ml - manual
• 3-5 cubes of San Francisco Bay frozen food (vary it): Plankton, Reef Plankton, Brine Shrimp, Seaweed Delight, other)
• PolypLab Reef Roids: 3 teaspoons - every other day
• Ocean Nutrition Formula Two flakes and/or Prime Reef flakes - some days

Weekly:

• Water Change: about 35g (~22.5%) - first syphon out and then refill using Sicce pump
• BRS 2 Part w/ Tropic Marin Trace Element Package (Balling Hybrid) - as needed during weekly test after water change. Usually only Soda Ash w/A for Alkalinity and double of that for Part C. Calcium w/Trace K+ and Magnesium are usually spot on.
• PolypLab Genesis bacteria - 24 drops
• Clean glass with Tunze Care Magnet Strong and polish outside of the glass with Tunze glass cleaner
• Cleanout and harvest chaeto from Macro Reactor
• Cleanout the protein skimmer (usually every 2 weeks)

Less Frequently:

• Cleanout the protein skimmer (usually every 2 weeks)
• Mix All-For-Reef every month
• Change GFO (BRS High Capacity) every 1-2 months
• Replenish copepods from Algae Barn every 2-3 months - usually 4 cans
• Change Chemi-Pure Blue (2 x 11 oz) every 2-4 months
• Clean out the sump every 2-4 months w/Floval Aqua Pro Vac Gravel cleaner
• Clean powerheads in citric acid every 3-6 months
• Replace UV lights and liner every year
• Haven't replaced any sensors or heaters yet

Rockscape/Sand:

• CaribSea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink Sand - 100 lbs
• Created my own rockscape with a lot of negative space from about 100 lbs of base, shelf and single cut rock

Fish:

• Gem Tang
• Achilles Tang
• Yellow Tang
• Blue Hippo Tang
• Desjardiniii Sailfin Tang
• Green Mandarin Dragonet
• ORA Caramel Ocellaris
• ORA Black Snowflake
• Blue Star Leopard Wrasse
• Ornate Leopard Wrasse
• Lamarck's Angelfish
• Orange-spotted Blenny
• Canary Blenny
• Exquisite Firefish Goby

Clean-up Crew and other livelies:

• Copepods from AlgaeBarn (Ecopods and Galaxy pods)
• Phytoplankton from AlgaeBarn (Oceanmagik)
• Chaeto from AlgaeBarn
• 2 Cleaner shrimp
• 1 Coral-banded Cleaner shrimp
• 1 Fire Shrimp
• 1 Electric blue-leg hermit crab
• 1 Scarlet Hermit crab
• 12 Red-leg Hermit crabs
• 5 Blue-leg Hermit crabs
• 2 Tiger Conch snails
• 2 Turbo snails
• 10 Mexican Turbo snails
• 15 Nassarius snails
• 2 Astrea snails
• 3 Feather Duster Worms
• 1 Blue Maxima clam

Corals:

• Zoas and Polyzoas
• Torches
• Octospawns
• Frogspawns
• Hammers
• Scoly
• Gonioporas
• Duncans
• Platygyras
• Blastomusas
• Trumpets
• Chalices
• Favias and Favites
• Clove Polyps
• Pectinia
• Psammocora
• Leptastreas
• Bubble
• Acans
• Porites
• Cyphastreas
• Montiporas
• Bird's Nest Seriatopora
• Damicornis Pocilloporas
• Sponges
• Weeping Willow Leather
• Kenya Tree
• Xenia
• Green Star Polyps

All new corals first get acclimated via a 30 min drip and then get a Two Little Fishies ReVive coral dip in Simplicity Coral Frag Dipping Container

Some Lessons Learned (in no particular order):

• Only take photos with Orphek Extra Wide Coral Orange Lens, or everything comes out blue
• Not quiet at all - due to my plumbing to Fleece roller. But I got used to the noise, even though my number 1 priority originally was for it to be quiet... Go figure :)
• Don't get too big of heaters - circuit breakers/UPS might not be able to take it. Started with 2x600 .. Ended up with single 300 .. Another 300 for backup
• Get UV right away - don’t skimp on it… oversize it and don’t worry if you are getting lower flow
• Bigger return pump is better .. Can always dial it down (started with Sicce SDC 7.0, switched to 9.0)
• Bigger protein skimmer - less often cup changes as well as MUCH higher PH (started with Tunze 9410, switched to 9430)
• Just assume you will need to dose .. And All-For-Reef is a lifesaver. I started out with BRS 2 part along with Tropic Marin A, C, K trace elements. I still use individual additives during weekly tests after water changes and only if needed. Usually only KH and Trace elements additions, because my salt Tropic Marin Pro has only 7 KH in it. However, Calcium and Magnensium are usually spot on!
• GFO in a reactor to keep phosphates down. And not any GFO … currently using HC BRS one
• Chemi-Pure Blue to keep water clean and help with phosphates
• Seachem PhoGuard is also great way to combat phosphates
• LARGE Brightwell Aquatics Xport NO3 bricks and PolyLab Genesis Rocks to keep bacteria, copepods AND not be dirty!!!! They also supposed to help fight nitrates. I started with 9 baskets of small media .. And am currently replacing it. Only 3 baskets left. A LOT cleaner and hence less nitrates/phosphates.
• Polyplab Genesis bacteria is a MUST for seeding the bricks… even later in the process. Wish I knew about it right away.
• Use Brightwell Aquatics ChaetoGro to combat the Tunze Algae Reactor stop growing chaeto effectively after a month or two.
• When you get magnetic frag racks, make sure the magnets are powerful.. Not all racks are created equal. So far my favorite are from Reefing Art! Can't recommend enough. I bought two other brands and stopped using them.
• When you get coral cutters, get different sizes, you will need them. Including 8" ones for ORA plugs … uggh!
• Have a plan for when you lose power. IT WILL HAPPEN!
• Have a mesh lid on… the one that came with CADE was very basic and I didn’t like it or use. After I lost some fish who jumped out, I ordered an awesome from Top Lid (HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM). Of course I lose my favorite McCosker's Wrasse before I got it.
• I overfeed. That’s not the best.. However, I pay with it with a LOTS of filtration and then then still fighting high phosphates and nitrates. I finally got the phosphates down (took me like 4-5 months to figure everything out). I am still fighting nitrates, but getting closer (finally in the 20s-30s).
• Mandarin is beautiful… but you need LOTS of copepods and they in turn in need phytos (Magikocean). Totally worth it though!
• Introducing multiple tangs from same family (yellow, sailfin and gem) was tough… especially when some were bigger and meaner… an acclimation box within the tank is a must. Highly recommend The SHU from Octo Aquatics!
• Even though I "chase" numbers, I ultimately do it more out of curiosity of trying to get there.. But don't go completely insane. The most important thing (as everyone says) is consistency and stability.
• No matter what anyone says, this is NOT a cheap hobby! Not even close. But very satisfying! When all the fish and corals are thriving, its an amazing feeling. Love waking up and seeing the tank and its inhabitants. I love talking to them and they don't talk back… better than a girlfriend/wife from that perspective :) Of course, when you make a mistake and a fish/coral/clam dies … it's sad.. But just gotta learn from it. Why did this happen (usually water quality/parameter)? And do better next time. Love it!
• REALLY REALLY REALLY need a frozen food autofeeder. Only one company who does it inD aquatics with their aF4 and they just got it shipping 6 months ago and it's hard to get one (I am waiting for next shipment).
• Love, love, love my Hydros controllers. I am very glad I went them. Great company and service. They are constantly introducing new "toys". Waiting for Maven for auto testing now.
• Thinking about doing Auto Water Change (AWC) … but dreading running water lines between my study with aquarium and the closet with water change station… but sure would be nice.
• Be patient … something I am learning in spades and I am not by nature a patient person. However, with aquarium you really don't have a choice. Starting with anything growing to ordering anything :)
• I probably would not go with Fiji Pink Sand now. It's too fine and easily gets on corals. And would go with real live sand to speed up the nitrogen cycle. Even though it was easy and painless with Nitrocycle and Turbostart 900 from AlgaeBarn.
• Use live Coralline Algae from AlgaeBarn early!!! Regret I waited almost a year.
• As you can tell I like AlgaeBarn. Good products and excellent service!
• And lastly, but definitely not least, a HUGE shout out to Adam at Petco in Needham, MA. He is a one man force of all knowledge for reef aquarium. Yes, Petco, and yes I put him against any other experts. I did a lot of cross-referencing from a lot of experts over the last year and he is a real deal. So if you are in the area and need help, he is your guy. I am happy to call him friend :)
• Ok.. Enough for today … sleepy time.

 

[DarkReefer]

Interesting post, definitely going to check out more of your stuff. Might even learn a thing or two!

 

[afternoondelight]

Chenko….how goes it my good man? Judging from how much coral you had in your tank when you had it first going, I am sure you have had some real estate issues like I have with my tank. I’m getting a lot of competition between corals and some of them are winners and some are losers, but I do love looking at the ecosystem that I’ve got in my dining room!