Cade 1200 Elevated Reef

[fergusk]

Hi everyone,
I recently started a 4x2x2 tank with the aim of building an Acro-heavy sps reef. I’ve elected to use dry Marco rock for the scape, with very minimal rock (coral will undoubtedly take up a majority of the space in the tank). There will be additional biological filtration through some sort of brick, however I have not decided on marine pure vs maxspect. I’m leaning towards maxspect but am open to suggestions.

So far the equipment I’ve got is
- 2 Tunze 6045s
-1 maxspect gyre xf150 (2 but one is being repaired)
- 1 jebao cp55 (being used temporarily to replace the broken gyre but will eventually be used vertically for more random flow)
- 1 Vortech MP10 QD (For random flow)
- 1 jebao rw4 for a sump frag section
- Core Reef Custom Sump Frag Rack
- Core Reef Custom sump baffle
- ATI 6x80W power module, controlled with a Profilux Controller (yes this is a 5ft fixture on a 4ft tank - I’m getting a 6x54W but I already had this, and it makes an amazing tank lid).
- 1 ecotech Radion xr30 (will be 2)
- DC unbranded 10000lph Pump (2600gph)
- 1 Deltec 1455 skimmer
- 1 Tunze Osmolator
This thread will just be to post some updates as I go along. The tank has cycled and now has two small Anthias in it, but lights are still off (hence the ATI is literally acting as a lid).
I’ll be making up a hybrid mount for the lights (radions and ati, potentially with small Kessils for additional shimmer). The sump frag section will have either a Radion xr15 (or 30 if I feel wasteful), an ai prime or a maxspect razor nano. The fuge will be lit with an AI Prime Refugium light (yet to be released) but in the meantime I will use a freshwater light.

 

[SPR1968]

The tank looks great so far and thanks for sharing it with us!

I quite like the minimalist rock work design you’ve opted for, very nice

And welcome to R2R as well it’s great to have you with us!

 

[fergusk]

The tank looks great so far and thanks for sharing it with us!

I quite like the minimalist rock work design you’ve opted for, very nice

And welcome to R2R as well it’s great to have you with us!

Thank you! I’ve had a few other sps tanks in the past but have always ended up running out of room from having too much rock haha. The plan is to get corals to grow off the sides of the rocks mainly, so the pillars will end up being a lot wider than they are now. I think I’ll end up going for one more rock on the ground for some monteporas to grow off, positioned strategically to stop sand from being blown away. The lfs actually ran out of Marco rock though, so I’m waiting for another order to get in haha. I’ve got a few big colonies to add to the tank soon (grown in previous tanks).

And thank you - I’ve read through the forums for ages but have put off joining until now!

 

[fergusk]

LIGHTING UPDATE:
I bought an AI Prime HD as a temporary refugium light until the AI Fuge is released (will then be moved to the sump frag rack).

Currently the tank is running with a single Radion XR30G4Pro (to prevent algae from getting too bad). I’ve started work on the main permanent light. It is an ATI 8x54W with the 4 Centre bulbs removed, and 2 radions mounted in the middle to form my “ideal” hybrid light source.

Just waiting on a 2x54W ballast then I can get it running on the tank with one of the two radions (other Radion is on my previous tank which has acted as a growout).

 

[fergusk]

Have attached some photos of my first version of the light. Seems to be working perfectly - just need to see if the Radion is staying cool using the ATI Fans (Radion fan is on but it’s unlikely to be particularly effective atm. Once I get all radions in the unit I’ll laser cut a hole for the fans to provide proper cooling for all lights

 

[Hemmdog]

Sweet build, excited to see it unfold. I’m also curious about this sump frag rack, lol. Sounds like something up my alley.

 

[fergusk]

Sweet build, excited to see it unfold. I’m also curious about this sump frag rack, lol. Sounds like something up my alley.

Thanks! This is the frag rack. It’s currently just got zoas and a single Monti frag just to test it out (tank is pretty new so my acro frags are still in another tank).

It’s effectively just so that I can frag my larger colonies without needing a large frag rack in the display (I’ll potentially have one there on occasion but it’ll just be overflow from this). The prime seems to light it well enough but I might try to do a hybrid solution if I use it a lot, just so there isn’t much of a change between the sump and display lights.

There’s a chance I’ll change to another core reef frag rack (in this style) but I wanted to go for plain black to begin with.

That would probably be when I get a custom acrylic sump in there though - my wallet definitely isn’t in a hurry for that haha

 

[Spanky05]

So *this* is the Cade tank you spoke of!

Looks great man. Nice handy work on the light.

 

[fergusk]

So *this* is the Cade tank you spoke of!

Looks great man. Nice handy work on the light.

Thank you! It should look better once I can transfer corals across haha. It’s only been sustaining softies so far haha