2022 Photo & Baby Update - 170 Gallon Mixed Reef - CADE 1500

[danieyella]

For the paltry # of folks following this, no major updates lately because ... well ... there aren't any! The tank's cruising along, coral and coralline are growing like mad, fish are super healthy.

I'm hemming and hawing over adding a quartet of bimac anthias and a midas.

my vote is almost always going to be: do it

 

[mvbrandt]

my vote is almost always going to be: do it

Foul devil, font of temptation.

You're right though.

 

[danieyella]

Foul devil, font of temptation.

You're right though.

Can't wait to see the photos of them after they're added!

 

[mvbrandt]

Can't wait to see the photos of them after they're added!

I'm excited. The tank is so on the right track, but it's really missing red/orange tones in the water column. There's no other reason to add Anthias, but this seems valid. A tank is a lesson in chaos and art, after all.

 

[uscggirl]

I love watching your tank develop. It’s inspiring, beautiful, and educational. I’m ordering a Cade 1200 frag (shallow reef), and I’m wondering how the lower weir works out. Particularly in a power outage and/or return pump failure. I can understand the sump will hold whatever spills down from the upper weir, but is there something that keeps the entire tank from draining down to the level of the lower weir? I’m completely new to this, so maybe there’s an obvious answer and I’m just clueless. Nevertheless, knowing how this doesn’t happen will ease my mind considerably!

 

[mvbrandt]

I love watching your tank develop. It’s inspiring, beautiful, and educational. I’m ordering a Cade 1200 frag (shallow reef), and I’m wondering how the lower weir works out. Particularly in a power outage and/or return pump failure. I can understand the sump will hold whatever spills down from the upper weir, but is there something that keeps the entire tank from draining down to the level of the lower weir? I’m completely new to this, so maybe there’s an obvious answer and I’m just clueless. Nevertheless, knowing how this doesn’t happen will ease my mind considerably!

Thank you so so much for the kind words!

The Weir lower vent pulls things in there, but it actually then goes straight up to the top via a hidden channel before it actually reaches the overflow compartment. So, net net, no, it only drains to the top overflow.

I had the same question at one point!

 

[uscggirl]

Thank you so so much for the kind words!

The Weir lower vent pulls things in there, but it actually then goes straight up to the top via a hidden channel before it actually reaches the overflow compartment. So, net net, no, it only drains to the top overflow.

I had the same question at one point!

Thank you for the explanation! I’m unfortunately now imagining the lower weir vent taking in water and pushing up to the overflow, then down to the sump where it overflows because there’s nothing pumping the water back up to the tank. No doubt there is a leveling off dynamic that I’m not wrapping my mind around!

 

[mvbrandt]

Thank you for the explanation! I’m unfortunately now imagining the lower weir vent taking in water and pushing up to the overflow, then down to the sump where it overflows because there’s nothing pumping the water back up to the tank. No doubt there is a leveling off dynamic that I’m not wrapping my mind around!

When you leak test the tank, just turn off the pumps at some point, nuke some popcorn, and watch.

 

[mvbrandt]

When you leak test the tank, just turn off the pumps at some point, nuke some popcorn, and watch.

And I mean that constructively - it'll help you get a better feel for how the whole system operates.

 

[uscggirl]

When you leak test the tank, just turn off the pumps at some point, nuke some popcorn, and watch.

Sounds like a great plan! I really should get the full size like yours and put it in my basement. I’m significantly downsizing my tank choice due to apparent floor/weight conflicts in my living room. I don’t spend much time downstairs, but maybe the tank located in that space would change my use pattern!
Thank you very much for getting back to me!!

 

[mvbrandt]

When you leak test the tank, just turn off the pumps at some point, nuke some popcorn, and watch.

Honestly I started with ideas of a VASTLY smaller tank, and that exact thought quest led me to the basement.

Which caused me to renovate my basement so it was awesome all over and now I use it as my office, sound studio, reef aquarium spot, and general hangout zone.

 

[mvbrandt]

Sounds like a great plan! I really should get the full size like yours and put it in my basement. I’m significantly downsizing my tank choice due to apparent floor/weight conflicts in my living room. I don’t spend much time downstairs, but maybe the tank located in that space would change my use pattern!
Thank you very much for getting back to me!!

Honestly I started with ideas of a VASTLY smaller tank, and that exact thought quest led me to the basement.

Which caused me to renovate my basement so it was awesome all over and now I use it as my office, sound studio, reef aquarium spot, and general hangout zone.

 

[uscggirl]

Honestly I started with ideas of a VASTLY smaller tank, and that exact thought quest led me to the basement.

Which caused me to renovate my basement so it was awesome all over and now I use it as my office, sound studio, reef aquarium spot, and general hangout zone.

I’m definitely thinking I should relocate my tank plans down there, as I won’t have any weight issues to consider. It’s an already finished space with a wet bar and some fairly comfortable furniture, so moving music, art, and a couple of other daily use items down there should make it a great hangout zone!
You may have convinced me to use a space I’ve seriously underutilized since I bought this house! Thank you!! I’ll be following your thread and plan to add my own once I actually get a tank to build.

 

[uscggirl]

Question - I've yet to find a set of gloves that I feel are even worth bothering with.

There are the big honking thick ones that go up to your bicep ... Cool, you stay dry. But they don't provide enough tactile control to use effectively.

There are the disposable nitrile gloves, which are decently tactile but let water in immediately.

Any suggestions?

Did you ever find some decent gloves for the smaller tactile work? I also have the long gloves which keep my arms dry, but as you said, there is little to no tactile control.

 

[mvbrandt]

Did you ever find some decent gloves for the smaller tactile work? I also have the long gloves which keep my arms dry, but as you said, there is little to no tactile control.

Yeah I ended up just using the nitrile gloves. I double wrap my wrists with tight rubber bands, which keeps the water out.

Elite level scienceing.

 

[uscggirl]

Yeah I ended up just using the nitrile gloves. I double wrap my wrists with tight rubber bands, which keeps the water out.

Elite level scienceing.

Gotta do what you gotta do!

 

[mvbrandt]

Some parameter updates and an overdue tank shot.

Nitrate: "0." Hannah checker can't ever find any. But that's likely due to it being almost instantly consumed between the bioreactor and livestock.

Nitrite & Ammonia - 0. Sometimes the Nitrite will show up in infinitesimal amounts for a day or so after a large filter floss replacement. But nitrite is largely harmless in a marine ecosystem so NBD.

Temperature - 78.5-79.0. I keep it there on purpose, using an Inkbird controller and BRS titanium heaters.

Calcium - 448-467 is the range it fluctuates throughout the day using AFR. Swish.

Alkalinity - 9.6. There was about a month where the Alk crept up to 10.5, but I tried to just test routinely and not panic, and it settled back to 9.6. It's almost perfectly constant there.

Magnesium - 1440-1460. Fine.

pH - 8.3 almost without ever changing. Cool.


I remain vigilant for the first real "problem," and am doing what I can to preempt it. Routine Carbon and GFO changes, occasional sump mulm siphoning, regular filter floss replacement. Pretty straightforward.

Gotta give props to the Simplicity skimmer as well - it pulls a ton of junk out of the tank.

 

[uscggirl]

Some parameter updates and an overdue tank shot.

Nitrate: "0." Hannah checker can't ever find any. But that's likely due to it being almost instantly consumed between the bioreactor and livestock.

Nitrite & Ammonia - 0. Sometimes the Nitrite will show up in infinitesimal amounts for a day or so after a large filter floss replacement. But nitrite is largely harmless in a marine ecosystem so NBD.

Temperature - 78.5-79.0. I keep it there on purpose, using an Inkbird controller and BRS titanium heaters.

Calcium - 448-467 is the range it fluctuates throughout the day using AFR. Swish.

Alkalinity - 9.6. There was about a month where the Alk crept up to 10.5, but I tried to just test routinely and not panic, and it settled back to 9.6. It's almost perfectly constant there.

Magnesium - 1440-1460. Fine.

pH - 8.3 almost without ever changing. Cool.


I remain vigilant for the first real "problem," and am doing what I can to preempt it. Routine Carbon and GFO changes, occasional sump mulm siphoning, regular filter floss replacement. Pretty straightforward.

Gotta give props to the Simplicity skimmer as well - it pulls a ton of junk out of the tank.

I am hoping to emulate your harmoniously balanced reef! It is absolutely beautiful. Even looks like stars above the reef!! Ordering my Cade 1500 on Thursday, and am envious of your timing to get it with a bunch of freebies. Nevertheless, I am plunging into this adventure completely.

 

[mvbrandt]

I am hoping to emulate your harmoniously balanced reef! It is absolutely beautiful. Even looks like stars above the reef!! Ordering my Cade 1500 on Thursday, and am envious of your timing to get it with a bunch of freebies. Nevertheless, I am plunging into this adventure completely.

Super kind words; I hope you're even more successful, and I'll be following along closely when you launch your build thread!

 

[uscggirl]

Thank you! I may start my build thread this weekend although the tank isn’t here yet. By the way, how is the Fritz Salt that was included working out?