My 25g Cadlight and 12g AquaPod Setup

[thin crust]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to share a few pics of my current tank and my newly purchased AP12. Thanks for stopping by!

25g Cadlight, 150W MH 14K Phoenix, 2x24W Actinics, Tunze Doc Skimmer 9002, JBJ 1/15 Chiller, Koralia #1, 9 months old.

FTS


The Star of the Tank - Louie the Yellow Watchmen


Support Cast - George and Weezy


12G Aquapod, Pretty much stock except for MJ900 mod and blocked inlets. Barely 1 week old, still cycling...tick tock, tick tock

FTS


JBJ ATO


I'm still debating whether or not I'm going to get a chiller. The AP lives at work and it gets about 81 during the weekends. Some say this isn't considered overheating but it still makes me kind of nervous. I only plan to keep zoas, softies, and easy LPS in this tank once it's cycled.

What do you guys think? To chill or not to chill?

[cschwaj]

81 seems ok to me, but the corals will tell you if they need to cool down.

I am thinking of adding a JBJ ATO to my Aquapod 12 HQI. Can you post a pic or two of how/where you have the float mounted? Also, what kind of pump are you using to feed the top-off water?

[thin crust]

I'm using a Tom's Aqualifter for the AP12 since I don't have much distance to pump. However, I'm using a MiniJet pump for my JBJ ATO at home.

Here are some pics, I mounted the float switch/inlet in chamber 3.

[Cristi]

My 50 gal tank gets to 81 in the summer and the corals all do fine. I have zoas, lots of mushrooms (yumas and florida rics) and several LPS.

I would be interested in seeing how you did the ATO too. I just ordered one for my new 25 gal CAD.

[cschwaj]

Thanks for the pics. Yep; I gotta get me one of those. With the Sunpod MH and open top, I expect to lose a lot of water daily.

[thin crust]

cschwaj - You're welcome. How many watts is your Sunpod? I'm running 150W MH and I go through about 1 gallon every 3 days. Having a chiller definitely helps with the evaporation rate. I use to run an Azoo fan across the surface and would use up a gallon a day.

Cristi - Here's some pics of my ATO/Chamber 1 setup on my 25g Cadlight.

I have my DI water in the 1 gallon jug with the red cover. A mini jet sits inside to pump the water. The other purple canister is my kalk solution which is pumped via an Aqualifter, controlled by my ReefKeeper 2.


Top of Chamber 1. I have my float switch, ATO/Kalk inlet placed.


Side of Chamber 1. I had to build a stand from eggcrate to hold up the filter floss and chemipure elite. I also found a submersible light for my cheato. I was having a hard time hanging a light outside the fuge. The submersible light is a little cleaner looking, imo. I also cover the chamber with aluminum foil to help reflect the light inwards.


HTH

[Mojo Jojo]

Very nice! Keep up the sweet work!

[thin crust]

Thanks Mojo Jojo, good looking out.

[thin crust]

Took some pics with my new camera. Still trying to get the settings down but here's a few shots. I think I need a macro lens. =\

*Don't mind all the frag plugs, they'll be going into my AP12 once it's done cycling.

[Cristi]

thin crust--thanks for the pics of your ATO setup! It is a big help.
Why are you not using the refugium T-5 light that came with the 25 Cad?

If I do not add a skimmer, do you think I could use the 2nd chamber to put cheato in and the 1st chamber to put LRR on the bottom with chemipure on top of that and filter floss on top of the chemipure? Would I need to make a holder like you did out of egg crate for the chemipure? Thanks again and your tank looks great. The pictures with your new camera are nice.

[thin crust]

Thanks for the compliments =]

I chose not to use the fuge T-5 because I didn't like how the light bled into the main display. I run my fuge light opposite of my display light and really wanted total display darkness during night time. Another reason was the Tunze skimmer would not fit with the fixture present.

I use to have just LRR/CP/FF in the 1st chamber and cheato in the 2nd chamber. I didn't see any problem with this setup if you're not planning to add a skimmer. You won't need to rig an eggcrate shelf for the CP/FF. The pile of LRR should be enough to suport it. I would add a small layer of FF under and over the CP, like a CP sandwich. One thing I do notice is better growth with the cheato in the 1st chamber than the 2nd. Perhaps it's getting more water flow through it? o.O

Good luck with your setup and please post some pics. There's not too many Cadlight owners on this forum so I'm always interested to see other Cadlight tanks.

[Cristi]

Thanks again for sharing your experience with the tank. You are right about not many people having a CAD. It is difficult to find information on them. Just as soon as I get mine running , I will post some pics.

Originally posted by thin crust
Thanks for the compliments =]

I chose not to use the fuge T-5 because I didn't like how the light bled into the main display. I run my fuge light opposite of my display light and really wanted total display darkness during night time. Another reason was the Tunze skimmer would not fit with the fixture present.

I use to have just LRR/CP/FF in the 1st chamber and cheato in the 2nd chamber. I didn't see any problem with this setup if you're not planning to add a skimmer. You won't need to rig an eggcrate shelf for the CP/FF. The pile of LRR should be enough to suport it. I would add a small layer of FF under and over the CP, like a CP sandwich. One thing I do notice is better growth with the cheato in the 1st chamber than the 2nd. Perhaps it's getting more water flow through it? o.O

Good luck with your setup and please post some pics. There's not too many Cadlight owners on this forum so I'm always interested to see other Cadlight tanks.

[thin crust]

a quick update on my AP12. on my 13th day of cycling and diatoms are abundant. i ended up having to buy a chiller since the temperature got up to 84 degrees. it gets pretty warm in my office with no A/C during the weekends. here are some pics for your viewing enjoyment.

chiller is a jbj 1/20 nano arctica powered by a maxijet 600. temperature is now at a steady 76 degrees. wOOt!

thanks for stopping by.

[saltyshoe_nano]

wow I like the clean look to it all and the nice color to the coral! keep up the good work!