Should I get a Cadlights 39g Pro or Signature?

[snslarison]

All things considered should I get a Cadlights 39g Pro or Signature? What do you guys think? I'm really torn between the two.

[snslarison]

Any cad owners want to help me out on this?

[NaH2Ofreak]

I have a 39g Sig. I personally would go with the 50g Artisan if you can afford it. Upgrade the skimmer to the NAC-6.

With the 39g signature, the tank is nice but everything else is kinda..well...junky IMO.

Dennis

[snslarison]

Thanks for the inmput NH20freak. This is tough. Anyone no if one is louder than the other?

[Uncle Luke]

Defintely go with the Artisan. I have one, it's a sweet setup

[reeftivo]

the pro has had some significant upgrades since it's inception (intake, return pump, skimmer, plumbing etc.). The tank alone is great and the gear that comes with it is par for the price point. The signatures are nice but seriously limit you with filtration options and most regret that down the road.

Like the other fellow reefers mention, if you can afford it, get the artisan. If not then the 39 pro is a great set up. Upgrades are a given, even with the more expensive package deals (Elos, Marineland, Oceanic etc.). My Brother bought an Elos 120 a while ago and over time has upgraded most of the filtration components, so a big price tag doesn't always mean it will have the performance and quality you require.

[snslarison]

Reeftivo,

Thanks. Do you know if there is an issue with the pro series overflowing if the power is lost? I read this somewhere and if that is the case that is an issue.

Thanks,

Scott

[Steve-H]

I'd go with the PRO. You can read through my build here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1864423
Notice the last post - I would certainly advise you against their cabinets.

[reeftivo]

Reeftivo,

Thanks. Do you know if there is an issue with the pro series overflowing if the power is lost? I read this somewhere and if that is the case that is an issue.

Thanks,

Scott

As long as you have the stand pipe for the drain glued to the bulkhead fitting , keep your sump water level no more than 3 inches from the top and keep the output nozzle(s) level (not pointed down in the tank). It wont overflow.

The tank drains slightly when the power is cut until the overflow reaches equalibrium with the tank. If you dont glue the overflow drain to the bulkhead fitting, you will get a trickel effect that will very slowly drain back to the sump but the most water that will drain will be the water in the overflow and not the main tank. The locline in the tank will siphon a bit to the level they are adjusted to, so if they are level or slightly angled down it wont be an issue. Powerhead or stream pumps should be your main circulation anyways.

I've never had an overflow with my pro

Hope that helps!

Happy Reefing

Tivo:dance:

[reeftivo]

I'd go with the PRO. You can read through my build here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1864423
Notice the last post - I would certainly advise you against their cabinets.


Nice thread! Looking good!

I really like the PVC. I was going to opt for that as well but I'm always changing things and fiddling.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=2160&pictureid=15075


Re: The cad cabinets are decent and mine has been just fine. I doweled and glued mine.

Steve H. did you use the center plastic foot on the bottom of the stand?

[danel]

CAD all the way! I had one and had to sell it but now I want one again

[reeftivo]

Agree danel!

If you get another, save a few more bucks and go with the artisan. Eddie has re-designed the overflow and off set it to the corner to give you more scape options.

The artisan also gives you more filtration options unless you go with a modded sump on the 39 pro like I did.

Peace!

tivo

[snslarison]

Thanks guys. Great input. I really appreciate it. Im thinking Im going to go with the pro. Im getting excited. Just ordered my rock and gfo reactor from bulk reef supply. :)

[Steve-H]

Re: The cad cabinets are decent and mine has been just fine. I doweled and glued mine.

Steve H. did you use the center plastic foot on the bottom of the stand?

Nice sound insulation !
My cab didn't come with any plastic foot in the center...Quite honest not sure how that structurally would have made the cabinet any stronger ? It was clear that the top was sagging from both the measurement, and from the fact that the doors had always rubbed (now they do not).

[snslarison]

Hmm, well now I wonder if I should get the stand or not?

[Steve-H]

If I were doing it over again - I would not get the stand. The build quality is OK - but as stated it needs some help structurally. My biggest gripe is that its just too small - I've had to cram everything in (as you can see).

[reeftivo]

Yes, the cabinet is a bit tight! But it looks really clean with the contours of the tank. I've seen pics with larger stands and it just doesn't look as nice to me. The stock cabinet is simple and clean which to me doesn't take away from what we really want to look at-The Tank! Most of the larger media stands that some people use are a bit ornate in ways that just don't seem to go with the modern curves of the tank itself.

snslarison, If you do decide to go with the cad stand then you may want to consider the cherry cabinet because it's actually made of wood and not composite.

Unless cherry is a bad color for you-(-:

From what I've read over the years, most have not had issues with the stand warping or being un-even, but there have been others like Steve-H that have had problems.

Good luck in your choice. The pro is a great tank and built like one too!

heres a few older pics of my tank at 7 months. I've been cameraless for a while now and will post updated pics soon once I get my Pentax Kx.
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=491&pictureid=2899
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=491&pictureid=2898
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=491&pictureid=2900

Happy Reefing

Tivo

[Steve-H]

Agree with the statement above (real wood cab). That said -its been about a week w/the cabinet modification and its solid as a rock. Perhaps just something to accept, mod - and be done with it ?

[snslarison]

Thanks guys. I will probably go with the stand from them. I have to go with the black one because the redwood isn't going to match with the furniture in the living room (wife thing). But maybe I will reinforce it.

Thanks for all of the input. I'm going to go with the Pro. Any other tips? I have been reading about them like crazy.

[reeftivo]

Big thread but just about all the info you'll need dated back from 08' to present.
http://www.reefcentral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1472553

[snslarison]

Thanks reeftivo!

[Reefobsession]

I vote neither. Don't do a all in one. I would recommend getting a custom tank built and building your own stand.
To me all in ones are not satisfying.

[snslarison]

Thanks reefobsession. The pro is not really an all in one. It has a sump and fuge. I think this is the way Im going to go.

[reeftivo]

If you choose to mod the stock acrylic sump later on, let me know and I will help.

I'm using a simple modded 15 gal glass sump now because I run zeovit without the fuge.

I highly recommend putting circ fans in the cabinet, so if you decide to put them in, do that before you set the tank and sump. The fans will increase evaporation but will help eliminate condensation and excess heat along with O2 exchange.

[snslarison]

Reeftivo, that's a good idea. Do you use a chiller? I have a chiller on my current tank that I was planning to carry over to this tank.

Do you think there will be a cycle if I use dry rock with live sand? I'm thinking the live sand will take care of the bio filtration till the rock gets seeded. What do you think?

[reeftivo]

yes, I have a mini arctica chiller hooked up on my neptune controller. During the Fall and winter months it rarely comes on unless my wifes cooking something in the oven, but it does occasionally come on during hot days in the summer. The cabinets fans help alot. Without them, the chiller would be working much more.

I haven't taken a pic of my tank in a while because I'm waiting for a new DSLR since my old one broke.

Her's an old pic when the tank was at around 7 months

Sorry it's so huge, I should have resized it
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=167&pictureid=20251

[reeftivo]

Reeftivo, that's a good idea. Do you use a chiller? I have a chiller on my current tank that I was planning to carry over to this tank.

Do you think there will be a cycle if I use dry rock with live sand? I'm thinking the live sand will take care of the bio filtration till the rock gets seeded. What do you think?

You'll have a small cycle but shouldn't see much by way of ammonia. If you can, take a piece of LR from your JBJ and put it in to help speed things up.

Fiji mud in the fuge with some med grain aragonite will help also.

Run it for a week and do a 50% water change. Then the next two weeks do a weekly 20% and you should be good to go for your clean up crew.

[FLGator56]

For what it is worth, I am just cycling the pro I got in June.

Pluses:

great tank, beautiful bow front
Cherry cabinet is solid and nice
Refugium tank is nice
Bubble Magus skimmer is quality
With Durso adjusted, skimmer going mine is quiet (in living room)


Minus:

return pump is ok, will be getting an adjustable Tunze /less heat
Throw away their Durso and make your own (get multiple caps to try different air hole sizes)
Other than bulkheads, I threw away the plumbing and used PVC with adjustable joints. Built my own..
Light fixture, meh. Mine is noisy and the LEDs did not work. I have an AI SOL Blue LED 24" coming
Fan is worthless and noisy. I need to find a decent quiet computer fan and mount to vent air out of cabinet. Way too warm in there
Refugium light, meh. May put in an evilPar 38. Figuring this out



If I had to do it again, I'd get the Artisan tank with sump and cherry cabinet, then do the rest myself. The tanks are very very nice, and I do like my 39g...but for money the piece-part 55 would have been a better deal.

[snslarison]

You'll have a small cycle but shouldn't see much by way of ammonia. If you can, take a piece of LR from your JBJ and put it in to help speed things up.

Fiji mud in the fuge with some med grain aragonite will help also.

Run it for a week and do a 50% water change. Then the next two weeks do a weekly 20% and you should be good to go for your clean up crew.

Ok, I won't be able to transfer any rock from my current tank because I am dealing with an aptaisia problem and I don't want to get them into the new tank. They're driving me insane. But, I think I will go with the sand/mud mix.

[snslarison]

FLgator,

Thanks for the input. Believe me I would go with the artisan but the Pro is the perfect size for the spot the tank is going into. I guess I can build my own durso. I did it on my last tank and I think it was pretty easy.

[sobes94]

I have a 39g Sig. I personally would go with the 50g Artisan if you can afford it. Upgrade the skimmer to the NAC-6.

With the 39g signature, the tank is nice but everything else is kinda..well...junky IMO.

Dennis

+100000 I too have the sig but would rather have gotten the artisan. Get the tank only.

[lolgranny]

i have a 39g sig. I personally would go with the 50g artisan if you can afford it. Upgrade the skimmer to the nac-6.

With the 39g signature, the tank is nice but everything else is kinda..well...junky imo.

Dennis

+1

[reeftivo]

For what it is worth, I am just cycling the pro I got in June.

Pluses:

great tank, beautiful bow front
Cherry cabinet is solid and nice
Refugium tank is nice
Bubble Magus skimmer is quality
With Durso adjusted, skimmer going mine is quiet (in living room)


Minus:

return pump is ok, will be getting an adjustable Tunze /less heat
Throw away their Durso and make your own (get multiple caps to try different air hole sizes)
Other than bulkheads, I threw away the plumbing and used PVC with adjustable joints. Built my own..
Light fixture, meh. Mine is noisy and the LEDs did not work. I have an AI SOL Blue LED 24" coming
Fan is worthless and noisy. I need to find a decent quiet computer fan and mount to vent air out of cabinet. Way too warm in there
Refugium light, meh. May put in an evilPar 38. Figuring this out



If I had to do it again, I'd get the Artisan tank with sump and cherry cabinet, then do the rest myself. The tanks are very very nice, and I do like my 39g...but for money the piece-part 55 would have been a better deal.

Agree! Nice!

Pump:Tunze silence 040 all the way

Durso? Theirs works fine for me but I do like the GB I made for my old 90. Hofer gurgle busters work but are tight if you decide to do a DSB in the overflow


Cabinet fan? I use vantec stealths with variable voltage. With the vari-volt transformer block you can ramp up or down depending on your liking by sliding the switch.

Light fixture? I will eventually put an AI on it but at 1200+ for two modules, it's a bit steep and the stock works fine for growth with 13k bulbs and a couple of actinic+ T5's. I switched the stock light fixture fan out for a 120mm vantec stealth as well. Same size, but had to slightly drill out the mounting holes and direct connect the transformer block.

Love my Cad 39!

Tivo

[reeftivo]

Ok, I won't be able to transfer any rock from my current tank because I am dealing with an aptaisia problem and I don't want to get them into the new tank. They're driving me insane. But, I think I will go with the sand/mud mix.


Glass nems suck!

They have been in every system I've had since I was 15 years old (30+ years).

The only way to control them for me has been aptasia X. Works great.

The little suckers love to blast out plenula when they get disturbed and the aptasia x covers the disk so they have a hard time squirting out babies-the nems think it's food and ingest it, then it seals them up and they implode.

I've injected lemon juice, covered them in kalk paste, used joes juice and even removed the rock and scrubbed and rinsed to no avail. The X works for me.

Good luck!

[snslarison]

Yeah I'll have to try the X. I've used a lot of joes juice but they've always came back. For lighting I plan to go with a 4 lamp t5 system. Still havent decided which one to go with. A lot of options.

[reeftivo]

T5's are nice but par would be borderline if you plan to keep some of the higher light acro sps. If you plan on a mixed tank (LPS/SPS) and have moderate light requirements then T5s would be a good choice.

You may want to check the Maxspect LED owners thread if you think you might be interested in an affordeable LED down the road. I know of a couple of guys that have AI's and maxspect. The AI's are the pinnacle right now but the maxspect's are a good second choice if funds don't allow.

Re: glass nems! You may want to try true peppermint shrimps. The only key to success wiith them however, is to keep them fed. The peppermint shrimp only will eat the tiny glass nems. What I've done is to use the X on the big boys and let the shrimp eat the little guys. My problem has been keeping the peppermints alive for extended periods of time.

[snslarison]

Yeah Ive had the same issues keeping pepps alive in the past, but like you said they do a number on the hems. I will check out the maxpect LEDs. I like LEDs but they are usually pricy so that's why I settled on t5. I don't want to do MH because I want to avoid the heat. Is there any issue in getting the cad lights pro without lighting?

[snslarison]

Btw, your tank looks sweet reeftivo.