CADlights 39g Pro build thread

[reeftivo]

Sounds good! Shelling out the 3 bills for my lumenmax 3/lumatek ballast combo was worth every cent for me. I just could'nt fork out the $$ for one AI and wanted an unassuming fixture with great reviews quickly. If you go the pendant route you wont be dissappointed. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I will most likely go for the LED's eventually and will still be able to use the halide fixture for another application later. For now I'm glad I don't have to worry about lighting and can focus on other things.

I still have not heard back from Eddie so I posted a customer TLC comment on their web forum to see if I get a bite.

Happy reefing my friend

Tivo

 

[coolcorals]

Just tell her what I told my wife! You wont have the fan noise of the stock fixture. You won't have to keep laying down a fixture on her nice flooring.

The cables are super thin and very unassuming. My wife had the same aprehension at first, but now she says it looks nice. Mounting is simple. You thread the adjustment sleeves directly into the top of the fixture and run the two cables through them. The easiest way for me was to then take a 12 inch long piece of baseboard molding and drill a couple holes in it at the width of the mounts on the fixture. I then attached the eyelet bolts to that for hanging reference. I lifted the entire fixture up to the ceiling (very light!) and with two hands position it where it looked good over the tank and pushed hard on the bolts up into the cieling to mark it. I then just used a screw driver to punch the holes into the drywall and widened them enough to get the butterfly (wing) molly's through. I then just attached the white metal finish covers and pushed the molly's through, the snugged them up. Custom-LOL!.

The cables have chrome pinch adjusters with a button. I just leave about 3 inches of cable out at the lowest point and if I need to raise it, I pinch one adjuster and pull a little cable through, then move over to the next one. When I let go of the buttons, they lock tight. Simple!

I think she'd love the absense of fans, but is still not sure about the hanging fixture. That's a great way to line up the cables - thanks for the tip.

I don't think I'm ready to lose the T5s, since I really like the color it adds. Also, I've checked out some MH only pendants at some LFS, with mixed results. Some are just too white/bright.

I'm now looking at another fixture that would sit on top - maybe one of the Hamiltons, since there's so few to choice from. I'd match it up with the Lumatek ballast.

Not sure the quality of the stock CAD fixture, but you get whole CAD 39g Pro system for the price of a light fixture!

 

[reeftivo]

The belize sun fixtures are nice. My brother has the 48 in. on his elos 120. He uses KZ T5s in his for actinic supp. My phoenix at 175 watts is about the same color.

Still can't go wrong with the hamilton! Plus they are affordable(-:

I know it's a matter of preference and/or compramise, but I will not go back to braced fixtures again. If done right, the look is clean and the ease of access is wonderful.

Happy Reefing!

Tivo

 

[timdanger]

Sounds good! Shelling out the 3 bills for my lumenmax 3/lumatek ballast combo was worth every cent for me. I just could'nt fork out the $$ for one AI and wanted an unassuming fixture with great reviews quickly. If you go the pendant route you wont be dissappointed. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I will most likely go for the LED's eventually and will still be able to use the halide fixture for another application later. For now I'm glad I don't have to worry about lighting and can focus on other things.

I still have not heard back from Eddie so I posted a customer TLC comment on their web forum to see if I get a bite.

Happy reefing my friend

Tivo

I'm right on the same page with you on the AI fixture. I've thought about the Orphek 156, but it's just so expensive.

So, you went Lumenmax 3 + Lumatek, eh? I was looking at Lumenmax Elite mogul + Galaxy or Icecap, and then putting a Radium 20k in there.

Any reason you chose the Lumenmax 3 for the reflector? I don't know much about them, but I had just read something about the Lumenmax Elite being good for smaller areas. although, it does look like the lumenmax 3 is smaller, footprint-wise.

Also, I don't have a chiller -- do you notice a big difference in heat generated (or, in your case, chiller reliance?) by the 250 vs. the stock fixture? I'm only using an Air King fan for cooling right now -- it works wonders with the 150, but...

 

[reeftivo]

I wanted a fixture that would be fairly small, would cover and gave me the option of running the cord straight to the back as opposed to sideways for asthetic reasons. The lumenmax 3 fit the bill. Forgive me if I'm wrong but isn't the elite fixture a reflector with a mounting shell for wall/hood apps? I think I looked at that one too but thought it would bleed out too much and wouldn't look finished enough because of the shell over the reflector.

I have not heat issue because it is run much higher than the stock cad fixture and I also have a small fan at the back of the overflow angled slightly upwards to help with any heat build up. The inside of the room isn't any warmer but summer's not here yet! LOL.

 

[timdanger]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but isn't the elite fixture a reflector with a mounting shell for wall/hood apps? I think I looked at that one too but thought it would bleed out too much and wouldn't look finished enough because of the shell over the reflector.

that could definitely be true. i have just started looking into reflectors.

as far as the look, they do have a bit of an industrial feel to them, but I don't know if I'd call it "unfinished" necessarily (i.e. it's not just a retrofit item like the Reef Optix 2). i also like the concept that they would be adaptable to a larger tank (thinking ahead).

on the other hand, while I was just kind of thinking it was a matter of taste, we shouldn't discount the fact that I might just have no idea of what i'm talking about! :rollface:

 

[reeftivo]

that could definitely be true. i have just started looking into reflectors.

as far as the look, they do have a bit of an industrial feel to them, but I don't know if I'd call it "unfinished" necessarily (i.e. it's not just a retrofit item like the Reef Optix 2). i also like the concept that they would be adaptable to a larger tank (thinking ahead).

on the other hand, while I was just kind of thinking it was a matter of taste, we shouldn't discount the fact that I might just have no idea of what i'm talking about! :rollface:

I hear ya! Thinkin' ahead:thumbsup:

I've gone a bit backwards in this hobby. 40 gal up to 125 gal and now back down to 39 gal DT. One day, when I'm retired, I'll go big again.

 

[coolcorals]

The belize sun fixtures are nice. My brother has the 48 in. on his elos 120. He uses KZ T5s in his for actinic supp. My phoenix at 175 watts is about the same color.

Still can't go wrong with the hamilton! Plus they are affordable(-:

I know it's a matter of preference and/or compramise, but I will not go back to braced fixtures again. If done right, the look is clean and the ease of access is wonderful.

Happy Reefing!

Tivo

Good to know someone is using the Hamilton fixture. Have been bouncing between the Belize Sun and Cebu Sun.

To be honest, the Lumen Max fixture would be perfect (cost, light options, ballast, hanging, looks, etc), but I'm just too afraid to not have T5 Actinics. One day, I'll be brave enough to take the leap!

Had planned to upgrade to LEDs when I bought the system in 2008, but I've yet to see an LED system in person that's doing well, been up more than a month or two, or looks too blue/too white!

Anyone have any idea what type of ballast is in the old stock fixtures with internal ballast? I assume some type of electronic ballast.

 

[coolcorals]

that could definitely be true. i have just started looking into reflectors.

as far as the look, they do have a bit of an industrial feel to them, but I don't know if I'd call it "unfinished" necessarily (i.e. it's not just a retrofit item like the Reef Optix 2). i also like the concept that they would be adaptable to a larger tank (thinking ahead).

on the other hand, while I was just kind of thinking it was a matter of taste, we shouldn't discount the fact that I might just have no idea of what i'm talking about! :rollface:

After seeing RT's upgrade, have been researching reflectors, fixtures and ballasts - and learning a lot (so take following with a grain of salt). Had no idea the reflector/ballast had so much impact on the light quality - just figured it was the bulb. :reading:

As RT said, the Lumen Max 2 and 3 fixtures are finished stand alone hanging fixtures. The Lumen Max Elite appear to be reflectors that would be mounted inside a hood. In all the reviews I've read, the Lumen fixtures are highly rated. Also, I've been asking the LFS who's tanks I really like the look of and they are all running Lumen reflectors!

I totally agree about buying something that's upgradeable/reuseable. If that's a priority, you should be able to mount the Lumen Max Elite to something you could use to hang temporarily until an upgrade.

Since my upgrade is yrs away, I'm leaning towards a Belize Sun 150w. Tank badly needs upgraded lighting and this fixture gives me MH and T5s, plus I can use either Phoenix or Radium bulbs.

 

[meinestrasse]

That Belize Sun looks sweet. I would think about going to the 250w. The stock CAD fixture states that it is rated for 250w, so I ordered an Ushio 10K 250w bulb this week to test out before I upgrade to another fixture.

Btw, Eddie finally got back to me today. Apparently he got a call from the Better Business Bureau, too. He said he was tied up the last few weeks due to a customs issue with a shipping container coming from China. Not sure what Eddie is going to do yet. He's asked for some photos of the quality issues.

 

[meinestrasse]

UPDATE:

So Eddie is doing good by me. He is going to replace the defective 39G with an Artisan 50G at his cost (I requested the Artisan). I will have to pay shipping, and of course the wholesale cost of the tank. Overall I am satisfied with Eddie's offer. He's apparently shipping everything via freight these days due to all the mishaps with FedEx and UPS. Let's hope this tank arrives in one piece.

Thanks tivo for your help!

 

[coolcorals]

That Belize Sun looks sweet. I would think about going to the 250w. The stock CAD fixture states that it is rated for 250w, so I ordered an Ushio 10K 250w bulb this week to test out before I upgrade to another fixture.

Btw, Eddie finally got back to me today. Apparently he got a call from the Better Business Bureau, too. He said he was tied up the last few weeks due to a customs issue with a shipping container coming from China. Not sure what Eddie is going to do yet. He's asked for some photos of the quality issues.

I suspect we have different fixtures. The original stock CAD was silver with internal ballast, while the next version that most have is black (I believe) with external ballast.

Are the 150w and 250w DE blubs same size? I understood they weren't, but could be confused - this is my first and only HQI set up.

I was tempted to get a 250w SE fixture and the Lumatek Dimmable ballast, but decided I didn't want the extra cost nor heat of a 250w light. I'm sure the CAD 39 could handle a 250w, but decided it would be a bit much for mine.

The Belize Sun does look decent (no worse than my stock CAD), and it will let me try both Radium and Phoenix bulbs. The Belize looks to have better reflectors and ballast than the stock CAD I now have.

 

[meinestrasse]

I suspect we have different fixtures. The original stock CAD was silver with internal ballast, while the next version that most have is black (I believe) with external ballast.

Are the 150w and 250w DE blubs same size? I understood they weren't, but could be confused - this is my first and only HQI set up.

Yes, I have the newer fixture (2010 model) with external ballast. Not sure on the bulb sizes, but I am planning to upgrade to another fixture anyway so if the 250 is bigger than the 150 DE then I will be sure to upgrade to a 250 fixture.

Geisemann has some nice HQI/T5/LED combo fixtures but they are pricey. Not as much as AI LEDs though.

This is a bit off topic, but check out the system this guy built around a CAD Artisan 50G. He must've dropped at least $20K.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1882745

 

[reeftivo]

UPDATE:

So Eddie is doing good by me. He is going to replace the defective 39G with an Artisan 50G at his cost (I requested the Artisan). I will have to pay shipping, and of course the wholesale cost of the tank. Overall I am satisfied with Eddie's offer. He's apparently shipping everything via freight these days due to all the mishaps with FedEx and UPS. Let's hope this tank arrives in one piece.

Thanks tivo for your help!

Holy smoke!!!!!! That's absolutely awsome man! Soooooooo jealous! You deserve it though for all the trouble!

His shop is right next to the union pacific line so freight would be the smartest thing.

Can't wait to see pics but you may be leaving us for the artisan threads-LOL:lmao:

 

[reeftivo]

That Belize Sun looks sweet. I would think about going to the 250w. The stock CAD fixture states that it is rated for 250w, so I ordered an Ushio 10K 250w bulb this week to test out before I upgrade to another fixture.

Btw, Eddie finally got back to me today. Apparently he got a call from the Better Business Bureau, too. He said he was tied up the last few weeks due to a customs issue with a shipping container coming from China. Not sure what Eddie is going to do yet. He's asked for some photos of the quality issues.

The stock CAD fixture states that it is rated for 250w, so I ordered an Ushio 10K 250w bulb this week to test out before I upgrade to another fixture.

keep in mind that the 250watt bulbs are bigger and the contact pins are one sided and not end pins. You would need to get 250 watt hardware and splice it in.

The stock cad ballasts are magnetic ballasts

you would need two of these
http://www.marinedepot.com/Sunlight...g-Sunlight_Supply_Inc-SL2921-FILTACMH-vi.html

 

[meinestrasse]

keep in mind that the 250watt bulbs are bigger and the contact pins are one sided and not end pins. You would need to get 250 watt hardware and splice it in.

Cool, I get to buy an upgraded fixture! Woo hoo!

Hey tivo, can you point me to a good Artisan thread?

 

[timdanger]

Are the 150w and 250w DE blubs same size? I understood they weren't, but could be confused - this is my first and only HQI set up.

they are not -- i had the same question, so i went to my LFS and had them pull out both bulbs. the 250 is definitely bigger. so, if you were going to upgrade from a 150 to a 250, you not only have to replace the mounting brackets, but you have to replace the bracket (behind the reflector) into which the mounting brackets attach.

edit: err, i see i was late answering this question! sorry!

 

[reeftivo]

I suspect we have different fixtures. The original stock CAD was silver with internal ballast, while the next version that most have is black (I believe) with external ballast.

Are the 150w and 250w DE blubs same size? I understood they weren't, but could be confused - this is my first and only HQI set up.

I was tempted to get a 250w SE fixture and the Lumatek Dimmable ballast, but decided I didn't want the extra cost nor heat of a 250w light. I'm sure the CAD 39 could handle a 250w, but decided it would be a bit much for mine.

The Belize Sun does look decent (no worse than my stock CAD), and it will let me try both Radium and Phoenix bulbs. The Belize looks to have better reflectors and ballast than the stock CAD I now have.

I've ran both radium and phoenix 20ks and the radium has more kick (brighter/not as blue)

.02 cents

 

[timdanger]

i'm running a 150w radium supplemented by ATI Blue+ bulbs. My understanding is that the 150w radium is whiter than the 250w/400w versions of the bulb. great colors, but the 150w version is white light, not blue. also keep in mind that the 250/400w radiums only come in SE.

to get the blue with the 150w, you really need to supplement. from what i've read, underdriving the 250w/400w radiums (as most ballasts do unless they are HQI/magnetic) appears to give a bluer result.

even absent the need for actinics for color preference purposes, it's a tough choice to abandon actinic supplementation altogether, just because the tank will be darker more often. that kinda bums me out!

 

[meinestrasse]

While we're on the topic of lighting...

I'm finding it hard to figure out what's really needed for good MH lighting beyond a good bulb. I'm particularly confused about ballasts. I understand hoods and reflectors. What do you look for in a ballast? And what's a good ballast to buy to get the most out of a good bulb?