CADlights 39g Pro build thread

I decided not to do the Hofer on mine. I had a problem with the Durso whistling, but I widened the hole to 1/4" and stuck a piece of airline tubing in it and now it is dead silent.

I got the AC Jr. in and installed and everything is great with that little tool. Today I will mount the DC8 ad DJ strip and get all of the wiring cleaned up.

There are really only a couple of things that I have left for this tank. I want to replace the skimmer with the new Euro Reef nano, I need to replace the return pump (it is louder than the chiller) with probably an Eheim 1260 or 1262 (thoughts, anyone?), and add a dual media reactor from bulk reef supply.

That will make this setup pretty much complete. Maybe a nano calcium reactor down the road but not right away for sure.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14177751#post14177751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jamest0o0
Is there anything that I should change with the entire set up before I start working on it? I noticed a lot of people seem to be switching things around.
Click to expand...

You pretty much get one of everything, so I don't know that I'd change anything beforehand. Set it up as intended, and then see what you want to change.

Nobody is changing the tank, the fixture, or the stand. Changes are basically in the sump plumbing.

Replacing the oversized (in gph and cu in) return pump provides space and quiet.

The skimmer may or may not do the trick for you. Replacing it will provide space and probably reduce microbubbles (a problem for some but not all.) Tunze is good, Euro-Reef has a model specific to the system but maybe too soon to tell (but I ordered one...)

Check that the Durso is the right length before filling the tank - some kits have arrived with a short Durso.

The fuge light with the metal neck tends to rust - there's a replacement shown somewhere in this thread ('Perch light').

Think about your sump's electrical layout before you fill the tank. In retrospect, I would have done all the wiring dry - cable hangers, GFI, drip loops. (Don't have cables leaning against the skimmer cup - if it overflows the water runs down the cable and outside of the sump :rolleyes: )
 
I didn't get any response from the moderators about them moving this thread to the DIY forum. But they didn't ban me for asking :)

I did notice that the other system-specific ("XXX Owner's") threads are in General Discussion - maybe we should ask to be moved there instead? Not like people will lookin in DIY for initial setup info...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14190514#post14190514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ArtC
Think about your sump's electrical layout before you fill the tank. In retrospect, I would have done all the wiring dry - cable hangers, GFI, drip loops.
Click to expand...

x 100! I just installed the AC Jr., DC8 and a DJ strip then ran all of the wires over again and hung everything out of the way. It would have been WAY easier to do when the tank was empty and I could really get into the stand.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14190539#post14190539 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ArtC
I didn't get any response from the moderators about them moving this thread to the DIY forum. But they didn't ban me for asking :)

I did notice that the other system-specific ("XXX Owner's") threads are in General Discussion - maybe we should ask to be moved there instead? Not like people will lookin in DIY for initial setup info...
Click to expand...
They keep all of the nanocube mods in the nano section and those are way more DIY than this...I think, due to the lack of detailed instructions included with a new CAD, that this should be in the nano section. But as usual, my .02, is just my .02.
 
Thanks for all your hard work and instructions, my 39G was one of the last tanks of 08'. I have set up the cherry cabinet with modification drilled a 2" hole in the back lower section for power cords and air vent. 3" would be better.
was fun putting together, 12G sump tanks ready but UPS played some B- ball with the 39 G . Eddie put his crew together and is sending out a new tank ASAP, so I have had time to read a lot of other peoples blogs on this nice 39G Pro Series tank, and Ken at Oceanreeflections is a true gentlemen. Again thank you for the pictures and instructions.
 
Definite progress here this weekend. I was able to fit the Hofer together and plumb the drain, and I've got the return fittings glued and ready for installation. All I need to do is cut the final hose lengths and clamp them to the return barb fittings. I think I'll save that for the morning. By this time tomorrow I should actually have a mechanically functioning tank (keeping my fingers crossed that the plumbing checks out OK), after three long months of waiting.

Next step will have me sitting in the garage, trying to piece together all that Marco rock into something that looks good. This is not exactly one of my strong points, so it'll be 'interesting'.

CC
 
It's alive!

It's alive!

Well, the tank's finally up and running... at least the plumbing is done, and there's salt water circulating.

Still some tweaking to do with the plumbing. I can't seem to find the sweet spot with the Hofer adjustment. Also... it figures... I've got an annoying little leak in the drain plumbing. It's only about a drop every ten minutes or so, so I've not yet pinned it down. It's either the drain bulkhead itself, or the PVC to bulkhead fitting joint. Nothing at all serious, but it'll drive me batty until I fix it. I'll probably just wait for the salt creep to show up to pinpoint the source.

Turned out that there was easily enough space to plumb that Hydor in-line 200w heater into the return line. We'll see if it's as good as some of the user reviews seem to indicate.

I doubt if I'll go any farther this weekend. The next step would be adding the rock, and that's not something I want to rush. In any case, it's still in the garage curing. Better there than in my living room!

CC
 
A quick note on the euro reef skimmer: Our sumps, on the side with the section for the skimmer, there is a lip for setting an acrylic top or cover. The skimmer has a C clamp that spans this lip. However, the skimmer tends to sit at a bit of an angle. There is a stopper, so to speak, at the bottom of the skimmer, however the sump lip is wide enough to keep the stopper from hitting the glass unless the skimmer is at an angle. My solution was to glue a piece of egg crate ( a "C" shapped piece with the opening facing out, so I could trim it to shorten it if necessary) to the existing stopper to give it some further width/reach.

Worked like a charm, skimmer is now perfectly level according to my level. Don't know if this has helped performance, but it probably can't hurt.
 
Hmmm. I just clamped mine to the baffle that separates the left side front and back chambers. Of course, I've not yet even powered the skimmer up. :)

CC
 
I mentioned the lip problem to Eddie at CADlights, who has been working with Euro-Reef on the skimmer. The problem only affects those of us with some of the older glass sumps.

I hung my skimmer on the bioball divider due to the above glitch.

(CADlights has gone Big Time - we are a target market!)
 
Re: It's alive!

Re: It's alive!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14238753#post14238753 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by California Crow

Still some tweaking to do with the plumbing. I can't seem to find the sweet spot with the Hofer adjustment. Also... it figures... I've got an annoying little leak in the drain plumbing. It's only about a drop every ten minutes or so, so I've not yet pinned it down. It's either the drain bulkhead itself, or the PVC to bulkhead fitting joint. Nothing at all serious, but it'll drive me batty until I fix it. I'll probably just wait for the salt creep to show up to pinpoint the source.


CC
Click to expand...

I think the leak has to be in the bulkhead itself. The connection to the PVC isn't really supposed to be watertight, and any water that leaks through it would go either down the bulkhead or back into the tank.

Try to fix it before you go much further. Check for bad washer, washer on wrong side of bulkhead, objects trapped under washer, or torque on piping that pulls washer away from glass. Do NOT tighten nut until you hear glass crack :)
 
Actually, it's looking like it's seeping from a 45deg ell fitting that I plumbed to that short section of 1" PVC coming from the bulkhead. It's got me scratching my head, as glued PVC connections are pretty much bulletproof. I decided at the last second to add that ell, though, and I was in a bit of a hurry. :)

No biggie at all, since the occasional drop is just going directly into the sump, but I'll probably seal it up with either silicone or putty.

CC
 
Re: It's alive!

Re: It's alive!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14238753#post14238753 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by California Crow
Well, the tank's finally up and running... at least the plumbing is done, and there's salt water circulating.

Still some tweaking to do with the plumbing. I can't seem to find the sweet spot with the Hofer adjustment. Also... it figures... I've got an annoying little leak in the drain plumbing. It's only about a drop every ten minutes or so, so I've not yet pinned it down. It's either the drain bulkhead itself, or the PVC to bulkhead fitting joint. Nothing at all serious, but it'll drive me batty until I fix it. I'll probably just wait for the salt creep to show up to pinpoint the source.

Turned out that there was easily enough space to plumb that Hydor in-line 200w heater into the return line. We'll see if it's as good as some of the user reviews seem to indicate.

I doubt if I'll go any farther this weekend. The next step would be adding the rock, and that's not something I want to rush. In any case, it's still in the garage curing. Better there than in my living room!

CC
Click to expand...

I had the same annoying drip with both the durso and the hoffer. It seems that the bulkhead itself is the culprit. I tightened it with a wrench and it stopped the drip. Hand tight was not enough.
 
Hmmm. The thought of having to wrench tighten a bulkhead fitting scares me. I'm pretty sure that's not the source of this particular leak, though.

I'd actually intended to pick up some sched 80 bulkhead fittings for this build, but somehow never got around to it. If I have to totally redo the drain or return plumbing for some reason, I'll make that change.

CC
 
"Hand-tighten" isn't exactly a quantitative term.

Barney Fife and the Hulk would implement it quite differently, both due to hand strength applied and degree of caution applied!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14244837#post14244837 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by California Crow
Hmmm. The thought of having to wrench tighten a bulkhead fitting scares me. I'm pretty sure that's not the source of this particular leak, though.

I'd actually intended to pick up some sched 80 bulkhead fittings for this build, but somehow never got around to it. If I have to totally redo the drain or return plumbing for some reason, I'll make that change.

CC
Click to expand...

I tired the Hayward bulkhead but it was too large. Stuck with the ABS ones I guess. The ABS ones will break before the glass usually. It did on me on another type of tank. You might be able to grind down the Hayward. I didn't try that.
You might make a thicker gasket, if you are squeamish about using a wrench. Gasket material is readily available at an auto parts store. Just get material a little thicken and more pliable. Take the gasket in with you.

Yes ArtC, I agree "hand tight" has quite a few variables. I have large hands and there is not much room in there for me. Someone with smaller hands and the same strength could tightened it better.
 
Eddie says that there are going to be official CADlights assembly instructions in future shipments.

On one hand, that's too late for most of us here. On the other hand, he used our thread to understand where the owners were having problems.
 
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