Finnex or C.A.D nano?

[9Tailfox]

I'm looking into getting a nano as I live in an apartment and 20 gal is as large as the owner will let me have (concerned about the basement apartment renters not having insurance, even though me an my roomate do incase of leakage).

Anyway I've been looking at a couple of nano tanks for the whole self contained feature. I'm looking at either a

Finnex 20g M-Tank model MT-2102
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...duct_Code=FI-MT-2102R&Category_Code=Aquariums

or

C.A.D 25G 150w HQI, 2 x 24w actinic T5, refugium (maybe I can fudge a little and say it is a 20 hehe)
http://www.cadlights.com/product_info.php?products_id=89

I like the fact that the C.A.D tank is 7mm thick glass over the Finnex Acrylic as the glass will be harder to scratch. I also like the fact that both are topless. My concern is about the Rounded corners on the glass C.A.D tank. I've heard that they are not as structurally sound as an acrylic counter part. Could this end up being a major problem at some point? Also does anyone have any experience with the quality of either product? I would appreciate any advice or feedback.

 

[elmatth1]

I have the CAD lights 25g and although the tank is built really well, it's design needs to be reworked. Of course, the design has been changed at least three times since I bought mine only three months ago. It seems as if they are putting their product on the market before it's been adequetly tested.

Anyway, some issues are that the MH hood gets extremely hot to the touch and puts some major heat into the tank.... I cut two holes in the top of the hood, one on each side, and added two 80mm fans and solved that problem. The refugium area needs to be planned better as the baffles are only about 5 inches high. Mine had a bulkhead/strainer unit for the drain, which has since been changed back to the overlow with teeth... much better in my opinion.

I can't comment on the Finnex as I have no experience with that... hope this helps

 

[NanoClown]

i have a finnex Mtank 32, the 20 is almost the same, but just smaller, i love my finnex i wouldnt go any other way for a all in one nano, although i have no experience with the CAD tanks

 

[9Tailfox]

Thanks alot elmatth1. That gives me some stuff to think about. Well if the tank is solid perhaps the rest could be modified some or altered like baffles and such maybe?

I appreciate the feed back NanoClown. I have heard really good things about the Finnex tanks. Alot of people talk about them and they do look pretty good. I'm just disapointed they no longer have the glass model that looked sharp.

Does anyone have any experience with the 20 gal Finnex? That back chamber with the rain tray is is large enough for a hang on skimmer or nano skimmer of some kind? Also How are the lights over it. Do they run hot or have any problems?

 

[dastratt]

I agree with Cadlights you are dealing with a small business and a relatively immature one. I have a Cadlights no experience with Finnex sorry.

It seems like the big issue with your choice is glass vs acrylic. Personally the only way I get coraline off of my glass is with a metal scraper so I do not want to get acrylic, but alot of people have them of course.

 

[TealF]

I just got a 34 gal. cadlights, they are more than eager to work with you . I had asked for alot of things to be changed and they came though with all of them. I am more than happy with the tank. In my opinion, its as nice as you can get that is all in one, that wont be a nightmare to work on in the future

 

[TealF]

Forgot to mention, yes the m tanks are nice but look at the light system, unless you want to spend another 300 or so for some decent ligthts

 

[Mark426]

There are many nice nano sized tanks out there....but....nano sized acrylic tanks are not what I would recommend to anyone. Because of the very limited space you have to work in, accidents WILL happen and in just a very few months you will have more scratched acrylic than un-scratched acrylic. Dont do it...go with glass in a small tank.

 

[9Tailfox]

That was one of my other concerns with acrylic as well Mark426 and one reason i was interested in the C.A.D nano. I really don't trust myself too much to not scratch the heck out of acrylic. Are there any other companies with glass nano's out there? Just about everything out there is acrylic. If not it's not too big a deal if it it ends up being acrylic along as I don't have to modify it too much. Otherwise I may as well just get a tank and set up my own system.

 

[topshotta]

I'm too considering a CAD tank - I hadn't even thought about Finnex simply due to it being acrylic. I am interested in the 25 gallon CAD, the 34 gallon CAD and lastly the 24 Aquapod with 150W HQI. Big price difference between the CAD and Aquapod.