Rob's Cadlights 50G Artisan II Cube build!

robert s b.

Active member
I had an itch to build a cube system for a long time, and now the time has come. Cadlights 50G Artisan II Cube ultra low iron glass. Going to be a slow build, still trying to decide what kind of reef I want to do, considering making it my Mertensii Anemone Tank, but that's still up in the air. Also deciding where to put it.

Equipment:
Kessil A360we w/ gooseneck and 90 degree adapter
TLF gfo reactor
3rd Generation PLS-100 Cadlights Skimmer
Cadlights Artisan Laquered White gloss Cabinet
Cadlights 18G Refugium Polished edge sump (going to modify)
Laguna return pump
Generic Sump led light

<a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/user/booman_13/media/Cube%20Build/CadlightsArtisanII50gCube.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss202/booman_13/Cube%20Build/CadlightsArtisanII50gCube.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo CadlightsArtisanII50gCube.jpg"/></a>
 
I wish I won it, it burned a little hole in my pocket. But I did pick it up from the guy who won it. And picked up 2 kessils from a guy from Modesto bnib. So I scored some nice deals the past few days.
 
Didn't realized the plumbing on this tank is metric, so I had to order 32mm to 1 inch and 15mm to 1/2 inch adapters to hard plumb.
So need to wait a week or so to get started.
 
Didn't realized the plumbing on this tank is metric, so I had to order 32mm to 1 inch and 15mm to 1/2 inch adapters to hard plumb.
So need to wait a week or so to get started.

I wish I had seen your post earlier! I'm currently cycling the same tank. You can use the stock plumbing with a few mods.

-Drill out the center threaded portion of the 2 smaller bulkheads with a 3/4 inch drill bit so that they flow similar to 3/4 inch pipe.

-Sand (I used a dremel) the inside of a 1 inch PVC piece and the outside of the two smaller bulkheads until the 1inch fits over snugly. You can then PVC glue them together. I glued threaded PVC fittings on each side of the bulkhead so that I could redo anything that I wanted to.

-On the larger center bulkhead sand the inside of it and then sand the outside of a 1 1/4 pvc until they fit. PVC glue after that.

I'm running mine as a herbie. The 1 1/4 is my emergency overflow and the 1in is my syphon. I used a ball valve in the overflow (gate valve wouldnt fit).

Good luck on your build!
 
I wish I had seen your post earlier! I'm currently cycling the same tank. You can use the stock plumbing with a few mods.

-Drill out the center threaded portion of the 2 smaller bulkheads with a 3/4 inch drill bit so that they flow similar to 3/4 inch pipe.

-Sand (I used a dremel) the inside of a 1 inch PVC piece and the outside of the two smaller bulkheads until the 1inch fits over snugly. You can then PVC glue them together. I glued threaded PVC fittings on each side of the bulkhead so that I could redo anything that I wanted to.

-On the larger center bulkhead sand the inside of it and then sand the outside of a 1 1/4 pvc until they fit. PVC glue after that.

I'm running mine as a herbie. The 1 1/4 is my emergency overflow and the 1in is my syphon. I used a ball valve in the overflow (gate valve wouldnt fit).

Good luck on your build!

Thanks Man! I just went ahead and ordered adapters from Flexpvc .com. I just built the stand, and that was a pain in the rear end, had no instructions at all. But got it done :).

One question I do have for you, did you put a foam underneath the tank on the stand?
 
My stand came the same way, what a pain!!!

I did not put anything under my tank. I got it from reefraft and all the ones they had set up did not have foam under them.

The sump has foam glued to it, so leave that there. According to cadlights that is to reduce vibrations and noise from the sump.
 
I can't deny it, these Cadlight Cubes are beautiful!

<a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/user/booman_13/media/Cube%20Build/WP_20140711_15_01_29_Pro.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss202/booman_13/Cube%20Build/WP_20140711_15_01_29_Pro.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo WP_20140711_15_01_29_Pro.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/user/booman_13/media/Cube%20Build/WP_20140711_15_02_13_Pro.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss202/booman_13/Cube%20Build/WP_20140711_15_02_13_Pro.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo WP_20140711_15_02_13_Pro.jpg"/></a>
 
Why don't you just use the Apex as the ATO? You can program it to your liking and use the extra switch ports for things like switching lights on with cabinet switches.
 
Thanks Moe! Where you at man, still in EG?

I'm still here brotha

Work n the fam have me chase'n my tail

I wanna cross paths with you n swoop on a Yuma. 2 of the 3 I got from you are doing great with babies n all. But one of them passed n I need to get it back. Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday we can cross paths?
 
Redid my Sump, made the middle compartment bigger, so I can utilize it as a refugium.

Before..

<a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/user/booman_13/media/Cube%20Build/SumpBefore.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss202/booman_13/Cube%20Build/SumpBefore.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo SumpBefore.jpg"/></a>

After..

<a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/user/booman_13/media/Cube%20Build/SumpAfter.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss202/booman_13/Cube%20Build/SumpAfter.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo SumpAfter.jpg"/></a>
 
Starting my plumbing, going to do a Manifold for 2 reactors. 1 for GFO at the moment, and the other one for future use.

<a href="http://s576.photobucket.com/user/booman_13/media/Cube%20Build/Plumbing.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss202/booman_13/Cube%20Build/Plumbing.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Plumbing.jpg"/></a>
 
Back
Top