Cade 2100 Build Thread (Melbourne, Australia)

[ozzier13]

Hi folks,

I'm from Melbourne, Australia and have just started a new aquarium build. I thought I'd document my journey. I never ever thought I'd be able to afford one of these bad boys, but luck was on my side and I came across this Cade 2100 on Facebook Marketplace for dirt cheap and couldn't refuse ($2250 AUD). I immediately sold my previous aquarium - a Cade 1200 and got this! It was such a difficult task getting it home as it is crazily heavy. The tank will be setup for marine, with SPS/LPS corals.

I'll try to keep this post alive every time I make any changes. I'll also add in prices, this hobby is a money pit, and I'm trying to do things on a budget. All parts, including the tank itself are used. So far I've done well I think!

Anyhow, so far I've got:

Hardware:
> Cade 2100 ($2250)
> 2 x Ecotech MP40QD Wavemaker ($400 AUD)
> 1 x Ecotech Vectra L2 Return Pump ($400 AUD)
> 3 x Aqua Forest Bio Sand ($150 AUD)
> 1 x Bubble Magus Curve 5 Extreme (Re-used from old Cade 1200). This will need an upgrade eventually, but will do for now.
> 2 x Eheim 300W Heaters (I reused one that I had, it wasn't enough so I bought a second one of Facebook Marketplace for $40 AUD)
> 2 x Bucket Aqua Forest Reef Salt ($250 AUD)
> Rocks were free off Facebook Marketplace (and I reused some I had from my previous tank).
> 3 x Ecotech Radion Gen 4 XR30W Pro's ($900 AUD off Facebook Marketplace)
> 2 x Ecotech Radion RMS Mounts ($185 AUD each, Total: $370)

Livestock:
5 x Blue/Green Chromis

Total Cost: $4760

Pending Purchase:
> 1 x Ecotech RMS Mounts

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Looks good so far

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Love the aquascape!

 

[ozzier13]

Love the aquascape!

Thanks! I think I'll change the left side a little soon, but pretty happy with the middle/right section.

 

[ozzier13]

Update:

Purchased 1 more RMS mount. I need one more to add my 3rd Gen4 Radion.

 

[nickng]

wow that looks nice. Is the cade glass? the edges of the glass are so clear that it looks like acrylic!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Any updates?

 

[ozzier13]

wow that looks nice. Is the cade glass? the edges of the glass are so clear that it looks like acrylic!

Yeah 19mm Starfire glass, amazing tank!

 

[ozzier13]

Any updates?

Currently heavily in cycle mode. I ghost fed for weeks and had nothing, the moment the fish were added it went nuts. The glass gets covered in algae daily, I scrape it off twice a day. The skimmer also fills up about halfway daily which I also clean out - quite a heavy smell similar to the beach . I'll do a few small water changes this week, I think it's time.

Added the second RMS Mount, and have one more left to purchase.

Also have 5 x Blue/Green Chromis in there, they are very well adapted and eating like pigs!

 

[ED3]

Looking good ! I’ll be following along, I’m getting ready to upgrade to the same tank. Love seeing different designs for the same systems on this site.

I’m going SPS only in mine so the power head and lighting set up is a little different but I am using radion XR30’s and the same return. I’m considering going dual return pumps for redundancy. This will be the largest reef I’ve kept so I’m over engineering my system for sure.

Are you worried about light coverage at all? I’m going to be using either 5 radions lined up long way or 6 lined up sideways to encourage more front to back growth. I only ask because the radion coverage seems like it’ll give you some varied coverage between the lights and on the ends of the tank. Just a thought!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Currently heavily in cycle mode. I ghost fed for weeks and had nothing, the moment the fish were added it went nuts. The glass gets covered in algae daily, I scrape it off twice a day. The skimmer also fills up about halfway daily which I also clean out - quite a heavy smell similar to the beach . I'll do a few small water changes this week, I think it's time.

Added the second RMS Mount, and have one more left to purchase.

Also have 5 x Blue/Green Chromis in there, they are very well adapted and eating like pigs!

Best of luck with the cycle!

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Update:

Purchased 1 more RMS mount. I need one more to add my 3rd Gen4 Radion.

Following to see how well your Chromis do in a larger tank. I started with 4 but lost one in quarantine then the 3 worked their way down to 1 on me. I guess I just wasn't one of the lucky ones that can keep a group of them together.

 

[ozzier13]

Looking good ! I’ll be following along, I’m getting ready to upgrade to the same tank. Love seeing different designs for the same systems on this site.

I’m going SPS only in mine so the power head and lighting set up is a little different but I am using radion XR30’s and the same return. I’m considering going dual return pumps for redundancy. This will be the largest reef I’ve kept so I’m over engineering my system for sure.

Are you worried about light coverage at all? I’m going to be using either 5 radions lined up long way or 6 lined up sideways to encourage more front to back growth. I only ask because the radion coverage seems like it’ll give you some varied coverage between the lights and on the ends of the tank. Just a thought!

Nice mate, good luck with that - keen to see how you go too. It’s a beautiful tank allowing endless possibilities.

My light's are also XR30’s but the older Gen 4’s. I’m keeping everything on a budget. As you can see in the price breakdown I’ve paid a fraction of what I would have if it were all brand new. Also kept the plumbing as is. The only redundancy I have is 2 heaters

Even the aquascape took me very little time, I whipped it up very very quickly with the rocks I had.

I’ve got a total of 3 XR30’s (still need to mount one more), the coverage seems sufficient. I didn’t put any on the sides as I have no rocks there anyway - so at this stage I’d say it’s fine. If I had endless money to blow I’d probably do 5, maybe eventually I'll find a couple more used Gen4's.

For inspiration, on YouTube look up ‘Cade 2100 Elias’ - great tank, but $$$.

 

[ozzier13]

Best of luck with the cycle!

Thank you, nice heavy odour at the moment, hopefully ends soon!

 

[ozzier13]

Following to see how well your Chromis do in a larger tank. I started with 4 but lost one in quarantine then the 3 worked their way down to 1 on me. I guess I just wasn't one of the lucky ones that can keep a group of them together.

Hmm yeah not sure mate, I would have thought bigger tank = more space = fish get along? I dunno, as I don’t overthink these things much - I should’ve got 6 to make it even but maybe that’s the secret, odd numbers

 

[Benhuan]

Following as a fellow Aussie

 

[JonoH]

Hmm yeah not sure mate, I would have thought bigger tank = more space = fish get along? I dunno, as I don’t overthink these things much - I should’ve got 6 to make it even but maybe that’s the secret, odd numbers

I have 5 in my 6 foot tank, and they are thriving!
I'm sure they will do fine.

 

[ozzier13]

 

[ED3]

Nice mate, good luck with that - keen to see how you go too. It’s a beautiful tank allowing endless possibilities.

My light's are also XR30’s but the older Gen 4’s. I’m keeping everything on a budget. As you can see in the price breakdown I’ve paid a fraction of what I would have if it were all brand new. Also kept the plumbing as is. The only redundancy I have is 2 heaters

Even the aquascape took me very little time, I whipped it up very very quickly with the rocks I had.

I’ve got a total of 3 XR30’s (still need to mount one more), the coverage seems sufficient. I didn’t put any on the sides as I have no rocks there anyway - so at this stage I’d say it’s fine. If I had endless money to blow I’d probably do 5, maybe eventually I'll find a couple more used Gen4's.

For inspiration, on YouTube look up ‘Cade 2100 Elias’ - great tank, but $$$.

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll definitely check it out!

Best of luck, can't wait to see how this turns out!

 

[DarkReefer]

Looks good mate, keep checking in every so often to give us an update!