Mark's Cade 900 S2

[Mark Hyman]

Hi all. After being out of reefing for nearly two decades (moves, young kid, etc.), I'm diving back in after my wife suggested a tank for Xmas. Things have changed a lot since then (LEDs, limited real live rock options, etc.). My last reef tank was a Tenecor acrylic 100 gal bowfront located in my living room. I enjoyed it, but the location wasn't great as we didn't actually spend much time in that room. So for the new tank, I decided that my home office (where I mainly surf, game, etc.) is a better location. The space I wanted was ideal for a 36" wide tank, and some height would work, so based on a bunch of reading and reports from others, I decided on a Cade 900 S2. Algae Barn had them on sale, so perfect timing!

I ordered the tank on Dec 13, and it was ready for delivery on Dec 19- pretty fast. Too fast, actually, as I was out of town. So I arranged delivery for last Friday, which gives me through New Years to set up. Here's a pic of the stacked crates out front (with the delivery guy)- it's quite a load, even for this relatively modest size system.

The tank was in good condition; a few small issues with the stand (broken hinge pin on a door, popped screw on the electrical panel, etc.) but no showstoppers. I'm sure Algae Barn will resolve after the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, my grand plan for moving both the 30 feet from delivery to display location fell apart as it was beyond the strength of me & my helpers. Did a quick pivot, covered it with a tarp, and called up some local movers my wife has used for furniture. They came by first thing Saturday morning and made quick work of moving it in.

Here's where I'm at after initial plumbing and aquascaping:

Sump:

Aquascape front:

Left:

Right:

Top down:

Initial equipment:
Tank: CADE Pro Reef 900 S2
Sump: CADE sump
Stand: CADE aluminium/glass stand
Jumpnet: CADE net (considering acrylic lid before one of the resident felines decides to hop up)
Lights: Ecotech Radion XR15 G6 Pro (2 on Radion arms)
Wavemakers: Ecotech Vortech MP40QD (2)
Return Pump: Ecotech Vectra M2
Skimmer: TBD (considering Reef Octopus Regal 150S, Aquamaxx ConeS CO-1, Nyos Quantum 160
ATO: Built-in gravity ATO
Live Rock: 80 lbs reclaimed dry rock bought cheap ($3/lb) from LFS- two large Pukani-looking rocks and a bunch of branch
Heaters: Finnex 200W titanium (2)
Heater Controller: Ranco ETC-111000
Salt: IO Reef Crystals
RO/DI: AquaFX Barracuda 4 stage
BioMedia: MarinePure Spheres (2 qts)
Extras: Reef Diapers for sock (eventually will add a roller)

Livestock plan:
Still developing, but:
2 clowns TBD
2 Banggai Cardinals
1 tang (maybe a bristletooth)
1 Blenny (lawnmower?)
1 Wrasse (six-line or others)
1-2 cleaner shrimp
Maybe a Coral Beauty (a bit leery but my wife wants an angel and the CB would be safer than most)
Mixed CUC
Soft corals TBD (Hammer, pulsing Xenia)
Maybe a BTA

Anyway, I'm getting ready to glue & epoxy the rock- would love some input on the arrangement before I lock it in. The immediate plan is to fix the rock, then start wet-testing as soon as the RODI is ready. Assuming the water stays where it's supposed to, I'll move on with adding salt & cycling. Should be starting to look at adding stock by mid-January!

Thanks all, and merry Xmas!

 

[TX_REEF]

I love everything about it, awesome! I’d say be careful with acrylic lid though, it will have a tendency to warp over time if it doesn’t have a rigid frame. Screen/mesh or glass might be better. On the rockwork, you might consider leaving some more open space around the structure on all sides except perhaps the back, you may find sufficient flow difficult without multiple power heads in various locations otherwise.

 

[fishface NJ]

Welcome to R2R and back to reefing! Exciting having a new tank. Love the rocks!
Best of luck

 

[Mark Hyman]

I love everything about it, awesome! I’d say be careful with acrylic lid though, it will have a tendency to warp over time if it doesn’t have a rigid frame. Screen/mesh or glass might be better. On the rockwork, you might consider leaving some more open space around the structure on all sides except perhaps the back, you may find sufficient flow difficult without multiple power heads in various locations otherwise.

Thanks; was considering Top Lids or Kraken for the lid with an evap cover; they look pretty solid. On the rock, I left a channel through the middle that I think will work well with the two MP40s, but I'll think about it some more. Might have to see how the flow looks when I get it all wet.

 

[Mark Hyman]

Welcome to R2R and back to reefing! Exciting having a new tank. Love the rocks!
Best of luck

Appreciate it, thanks!

 

[kevgib67]

It all came together well! I was out for 10 years and it’s amazing how hard the reefing bug bites! Looking forward to following your build, Merry Christmas!

 

[Mark Hyman]

It all came together well! I was out for 10 years and it’s amazing how hard the reefing bug bites! Looking forward to following your build, Merry Christmas!

Thanks! Loved seeing your before & after shots; looking forward to seeing the growth in my tank!

 

[kevgib67]

Thanks! Loved seeing your before & after shots; looking forward to seeing the growth in my tank!

Thank you for the kind words. Remember the fun is the part getting there, enjoy every part of it, even the downs because the ups after are so much better. I wish you luck and will be watching from afar!

 

[Jmp998]

Looks like great build-I think you might want to reduce the rock work a little before you glue it together-leave more room on the sides so that corals are not growing into the glass too quickly. If you are planning for corals on the sides of the rock work, there will not be much room for cleaning the glass etc.

Delivery is sort of all over the place. Sounds like you were lucky to be able to schedule. I received a voicemail computer-generated message late one afternoon saying my Cade 1200 would be delivered the next day between 2pm-6pm, that's it. Fortunately I was off that day anyway, and the guys who dropped it off were really nice, put it exactly where I wanted in the garage, and even unstacked it for me.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Hi all. After being out of reefing for nearly two decades (moves, young kid, etc.), I'm diving back in after my wife suggested a tank for Xmas. Things have changed a lot since then (LEDs, limited real live rock options, etc.). My last reef tank was a Tenecor acrylic 100 gal bowfront located in my living room. I enjoyed it, but the location wasn't great as we didn't actually spend much time in that room. So for the new tank, I decided that my home office (where I mainly surf, game, etc.) is a better location. The space I wanted was ideal for a 36" wide tank, and some height would work, so based on a bunch of reading and reports from others, I decided on a Cade 900 S2. Algae Barn had them on sale, so perfect timing!

I ordered the tank on Dec 13, and it was ready for delivery on Dec 19- pretty fast. Too fast, actually, as I was out of town. So I arranged delivery for last Friday, which gives me through New Years to set up. Here's a pic of the stacked crates out front (with the delivery guy)- it's quite a load, even for this relatively modest size system.

The tank was in good condition; a few small issues with the stand (broken hinge pin on a door, popped screw on the electrical panel, etc.) but no showstoppers. I'm sure Algae Barn will resolve after the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, my grand plan for moving both the 30 feet from delivery to display location fell apart as it was beyond the strength of me & my helpers. Did a quick pivot, covered it with a tarp, and called up some local movers my wife has used for furniture. They came by first thing Saturday morning and made quick work of moving it in.

Here's where I'm at after initial plumbing and aquascaping:

Sump:

Aquascape front:

Left:

Right:

Top down:

Initial equipment:
Tank: CADE Pro Reef 900 S2
Sump: CADE sump
Stand: CADE aluminium/glass stand
Jumpnet: CADE net (considering acrylic lid before one of the resident felines decides to hop up)
Lights: Ecotech Radion XR15 G6 Pro (2 on Radion arms)
Wavemakers: Ecotech Vortech MP40QD (2)
Return Pump: Ecotech Vectra M2
Skimmer: TBD (considering Reef Octopus Regal 150S, Aquamaxx ConeS CO-1, Nyos Quantum 160
ATO: Built-in gravity ATO
Live Rock: 80 lbs reclaimed dry rock bought cheap ($3/lb) from LFS- two large Pukani-looking rocks and a bunch of branch
Heaters: Finnex 200W titanium (2)
Heater Controller: Ranco ETC-111000
Salt: IO Reef Crystals
RO/DI: AquaFX Barracuda 4 stage
BioMedia: MarinePure Spheres (2 qts)
Extras: Reef Diapers for sock (eventually will add a roller)

Livestock plan:
Still developing, but:
2 clowns TBD
2 Banggai Cardinals
1 tang (maybe a bristletooth)
1 Blenny (lawnmower?)
1 Wrasse (six-line or others)
1-2 cleaner shrimp
Maybe a Coral Beauty (a bit leery but my wife wants an angel and the CB would be safer than most)
Mixed CUC
Soft corals TBD (Hammer, pulsing Xenia)
Maybe a BTA

Anyway, I'm getting ready to glue & epoxy the rock- would love some input on the arrangement before I lock it in. The immediate plan is to fix the rock, then start wet-testing as soon as the RODI is ready. Assuming the water stays where it's supposed to, I'll move on with adding salt & cycling. Should be starting to look at adding stock by mid-January!

Thanks all, and merry Xmas!

Nice looking aquascape!

 

[Kraken Reef]

Thanks; was considering Top Lids or Kraken for the lid with an evap cover; they look pretty solid. On the rock, I left a channel through the middle that I think will work well with the two MP40s, but I'll think about it some more. Might have to see how the flow looks when I get it all wet.

Feel free to shoot us an email if you have any questions.

 

[Mark Hyman]

Looks like great build-I think you might want to reduce the rock work a little before you glue it together-leave more room on the sides so that corals are not growing into the glass too quickly. If you are planning for corals on the sides of the rock work, there will not be much room for cleaning the glass etc.

Delivery is sort of all over the place. Sounds like you were lucky to be able to schedule. I received a voicemail computer-generated message late one afternoon saying my Cade 1200 would be delivered the next day between 2pm-6pm, that's it. Fortunately I was off that day anyway, and the guys who dropped it off were really nice, put it exactly where I wanted in the garage, and even unstacked it for me.

Thanks- ended up opening it a bit more by leaving out a good-sized piece, but I'm happy with the final result and it's glued together pretty solid. Started some wet testing (a modest amount into the overflow and had some bulkhead leaks; got the drains resolved, the return line is being a bit trickier and is harder to get at because of the electric panel. Might have it now but I'm stopping for the night and will start again fresh. I have nearly enough RO to fully fill now, so once the bulkheads are resolved it will be time to fill and check the rest of the plumbing (fingers crossed!).

Picked up a screen for the Vectra M2- barely fits into the sump compartment! I may have to cut it down but I understand that's intended since the end plate pops off.

 

[Mark Hyman]

The tank's wet! Filled it up with RODI and dialed in the overflow. Quiet as heck compared to my old reef tank with a Durso overflow. I'm having some issues getting the main drain bulkhead gasket to stop seeping under flow- reseated it several times, tried looser, tighter, but haven't found the sweet spot yet. I've ordered up some Molykote; will lube up the gasket and try again. Since everything else is running smoothly, I'm going to drain the tank about halfway and mix that RODI up with salt. That should give me the lower salinity that Dr. Tim recommends and I can get the cycle started tomorrow. Wish me luck!

 

[CasperOe]

Looks fantastic! Thanks for bringing us along, i do love my own Cade! Keep it up- and happy reefing!

 

[shadyraro]

Great to see another Cade setup, looking good!

 

[Mark Hyman]

Great to see another Cade setup, looking good!

Thanks! I’m mid-cycle; if all goes well, may be adding first fish next Saturday.

 

[Mark Hyman]

My initial cycle finished well; nitrites still a bit high but that will come with time. I was aiming to add a couple of Ocellaris yesterday but the shop didn't have what I was looking for. They did have some nice-looking Banggai cardinals, which were going to be my next add, and my wife liked them so I picked up three (hopefully 1 male & two female). They're small so I don't expect the bioload to be too much for the new tank, and I'll keep an eye on the parameters. Can always boost the bacteria if needed. After acclimitizing, they settled in the back corner, but once the room lights were off a bit later, they were out and exploring. I decided to wait until this morning to try a feeding. Banggais have a bit of a rep for being picky, but these chowed down on their first batch of frozen mysis. I'll give a few other things a shot in the next feedings.

Looking to establish some amphipods next and add the two clowns when the tank is stable. Otherwise, my skimmer (Tunze 9410 DC) is a bit noisy; working on that as they have a reputation for being pretty quiet.

 

[Mark Hyman]

Time for an update since it's been a couple of weeks. The tank's settled in; nitrites dropped to nothing and nitrate is running under 5. The Banggais have worked out well so far. Two have paired off and my wife enjoyed watching a bunch of courtship while I was at work. The odd fish out doesn't seem to be picked on, just hanging out elsewhere in the tank.

Last Saturday, I went looking for clowns; didn't find what I wanted but my wife got hooked on a couple of nice soft coral colonies from a tank breakdown. One is purple/green star polyp, the other is a mix of xenia and a nice Kenya tree. I was leery of starting corals yet, even these hardy ones, but went with it and am glad as they're doing well in the tank and look great. One had a stomatella snail hitchhiker that wandered off into the rocks; also had an aptasia I missed on the bottom of one colony rock that I plan to treat tomorrow before it gets out of control. Went back out on Monday since I had the day off and at a more distant store, found a nice pair of ORA perculas that had been there for a few months. Picked them up as well as some pods and a few nassarius snails to help clean the sand. All have settled in well.

Everyone's eating well on alternating frozen mysis, brine, and LRS fish frenzy (a big hit). It's fun seeing the snails pop out just after the food hits the water while the clowns play Pacman chasing the food around. I tried some small pellets but only the clowns touched them at all and not much. Will try again when there's more in the tank. I picked up an Avast Plank feeder and will install soon; rather would feed a bit at intervals than 1-2 times a day and I don't want work getting in the way of consistency. Plus I've heard good things about Reef Jerky.

The skimmer issues were resolved by Tunze (thanks @rvitko); needed a replacement pump. It's now cranking away quietly in the sump. Thinking about adding that hard lid now; I like the TopLids product and will likely order soon since I have a better idea where I want cutouts. And one of the cats has shown a definite interest.

I'll repost a separate thread asking for input on the stocking plan from here.

 

[Mark Hyman]

Hi all. Looking for some stocking advice. What do y'all think about this stocking plan for my 85 gal Cade fish/softie focused tank? Parameters are holding well- 35 ppt, <5 nitrate, 8.1 pH (not worrying about Ca/Mag/alk yet without stonies).

Current inhabitants:
3 Banggai cardinals (1-1.5")
2 Percula clowns (1.25")
3 Nassarius snails for leftover/sand
1 Stomatella snail (hitchhiker)
1 colony purple star polyp (green center, neat color mix)
1 colony purple xenia with a purple Kenya tree in the middle
Various pods

Planned fish additions (in rough order):
1 watchman goby (yellow or diamond)
1 firefish or neon blue goby
1 blenny (midas or harptail)
2-3 wrasses (1 each or melanurus, red-lined/biocellatus, and a fairy or flasher)
1 coral beauty (my wife's pick)

When algae growth picks up (still not much yet):
1 lawnmower blenny
1 bristletooth tang (yellow eye Kole, tomini, or squaretail; also my wife's pick)

Planned inverts:
2-3 peppermint shrimp
2 skunk cleaner shrimp

Will likely add some more softies as I go. I'll also add to the CUC as needed; some cerith and astraea snails, probably not hermits. And I'll likely supplement the pods depending on how the tank population goes.

Finally, back in the day, I picked up a lot of diversity from the fresh live rock and supplemented with some purchases from IndoPacific (brittle stars, worms, feather dusters, etc.). Any thoughts on the merits of other additions for diversity vs. risk of bad hitchhikers?

Thanks all!

 

[Mark Hyman]

Well, the diatoms arrived. Bloom seems to have been relatively limited and things have settled back down. Had to dose some buffer to bring up alk and pH. Also a couple of aiptasia popped up; assume they were hitchhickers on some of the coral colonies. Aiptasia-X did the trick yesterday; sometime soon I'll start adding a peppermint or two.

New additions yesterday:
Orangeback fairy wrasse (beautiful fish, though camera-shy in my tank; my wife just fell in love)
Yellow watchman goby (juvenile; needs some growth but accepted a couple of small pellets)
5 Astrea snails
1 Cerith snail (all that was in stock; probably going to order some)

Heading out for more pods and phyto; hopefully that's all that gets added today.