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Organize!
Vermont Reef's Cade 1200 S2 Build
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- Thread starter VermontReefs
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Organize!
dcal1985
Active Member
Oh awesome! We do seem to be pretty rare up here.
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Thanks!
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Update: Today I finally got around to working on my R/O mixing station in the basement. The mixing station is as follows:
2 65g Norwesco Tanks
1.25in Red Sched 40 with Sched 80 plumbing
1 Ecotech M2 Pump
1 Apex Energy Bar 8 hard wired to my Apex Upstairs in the Ocean Room
1 Inkbird - 300wx2 Heaters
ATO refill done with DOS via Manual Feed Mode
Debating automatic small daily water changes vs. manual 10-15% per week via feed mode?
Everything is going to plumbed upstairs and directly to the tank....god willing
2 65g Norwesco Tanks
1.25in Red Sched 40 with Sched 80 plumbing
1 Ecotech M2 Pump
1 Apex Energy Bar 8 hard wired to my Apex Upstairs in the Ocean Room
1 Inkbird - 300wx2 Heaters
ATO refill done with DOS via Manual Feed Mode
Debating automatic small daily water changes vs. manual 10-15% per week via feed mode?
Everything is going to plumbed upstairs and directly to the tank....god willing
Last edited:
dcal1985
Active Member
Looks like a great setup! I decided to automate daily water changes of ~2 gallons and I've been quite happy with that. I just let it run in the middle of the night, so I don't have to hear the pumps.Update: Today I finally got around to working on my R/O mixing station in the basement. The mixing station is as follows:
2 65g Norwesco Tanks
1.25in Red Sched 40 with Sched 80 plumbing
1 Ecotech M2 Pump
1 Apex Energy Bar 8 hard wired to my Apex Upstairs in the Ocean Room
1 Inkbird - 300wx2 Heaters
ATO refill done with DOS via Manual Feed Mode
Debating automatic small daily water changes vs. manual 10-15% per week via feed mode?
Everything is going to plumbed upstairs and directly to the tank....god willing
Eric R.
Well-Known Member
My thinking on AWC is that automating a task means more time to do other things on the tank (or just enjoy staring at it!), and doing water changes more constantly keep parameters more stable, more alk/ca/mag and other things available for corals, and helps export nutrients. It does use more water to accomplish the same percentage water change, and can take a bit of extra equipment to setup. From the people I've heard do it, it seems to me that most of them like it. I'm a big fan of Rich Ross, and he runs AWC on his system using an Apex controller and dosers. If you don't have this link, this can be helpful to calculate the volume changed for cumulative water changes: https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.php
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Ya I'm leaning towards a Daily AWC but I think to start I'll set it up manually to learn the system then automate it just to be safe.
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What do you guys think about a 20% weekly water change split daily for 7days @ 3 gallons per day for my 135g tank?
dcal1985
Active Member
Sounds good to me! Once you get it programmed it's really easy to tweak so if you find you're needing to replenish more calcium, etc. you can always adjust.
Eric R.
Well-Known Member
FWIW, 3 gallons per day on a 135g system works out to about 15% effective water change per week (using the calculator I linked in my last post). However, that seems to me like a good amount/frequency to start with.
How much water you'll actually need to change will ultimately be based on your tank uptake needs as far as the big 3 (alk/ca/mg) as well as traces that are in your salt mix, coupled with how much you are dosing, and your export needs, so how heavily you're feeding and removing nutrients through skimming and what not. I once heard a thing that stuck with me, which is that most of the complicated things we do to tanks are really just ways to avoid doing water changes.
Keep an eye on your parameters and your tank inhabitants. Stability is really the most important thing long term, and your tank will likely settle into a happy spot that works for all the inhabitants given enough time and the right amount of attention.
Eric R.
Well-Known Member
Also, a plug here for a podcast I like, since I think both @dcal1985 and @VermontReefs might enjoy it, if you haven't heard it yet. Check out Reef Beef podcast on youtube (they beef about R2R forum drama, which I personally think they make some good points about, but they also spend a lot of time talking about Rich's great tank setup, Ben's maintenance methods, and generally good reefing practices and how to handle pests and such, along with some really interesting guests. They also cuss, which doesn't bother me in the least.).
dcal1985
Active Member
Thanks, I'll check it out!
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Update: Happy New Year.
The Basement Mixing Station Project Begins:
Today is just roughing in the plumbing, a little measuring and additional planning. Below is the first part of the roughed in plumbing.
The Basement Mixing Station Project Begins:
Today is just roughing in the plumbing, a little measuring and additional planning. Below is the first part of the roughed in plumbing.
Wingzinco
Community Member
I second that, when you get a chance, would love to see how this all turned out. I have the Cade 1200 S2 coming in the next two months and have similar equipment to what you're using. Your back mounted lights work good with the ATO/Weir section? P.S. - I'm up in Northern CO and have been eyeing the upstate NY area, ironically. Not as crazy as Denver up here though (but getting there!).
Michael Gentile
Active Member
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Hey I have the same tank, have you found a good spot for the dosing system?
Any updates? Not too many Cade builds out there.
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
Curious as well if you have any updates!!
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