CADLIGHTS not responding to any communication.

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#21
They only wanted to talk when I was looking at a 8' tank. Here is the cell for the guy that called me a day or 2 ago trying to sell me a tank.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Tangwich

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#22
So glad i practically gave away my scratched cadlights cube. the previous owner had put a crabload of some type of cement on the return line up against the bottom of the tank itself. i didn't find out of course until after i bought the tank and put it on its side when i got home. don't know what that was about and glad i won't have to find out. Sorry OP that you're having to deal with this mess. That sucks.
 
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#23
Most of our skimmers and name brand stuff are made overseas so they are in metric units I had to mill and make a lot parts myself since they don't sell it here if you looking for a quick fix. CAD lights is really just a chinese company making cheap products to look good and price them high. I notice a lot of their design are just copy of other products designs and just refine them to look different. But I find most of the companies in this hobby usually don't like to answer customers questions don't rely on all these high price gizmo to keep a successful tank.
 
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#24
I agree with you man you paid what you get and also do some research and be smart about it in this hobby much of the stuff is created to sell us products for them to make money. You don't need all of that stuff much of it can be build yourself if you can push yourself to go and learn how to do it. Corals don't need all that fancy equipment and lights all they need is good water and good light.

Sorry you are having problems. Converting and/or modifying specialty plumbing is one of my personal hobbies, and one I've gotten pretty good at.
Sorry again for not being to help much here, but trying to decipher, process, and convey such information within the context of a thread is like attemping to conduct heart surgery over the telephone.
This is a "hands on/eyes on" situation. If you were closer I would love to help but a 2 hour drive each way is a bit much.

As for CAD Lights:
In their defense (just playing Devil's advocate here)
1) They just finished exhibiting in a major trade show. I for one can tell you this guy is not at home taking phone calls and answering e-mails. If he's smart hes now laying on a secluded beach somewhere South of Barbados, smoking a CAO cigar, sipping Madori Pina Coladas, and listening to a mediocre Ragae band playing in the distance. Yes, that is where that guy is.

2) Products made in China - Yes, Plumbing metric - Yes, inexpensive build quality - Yes
I'm sorry but this is exactly what the doctor ordered! Great companies such as Saturn, Craftsman (the Original, not this Ryobi-branded crap) and McDonnell Douglas all went out of business for similar reasons:
We as consumers want CHEAP, DISPOSABLE (but looks really pretty) CHINESE MADE CRAP! I'm sorry but the dollar bills votes have spoken. As for the pluming, metric sizing doesn't necessarily mean it is negative or of less quality. Most of the world uses the metric system, North America for some reason chooses to rebel.

3) As a business man myself, I can tell you with absolute certainty that there IS NO all-Amercian girl named Doris sitting at a desk waiting to answer our phone calls, much less a Polytech trained engineer available to answer our questions. We want CHEAP, remember? Ohhhh, don't deny it (I see you there shaking your head no) Tell me you didn't just last week pass up the nice thick cast-acrylic media reactor for some cheap extruded plastic POS from Southern XENIAHAI (or however its spelled/doesn't matter) Cheap doesn't allow for quality materials, Cheap doesn't allow for warranties, and most of all, cheap doesn't allow for full time employees with accompanying payroll taxes, health plans, pensions, holiday pay, and year-end Christmas Party.....NOPE, cheap doesn't recognize such concepts.

We are ALL guilty people, for the crap that we receive. Sorry if that is not the motivational speech of the year but at least it is accurate. More importantly, it is the truth.

 
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#25
So I finally got a phone call and they said they would drill it bigger if i bring it by their shop. I am going to try and hire someone to help me get it in the car and drive the hour so that in the future I wont kick myself dealing with weird sizes. Does anyone have any websites or youtube videos that show best practices for custom plumbing? I beleive I want a 1" drain and a 1/2 return is that correct? Thanks for all the help guys!
 
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#26
So I finally got a phone call and they said they would drill it bigger if i bring it by their shop. I am going to try and hire someone to help me get it in the car and drive the hour so that in the future I wont kick myself dealing with weird sizes. Does anyone have any websites or youtube videos that show best practices for custom plumbing? I beleive I want a 1" drain and a 1/2 return is that correct? Thanks for all the help guys!
before you do that, what is the EXACT hole size? Let me check my bag of tricks to see if I have a bulkhead that will fit.

Kevin
 

robert_ellis

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#27
So I finally got a phone call and they said they would drill it bigger if i bring it by their shop. I am going to try and hire someone to help me get it in the car and drive the hour so that in the future I wont kick myself dealing with weird sizes. Does anyone have any websites or youtube videos that show best practices for custom plumbing? I beleive I want a 1" drain and a 1/2 return is that correct? Thanks for all the help guys!
Go at least 3/4" return. 1/2" limits you to much. Can always reduce down but you won't want to drill again if you decide you want 3/4".
 

CoralNerd

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#28
I'm glad I didn't buy a Cadlights, I found their customer service was lacking. Glad they stepped up to the plate for you...Best of luck!
 

Six2seven

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#29
the myth of superior american made quality is greatly exaggerated.

we live in an age of world economy now, and Americans are the primary consumers of manufactured goods.

chinese products aren't "cheap", their labor is, their overhead is, but the machinery is no less sophisticated than what the american factories use. The chinese are so far ahead and more advanced than the US in manufacturing, it's not even funny.

here's a fun read on when Steve Jobs needed something done, and there was no possible way an American company could produce it. http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-new-iphone-screen-2012-1
I used to believe this until i saw the factories in Shenzhen, china. I was almost arrested for even being there but was with some high officials from Normal University. One of the scariest moments in my life.

anywho, those factories are horrible. There is no quality control and make anyone build whatever is being crated there. I cant speak for all chinese companies but I was told 90% are similar to what I saw. I now understand how those wp-40 pumps can be a hit or miss. some work and some are just junk. Here in the US, a product can be made out of cheap parts but at least all products will be made the same. I know that doesnt really help lol

But Jeff, I do get what you are saying. The technology that they have is the same as the US for manufacturing. They can easily make the same products there as they can here if not better. They are far more advanced when it comes to manufacturing. However, unless a gigantic amount of instruction/money is invested in them like high end electronics such as apple or Samsung, there is no way I would believe the products they can make are better than what the us can make.
 
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#30
I used to believe this until i saw the factories in Shenzhen, china. I was almost arrested for even being there but was with some high officials from Normal University. One of the scariest moments in my life.

anywho, those factories are horrible. There is no quality control and make anyone build whatever is being crated there. I cant speak for all chinese companies but I was told 90% are similar to what I saw. I now understand how those wp-40 pumps can be a hit or miss. some work and some are just junk. Here in the US, a product can be made out of cheap parts but at least all products will be made the same. I know that doesnt really help lol

But Jeff, I do get what you are saying. The technology that they have is the same as the US for manufacturing. They can easily make the same products there as they can here if not better. They are far more advanced when it comes to manufacturing. However, unless a gigantic amount of instruction/money is invested in them like high end electronics such as apple or Samsung, there is no way I would believe the products they can make are better than what the us can make.
That's kinda my point. the US isn't "better" than the chinese at manufacturing. The stuff made in the US just has that extra little station that the chinese don't have, called "quality control".

part of that is simply liability. in the US, some level of quality control is desirable / warranted / needed just to protect yourself from law suits (hey, anyone remember the guy that is suing Neptune for their EB8 for failing AFTER the warranty expired?).

chinese factories don't have to worry about that.

the thing that sets the US apart from the chinese is innovation. we come up with something that people want, and then leave it to the chinese to mass produce it at a much lower cost.
 

reefes pieces

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#32
I'll be honest, I looked at the cadlights tanks at RAP and my friend just bought one recently as well and I was impressed with the overall build quality. Sure the plumbing is cheap but getting a starfire tank with a maple (not MDF) stand, glass sump with led fuge light, DC return pump and a decent skimmer for the price can't be beat. If I had to dig around and find some special fitment bulkheads to save some serious cash I would. As for customer service, that sucks but I can tell you there are a bunch of other more expensive companies that still have crappy service. This is coming from a Lee Mar owner that paid an arm and a leg for their tank and stand.
 
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#33
Like I said all of the stuff they had are copy design of other manufacture all they did was tweak some of the design and call it theirs they haven't done anything new or exciting that is different from others. I bet their skimmers are only like 20 to 50 bucks to build and charge a lot more for it.

That's kinda my point. the US isn't "better" than the chinese at manufacturing. The stuff made in the US just has that extra little station that the chinese don't have, called "quality control".

part of that is simply liability. in the US, some level of quality control is desirable / warranted / needed just to protect yourself from law suits (hey, anyone remember the guy that is suing Neptune for their EB8 for failing AFTER the warranty expired?).

chinese factories don't have to worry about that.

the thing that sets the US apart from the chinese is innovation. we come up with something that people want, and then leave it to the chinese to mass produce it at a much lower cost.
 
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#34
If you weren't so far I'd be able to help you...I've converted a few cad tank to standard size plumbing. Their a little tricky but doable...
You can't post up links to parts or a diy or something to help people out to converting the plumbing? It would help OP, and anyone considering buying one.
 
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#35
Like I said all of the stuff they had are copy design of other manufacture all they did was tweak some of the design and call it theirs they haven't done anything new or exciting that is different from others. I bet their skimmers are only like 20 to 50 bucks to build and charge a lot more for it.
20-50?! i bet it's like 15-20.

you have to consider that they are shipping it to the US, going through distributors, lots of middle man, and STILL making a big profit.

there's no incentive for the Chinese to innovate. the govt isn't interested in patent infringements. why bother trying to make something new, when you can just reverse engineer something and immediately turn a profit by undercutting the original makers?

it's the world we live in, i don't like it, you may not like it, but there's not a whole lot you can do about it except to vote with your wallet. unfortunately, my wallet isn't fat like some other people, which is why i have Jebao pumps and cheap chinese LED on my tank.. :p
 
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#36
I like cheap stuff too I use cheap pump and cheap lights if they sell stuff like this in 99 cent store I'll buy it I even use 99 cent products for my sump ahahah.

20-50?! i bet it's like 15-20.

you have to consider that they are shipping it to the US, going through distributors, lots of middle man, and STILL making a big profit.

there's no incentive for the Chinese to innovate. the govt isn't interested in patent infringements. why bother trying to make something new, when you can just reverse engineer something and immediately turn a profit by undercutting the original makers?

it's the world we live in, i don't like it, you may not like it, but there's not a whole lot you can do about it except to vote with your wallet. unfortunately, my wallet isn't fat like some other people, which is why i have Jebao pumps and cheap chinese LED on my tank.. :p
 
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#37
I used to believe this until i saw the factories in Shenzhen, china. I was almost arrested for even being there but was with some high officials from Normal University. One of the scariest moments in my life.
How hillarious,
I had an almost identical experience in 2005.
My graduate class was visiting Vietnam and Thailand for a foreign business exchange program. While in Hanoi (Northern Vietnam) we stayed at a huge hotel with a top floor that overlooked most of the city with a 360 degree view. This floor was closed off for special events and parties, etc. (or so they claimed) One night I couldn't sleep and wanted to get some great photos. Naturally I do what I do and snuck up onto the top floor and started taking photos from the awesome floor-to-ceiling glass pane windows. Evidently they had security cameras (duh!) and quickly sent a duo of gun-toting security guards up to get me. I quickly explained that I was with the traveling student group (I was 40-years old at the time) and just taking some tourist photos.
They luckily believed me and escorted me back to my room (a rather very strange and uneasy feeling that walk was). No further incident occured, however upon reflecting WHERE I was I couldtn't help but slap myself along side my head. North Vietnam? 40-year old white guy? 10 year earlier and I likely would have been shot as a suspected spy! LOL
 
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#38
# of countries that use the metric system that have sent a man to the moon = zero

# of countries that use the metric system that have sent a space craft out of this solar system = zero

# of countries that use the metric system that have a rover on mars = zero

USA USA USA
 
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#39
# of countries that use the metric system that have sent a man to the moon = zero

# of countries that use the metric system that have sent a space craft out of this solar system = zero

# of countries that use the metric system that have a rover on mars = zero

USA USA USA
And that, is the real problem. There's no good reason to stay with the Imperial measurement.

Sent from my Note3 phablet
 
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#40
And that, is the real problem. There's no good reason to stay with the Imperial measurement.

Sent from my Note3 phablet
Lol, thats my point, i dont see a problem here. The US is doing quite well the way we are. No need to become like anyone, no need for self hate.
 
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