# Hardware Review: Cad Lights Nano Bio-Reactor (150ml Capacity)



## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

•	May be installed as a hang on the back filter, or fully submerged.
•	Dimensions: 2.5" x 2.5" x 12" (total exterior dimensions including plumbing).
•	Pump: Super quiet and Slim TIA Professional pumps at 200GPH.
•	Can hold up to 150ml of bio-pellets
•	Material: 100% Cell-Cast Acrylic body
•	11.5W of energy use.
•	Compatibility: Pearl style Bio-pellets, GFO, Carbon
•	Capacity: 5G-50G Aquarium volume.

At first glance, this little monster feels very sturdy with its cell-cast acrylic. It packs a decent flow with its 11.5W pump while maintaining a silent operation.

This review will be kept short, so here goes. 
LIKES:
-	The body is quite sturdy and I can't imagine breaking it. It feels great to the touch.
-	Great media agitation. There is not a single problem with the pellets being too close together.
-	Dead silent - becomes completely silent with the addition of suction cups. Mine came without them and it was still pretty quiet.
-	Relatively cheap.

DISLIKES:
-	Cleaning is a pain, especially the tight bottom half cannot be screwed off. Takes a lot of patience trying to scrub out algae/feather dusters. 
-	Incompatible with vertex flat bio-pellets. I was told by a staff at my lfs that it does. BIG MISTAKE! Pearl style Bio-pellets only!!!! The flat ones get stuck and clogs the flow. UNLESS you get the additional valve that controls the flow and tone it down, then it can be used with the flat pellets. The lfs had the unit on display with the vertex bio-pellets but I guess I did not notice the extra valve.
-	Came without suction cups

Pictures:
















Tight space that is very difficult to clean.

































Hope you guys enjoyed the review and would assist you to either purchase this unit or give it a pass. It is a great nano reactor, and I can easily imagine myself purchasing another one for a future nano tank. 
I left out the performance due to the numerous factors that affects water chemistry/conditions. In the end, this unit (like any other unit) is just a simple pump agitating a filter medium (easily DIY) most important thing are the pellets in my opinion. (so far so good, got rid of slime algae, I only had a small patch.)

Happy Hardwaring!


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