BioCube 29 lighting mods

CausticGuy

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I'm looking at getting back into reefs probably with the BioCube 29. My question is do you think adding the 4 LED blue strips would be sufficient for LPS and SPS? My plan was either adding those or for almost the same price add a setup of 14 Cree LEDs in their place. I'd probably run them on a 700ma constant driver. I'm thinking 8 royal blues, 4 blue and 2 UV no optics. I'd keep the PCs for white supplement. Would they overpower the PCs and I'd need to dim them? I don't like the LED only look.
 

Reefing Madness

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Yea, you'd be ok adding those to the tank. But what kind of strip lighting are you talking about? The normal strip lights aren't going to help you in the lighting area at all, most are just used for moon lights. If thats all your planning on adding, doesn't have to be Cree, but they'd definitely should be 3w LEDs, or your wasting your money, with optics, or again, the light will go all over the tank, instead of in the tank. At least throw 120 degrees on there.
 
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CausticGuy

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Yea, you'd be ok adding those to the tank. But what kind of strip lighting are you talking about? The normal strip lights aren't going to help you in the lighting area at all, most are just used for moon lights. If thats all your planning on adding, doesn't have to be Cree, but they'd definitely should be 3w LEDs, or your wasting your money, with optics, or again, the light will go all over the tank, instead of in the tank. At least throw 120 degrees on there.
Thanks for the reply. The Coralife Biocube has 4 slots for 3 LED strips that can be added behind the PCs. I was asking if they'd be sufficient but it doesn't sound like it because I believe they are only .75 watt each. I guess I will do a retro of 14 LEDs behind the PCs on a dimmer. I hadn't planned on optics but I will then as the PCs will probably help with the appearance of spotlighting anyway. Think my array of 9 RB, 4 B, 2 UV will be right? I can always put 10k, 12k, 50/50 or actinic in the PCs also.
 

Reefing Madness

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120 or 90 degree optics won't have alot of spot lighting. I believe if you used a Stunner Strip of that sort, and you'd be ok, those are some decent LEDs
Yea, your choice of colors should be great, I don't think you'll need any whites in there. Might think about a couple Actinics, they help with color pop.
 

reefed419

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I personally do not run optics on either of my two biocube 14's. The lights sit about 3-4" off the water top in the hood. I purchased 2 different companies retrofit ideas in my tanks. Rapid and steve's I feel like I get more bang for my buck from the Steve's set up. Again rapid's has made my tank grow crazy as well. I would not add uv lights to any tank, but would opt thwm to be either a true violet or a hyper violet.
 

427HISS

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So those of you that have Steve's or Rapid LED, did you install them in the factory hood, or did you remove the hood and use their hanging kit ?
I also bought a used Oceanic 29g, and I'm setting it up for my wife's clams, mushrooms and softies. It will not house sps's, so I don't want a expensive system.

She want's to keep the hood so it's quieter and keeps the light from shining in her eyes, because it will be next to her chair in the living room.

CausticGuy- I don't wish to take over your thread, but we're in the same boat..
 

427HISS

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Glb- Steve's looks very expensive, how much did your's cost ?
 
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droblack

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I have the Biocube 29 with PCs, and have added an Ecoxotic RGB color changing led strip. There is also one blue led strip that came with the tank. It looks really cool blending the blue led with the color changing led, that can be easily set to fade from one color to the next. Combined with both of the PC lights on, it's quite a bit of light. Only have softies in the tank now, but I'm sure it's enough for most lps.

Aquarium LED Light Fixtures: ecoxotic RGB Panorama Pro LED Module
 
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427HISS

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What all did you buy and what was the total price ?
Can you post a pic of the install ?
Do you have the controller ?

And sorry, what is the PC ?

Thanks,
Kevin
 

glb

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Steve's led retrofit for my 12g nano. I bought it fully assembled for c. $260. The typhon driver was free in a holiday promotion. I think the cables and such were about $30 more. Installation was super easy. Pics to come.

PC stands for power compact flourescent bulbs, lights that are stock for many of the cubes.
 

427HISS

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Ok, back in the day I used VHO's and the PC's were just getting started.

The lighting is a little more that I wanted to spend, but......

Thanks !
 

glb

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Ok, back in the day I used VHO's and the PC's were just getting started.

The lighting is a little more that I wanted to spend, but......

Thanks !

They're about $60 less if you do some of the soldering, something I would never attempt! If you're a DIYer, you could definitely do it for less. I was willing to pay for the convenience because I don't mess with electricity. Lol.
 

427HISS

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lol, I don't mind minor wiring, but I have too many things going and would pay the extra to basically make it a plug & play.

Question I should have elsewhere, but I contacted Oceanic on Saturday and spoke to a young woman. I asked if their cubes were glass or acrylic, she didn't know and asked some man, he said their glass. I picked up two 14g and one 29g cubes and the two smaller tanks glass/acrylic has many fine,....scratches that I need to polish out. So, what are they ???
 

reefed419

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Biocube is produced using non-tempered glass. They scatches probably came from the previous owners being careless while cleaning the glass
 

427HISS

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So, they are positively,...glass ?

It looks like he used a green scuff pad. Nothing deep though. I don't know why people do that.
 

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