Lighting and hood for 24g biocube

[awtank2017]

I have a 24g jbj biocube with stock top and lighting in my high school science classroom. I am looking to get new lighting and if necessary a new lid option to house the lighting or keep the tank covered (a necessity in a classroom). I am planning on growing lps and sps corals with a couple anemone. I am just starting to do research and pricing so that I can request approval or apply for a grant to cover the cost of it. What are your suggestions for lid and lighting for these corals? Links to purchase or pictures are extremely helpful! I am somewhat handy but not electrically savvy (can do basic outlet wiring but that's about it) if that helps.

 

[redfishbluefish]

The JBJ 24 takes the same hood as the JBJ 28. It was/is available as HQI, compact fluorescent or LED. I had two hoods with mine....and HQI and compact fluorescent and didn't like either one....HQI produced too much heat and therefore needed a chiller, and the compact fluorescents, not so pretty. I considered the LED hood (ca $400) and an LED insert (as an example Steve's LEDs), but then decided on building my own canopy and using an Evergrow fixture (Chinese black box). Way too much light, but had the controls to turn it down. I've since passed on the tank to my son, but HERE's the build thread for the canopy.

The canopy allowed me to run a skimmer in the DT portion of the tank. With a conventional JBJ hood, it would not have fit.

 

[Bpain05]

I recommend Steve's LED conversion kit. I've installed them on my 14 Nano and 29 Bio and love the output and color balance you get from them.

http://www.stevesleds.com/Biocube-29-LED-Turbo-Upgrade-System--Plug-and-Play_p_298.html

 

[awtank2017]

I recommend Steve's LED conversion kit. I've installed them on my 14 Nano and 29 Bio and love the output and color balance you get from them.

http://www.stevesleds.com/Biocube-29-LED-Turbo-Upgrade-System--Plug-and-Play_p_298.html

So for the steve's LED conversion kit it has the option of the ocenaic or coralife, which one is compatible with the jbj biocube 24g?

 

[redfishbluefish]

I believe it is THIS KIT....but call them...they have excellent customer service and will help with any questions on doing this yourself.

 

[awtank2017]

Thanks!

 

[awtank2017]

Any other lighting suggestions. My boss is not to happy about the $350 for the steve's retrofit plug and play kit (http://www.stevesleds.com/NanoCube-24-LED-Upgrade--Plug-and-Play_p_264.html). However, I do not have the tools to build the larger box hood. My tank needs a hood of some sort. I was thinking I could do a thick plastic heavy duty screen cut to size and then mount lights over it (not sure how to mount since they can't hang from the ceiling) and I am not sure if the holes in the screen would make weird shadows on the tank.