Any thoughts on the JBJ 12g Nano Cube tank?

[pecan2phat]

Any thoughts on this JBJ 12g Nano Cube tank? I was looking to get one and was wondering what people thought about it. Best price I could find for the tank was $99 from Drs Foster with $10 shipping. The hidden reef also sells it for $99 but they want an additional $10 for packing and $20 for shipping.

 

[reefrunner69]

I think they are cool, I want an oceanic 30g cube and the 12g cube Sounds like a decent price.

 

[24 hours? NE!]

Can I get some ideas for modding my JBJ nano lighting?

I need something fairly easy, but adequate for a bta. I'm willing to do external ballast, but I need lots of detail and help.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[pecan2phat]

Here's a mod with 1 CSL 32 watt retro along with the stock 24 watt:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=329756

 

[brndfrb]

I had the JBJ nano cube and then traded for some stuff to sumphead. HE loves it. IUt is a great little tank. Especially for the price.

 

[got bait?]

12 gal nano.

I like mine so far. Up and running for 7 mos now and no major problems. Need to add a small skimmer though. deffinately need a small PH too, if you are going to add anything other than shrooms and polyps. The factory pump just isn't enough. I diverted the flow a bit to give more surface agitation.

 

[got bait?]

did regard last pic.

 

[kribbz]

thats a pretty cool little nano you got going there!

 

[sumphead]

Yeah, I got a great deal in the trade for mine. It is awesome! Hey bait, is that the standard 24W light?

 

[24 hours? NE!]

Here's a mod with 1 CSL 32 watt retro along with the stock 24 watt:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=329756

I love the instructions. Where can you find the retro lighting? My 12 gal JBJ nano is only 14 inches across in the hood. What I have seen for 32 watt retros is 15 inches (or so they say in the description and box). Will they actually fit?

 

[got bait?]

Hey bait, is that the standard 24W light?

Yep. That's why I haven't tried the SPS. Shroom and polyps are fine. Watch the surface film though, I haven't put a skimmer on, not enough room. Just need to do water changes more often. Nice little tank though.
BTW. These tanks only hold 9gal H2O empty. I called the manufacturer and they said the 12gal. discription is based on the dimensional volume, nice little twist huh?
Good Luck!

 

[24 hours? NE!]

Yeah, I found that out too! I figured just under 9 gallons, though. That's about 2 1/2 watts per gallon, so not too bad. I'm still looking for a retro.

 

[got bait?]

The only way to probably retro this tank is with a pendant. But that would lose the asthetics of the tank. Even the little 24W 50/50 gets a bit warm though. If you find a nice retro, please let me know.

 

[24 hours? NE!]

Check out this thread. I can't take credit for it, it was referred to me and I've bounced back and forth between here and there.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=329756

The link for the retrofit kit on drsfostersmith.com is here:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3811&Ne=2025&R=7879&N=2004+113030+2033

It's quite a bit cheaper than you will find at a lfs, especially the ones around us, Bait.

 

[pecan2phat]

Here's a mod with 1 CSL 32 watt retro along with the stock 24 watt:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=329756

I love the instructions. Where can you find the retro lighting? My 12 gal JBJ nano is only 14 inches across in the hood. What I have seen for 32 watt retros is 15 inches (or so they say in the description and box). Will they actually fit?

I believe that the reflector is probably 15" & it might need to be trimmed. I"ll let you know cause I just ordered 2 kits. I don't like the way most people had to bend the stock reflector to add 1 CSL 32 watt retro, so I'm going to try 2 kits & to just remove the existing stock reflector and 24 watt bulb & ballast. I'll see if it's a nicer fit. Now all I need to try to find is a 120 volt 60mm fan that no one makes!

 

[24 hours? NE!]

I"ll let you know cause I just ordered 2 kits. I don't like the way most people had to bend the stock reflector to add 1 CSL 32 watt retro, so I'm going to try 2 kits & to just remove the existing stock reflector and 24 watt bulb & ballast. I'll see if it's a nicer fit. Now all I need to try to find is a 120 volt 60mm fan that no one makes!

That's an interesting idea! Let me know how it works. My one kit is on its way.

Also, let me know how you're fan search is going. Were you planning on trying to mount one on the inside? I'm thinking about an outside mount just because the inside is so crammed.

 

[pecan2phat]

The only place that you can easily mount a 60mm fan is where the 2 vents are towards the back of the canopy. This us where they have four pre-drilled holes for the fan to mount on. I guess during the development phase of the nano-cube, they thought about it & shelved it to be able to keep cost down. IMO, this does not make a whole lot of sense because it will be pushing or pulling air to or from the water surface rather than where the bulbs are housed under the acrylic shield. I guess some deflection of heat is better than none. Problem is that 60mm or 2.4" cooling fans are only available as DC voltage computer cpu or case cooling fans. I guess I can still use them with a plug in type transformer & plug the transformer & one set of lights to a power strip, then to a timer & this will give the effect of where the fan turns on with the first set of lights similiar to my CSL Moonlite canopy.

 

[24 hours? NE!]

Any updates on the lights, pecan?

I'm nearly ready to install my one kit, probably this weekend. I think I'm going to set it up so that if I decide to add a second like you suggest, it will be easier. I just wish that I could get a moonlight strip in there as well.

My fans are going to take longer to get to me than I wanted, so I probably won't be adding them at the same time as the lights.

 

[24 hours? NE!]

Here's a link for fans that should work (these are the ones I ordered). Now I wish I knew how to hook them up.

http://www.laptops4me.com/product_info.php/products_id/3677

 

[pecan2phat]

24 hours,
I just received my light kits yesterday and I also will "attempt" to retrofit them into the canopy this weekend. I pulled them out for a quick look and matched them up to the hood. Looks like the reflector needs about .5 to .75" of trimming with a good pair of scissors. The bulb should fit, though the connector makes it very tight length wise.
The link for the fan shows a 80mm fan. Did you order this? I believe that the vents that we have calls for a 60mm fan.
I bought a fan and 12V DC to AC transformer from Radio Shack. I've searched hi & lo for 60mm fans that operate on AC voltage but there either is no such animal or I can't find one.
I'll let you know how it goes.