12g Nano Cube w/ Current Truelumen Pro LEDs Retro-Fit Upgrade!

[Brian_Nano12g]

What's up AA! I'm excited to be 100% LED in all my PLANTED MTS acquired tanks!

Almost ALL my tanks were growing plants with LED's except my OG tank, the JBJ Nano Cube 12g (hey its in my user name)! My Nano Cube is really meant to be a SW tank with 2x 24w PC bulbs (with decent reflectors) over just 12g's. I modified it with a new adjustable pump and swapped out the bulbs way back. So yes, it was high light, ran hot, and the integrated fans were just annoyingly loud as heck! BUT..... IT GREW PLANTS WELL!

So I really wanted to go 100% LED in all my tanks, so guess what... the Nano Cube couldn't escape my affinity for LEDs. Current produces a Truelumen Pro kit for this nano cube, only problem is that the spectrum was more on the actinic 50/50 side. So basically, I created my own kit that duplicates it with the exception of getting two 8,000K LED strips instead.

According to this source, the truelumens produce close to 54 PAR at 12" from light to sub. I have two 8,000K strips so I guess I'm getting close to 90 to 100+ PAR. What's also neat is that I have inline dimmers and I also installed Truelumen Lunar lights (2 blue and 1 white) -- all my lights on timers.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Tank Info:

• 12 Gallon Dimensions: 15.8" x 13.8" x 14.8" (LxWxH)
• running DIY CO2
• dosing PPS-Pro Dry Ferts
• Excel.
• Substrate is Floramax.

Flora (yes, it's a jungle... don't know how this all fits! LOL):
Elatine Triandra
DHG (e. parvula)
Hydrocotyle sp. Japan
Rotala Colorata
myriophyllum mattogrossense
fissidens fontanus
Hygrophila corymbosa 'angustifolia'
Limnophila aromatica
Lindernia rotundifolia 'variegated'
anubias petite
ludwigia glandulosa
downoi

Inhabitants:
A bunch of tetras + otos

Let the tank Retro fit surgery begin!

L]

Removed the hood to gut the PC fixture and fans out.

Post install of Truelumen Pro LED strips (x2) + Lunar Lights (x3).

Before & After lighting:

Full tank shots w/ new lights (please excuse the BBA on the back wall, will address that soon ):

Lights on dim mode + lunar lights:

Thoughts on Lighting:
I'm pretty happy with the upgrade. I'm using 18 watts versus 48 watts, with no need to replace bulbs annually. The tank runs cooler with no more annoying fans in the hood. I really like having a dimmer on these LEDs, which puts me in control! I'm thinking about adding a couple of cheap RGB strips (found here) to add a little RED to the mix. But overall, I'm very pleased and I highly recommend these lights for those needing LED strips to fit in special applications (i.e. under canopies, hoods, or on top of a tank).

Youtube video... dim to full intensity demonstration.
Current Truelumen Pro LED - Nano Cube Planted - YouTube

Thanks for stopping by my super long post! haha

 

[Rivercats]

Following along as usual

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Haha... Thanks Janis. You can see some of your babies here. Thanks again for the downoi and l. glandulosa. Oh, that reminds me... I need to send back your packing materials this week!

 

[Billbug68]

Job well done, Brian!

 

[Rivercats]

I saw the Glandulosa but missed the Downoi! Is the Glandulosa keeping it's color so far?

 

[Wufghi88]

Looking great! LEDs are awesome ! I think they will be my next big upgrade on my 36gal. If I can keep myself from buying another aquarium instead lol.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Thanks Bill! Can't wait til you reveal your big project surprise! I can send you some plants when it's not so ridiculously hot here.

Janis.. The glandulosa is shooting roots out like crazy. The tops aren't as deep maroon as you sent them anymore. I suspect it's a high nitrate, low phosphate thing. I need to test and get back to ya. My rotala colorata is mostly green and so is the l. aromatica. The downoi decided to shed the bottom leaves so i just buried the crowns deeper. So now they look more compact after all.

Here's some pics.. On a good note, my practically melted ET is starting to take off.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Looking great! LEDs are awesome ! I think they will be my next big upgrade on my 36gal. If I can keep myself from buying another aquarium instead lol.

Thank you! Yeah I'm a sucker over LEDs. You should check out the Current Satellite LED+ fixtures. You'd need two though to get moderate light on that 36g. I have them on my 26g and i love the custom color output capability with the remote and RGB diodes.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Following!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Got some bad news... I just got home from visiting the parents for a few days to find some dead rummies. After removing the deceased, i noticed my other tetras have little white dots on them.

I feel so foolish to admit this, but after some good years in the hobby, I've yet to adopt a quarantine tank. Now its biting me in the butt and my 12g is the QT! I need help! I believe the white dots are ich.

What's the easiest and most efficient way to treat the ich?

 

[Billbug68]

Got some bad news... I just got home from visiting the parents for a few days to find some dead rummies. After removing the deceased, i noticed my other tetras have little white dots on them.

I feel so foolish to admit this, but after some good years in the hobby, I've yet to adopt a quarantine tank. Now its biting me in the butt and my 12g is the QT! I need help! I believe the white dots are ich.

What's the easiest and most efficient way to treat the ich?

Heat only. Slowly raise temp to 86. Leave it till no more signs of ich, then for a few weeks after that to kill any in their free floating stage. Do some good water changes during that period, then slowly lower temp back down to wherever you keep it. Don't worry bud, I don't have a qt either...

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Thanks Bill. So no meds to kill the free floating ich after i had raised temps?

I think i got the ich from those dollar neons from Petsmart

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Dang dollar Neons! Lol
I think that was how I got ich this winter too (and no QT)
Agree with Bill, just raise your temp up and lots of water changes. I treated mine with heat and a little salt and everyone recovered well. I did not have live plants at the time, so I was able to use salt, but I dosed it at half what the box said to.

 

[Billbug68]

Thanks Bill. So no meds to kill the free floating ich after i had raised temps?

I think i got the ich from those dollar neons from Petsmart

Yeah, no meds, and no salt. Heat works just as well on its own.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Thanks guys! Just curious, i read of some instances of heat resistant strains of ich. They also recommend salt if heat alone doesn't work. Are we talking aquarium salt or table salt? How much salt per gallon? And is salt okay for plants?

 

[Rivercats]

They are out there but I don't think they are too common. One thing I know works is this..... Fish Antibiotic Medication. It's the first product on the top of the list. Works great if your afraid heat isn't enough.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

The salt I used is aquarium salt (not Marine salt), I belive it was API or jungle brand. You can get it at any petstore, or even Walmart. I am not positive, but I think table salt can be used in a pinch.
I honestly have no idea if the salt would hurt the plants. Hopefully someone else can shed more light on that.......
I would start with the heat and see how it goes. Good vacuuming as close to the substrate as possible, often, will help too.

 

[Rivercats]

Salt and plants are not a good combination. I would only go with heat and you can do the medicated food if you want.

 

[AaronW]

I used kordon ich attack. That works pretty well IMO. Heat and water changes should fix you up fine.