Biocube 29 LED retro fit

[Bige]

This is a kit I bought from nanotuners.com. 30 3w leds. 6 blue 12 white and 12 50/50 (which is 3 blue and 3 white)

This a before shot. Sorry about the flash.. I can't figure out how to turn it off.

 

[Bige]

This is the hood and the parts laid out. I took all the guts out to make room for new lights.

 

[Bige]

I added the aluminum heat sheild and started to place leds. Put blue in the middle and then white then 50/50 on outside.

Also added new high flow silent x fans.

 

[Bige]

Added new wiring harness through old wire holes. Cleaned up everything under hood and was done. Took about an hour and half.

Also added R2 moon lights and moon phase controller.

 

[Bige]

This is them on. They are crazy bright. It looks like the sun shining over tank. All the coral have spread out. I will post update soon when done acclimating. Again, sorry about the flash.

 

[Aquarium1]

Looks awesome good job!

 

[Bige]

Been running lights more and more. Trying to bring them up to same time exposure as old lights. Already everything is looking great. My zoas look completly different. They have changed colors. The fish are hiding a lot though.

 

[Aquarium1]

I guess, maybe, they have to get use (or is it used lol) to the new light too.

 

[BigJim]

Give the fish some time. When I put brighter bulbs on my FW tanks, my fish hid for a few weeks. Now all except the catfish are back to normal. My pictus and raphael still like to hide and come out at night and the corys hide in the shade of the driftwood near the end of the daily light cycle.

 

[melosu58]

Moved to SW nano forum.

 

[Bige]

I figure it is a big change for them so I wont cut them yet. I guess with brighter lights come different algae. I never really had algae before. I could go 2 weeks without cleaning glass. Now I am doing it everyday! My anemones look great. They have puffed up. I have a xenia that started pulsing. I have had it for 4 months and it never pulsed.

 

[Bige]

The heat is down. I had to turn my heater up because there is no heat from light. I accidently ran lights without fans, and tank stayed at 80.0. We will have to see how that is when it is 110 outside.

 

[Bige]

Everything is doing great. Anemones love new lights. Got a green birdsnest. Will have to see how things go.

 

[ilostnemo]

wow. ive never thought that leds would be that bright. i might have to make something for my 2g nano

 

[Bige]

A 2g nano would be pretty easy to do. You could even get them for your 55g.

 

[Bige]

Got a new wave maker and my tank shimmers like a diamond ring!

 

[Ziggy953]

Awesome job with this build! I am going to be doing something similar though will be building my hood form scratch as I do not have a hood for my nano cube.

Very nicely done!

 

[Crepe]

Wait, did your coral go from green to purple? Or is that just the actinic lighting.

 

[Bige]

Thanks ziggy. you gonna do LEDs? I recommend them.

Crepe, it might be the coral retracted. the base is purple.

 

[Jimbo7]

Looks good! I'm planning my retro for my 12DX. Are yours dimming?