ETCs_Lady Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Hello, My first post here. I have 2 Coralife Biocube 29s...one is a coral/fish tank and one is an Anemone/fish tank. I have added a few extra LED strips to my Nem tank but want to upgrade to either Steves LEDs or Rapid LEDs. I have been in the hobby for two years and have had my anemones for over a year now. My Nems are doing ok now, but I want them to thrive. I need to keep the hood on as I have cats and I like the look of it. My tank has a chiller already. SO.... in a Retro Fit Kit what would I need to order to achieve the best lighting for the BTAs? Thank you in advance. Link to comment
michaelrzachmann Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 check out http://nanoboxreef.com/ he sells a very simple to set up biocube retro and only heard awesome things and plenty of light to grow anything Link to comment
ETCs_Lady Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thanks Mike, I will definitely check them out! My biggest question still is WHAT does the tank need in LED requirements. Lisa Link to comment
dadummy Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 FWIW, I had BTA's in a 12 gallon Aqua Pod under stock lighting for years. The LED craze took off and I jumped on board. Went with a DIY from Rapid, 6 Cree X-RE royal blue and 6 X-RE cool whites. I later added 3 X-PG blue and two of the UV violet from Rapid. I ran them on 700ma drivers. I later switched out the drivers and ran LED's at 300ma and the Nem's did just as well. They looked better and grew bigger under the LED than the stock bulbs, however they did not split as often. As far as the requirements, I think any commercial LED array available will be enough light for the BTA's as long as coverage is good. Rapid or Steve's LED will be fine for the NEM's. The catch is finding the right spectrum which looks appealing to you Looks to me that Rapid is less expensive, However for extra coin, Steve's can build everything so all you do is mount it, if you are not comfortable with DIY. Both vendors will allow you to customize LED's. I would stay away from the cool whites driven at 1050ma and other will tell you to stay away from cool whites all together. If you are comfortable with DIY , there's other options that are even cheaper. I just set up a 29 Biocube and am in the same boat. Trying to decide on what to do. Keep stock lighting and add some LED or go all LED. here's a pic of the 12g in it's prime Picture 006 by daddeee, on Flickr Link to comment
dadummy Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/351215-my-review-of-steves-leds-retrofit-kit-for-jbj-nano-cube-28/ Link to comment
ETCs_Lady Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Thank you! That's pretty much what I was asking. Very good info. May I ask what parameters your system pictured below was run at? I don't mind if mine don't split, I want them to bubble though and think they are on a vacation at a resort. Especially what was the water temp and water flow rate. Many Thanks! Lisa FWIW, I had BTA's in a 12 gallon Aqua Pod under stock lighting for years. The LED craze took off and I jumped on board. Went with a DIY from Rapid, 6 Cree X-RE royal blue and 6 X-RE cool whites. I later added 3 X-PG blue and two of the UV violet from Rapid. I ran them on 700ma drivers. I later switched out the drivers and ran LED's at 300ma and the Nem's did just as well. They looked better and grew bigger under the LED than the stock bulbs, however they did not split as often. As far as the requirements, I think any commercial LED array available will be enough light for the BTA's as long as coverage is good. Rapid or Steve's LED will be fine for the NEM's. The catch is finding the right spectrum which looks appealing to you Looks to me that Rapid is less expensive, However for extra coin, Steve's can build everything so all you do is mount it, if you are not comfortable with DIY. Both vendors will allow you to customize LED's. I would stay away from the cool whites driven at 1050ma and other will tell you to stay away from cool whites all together. If you are comfortable with DIY , there's other options that are even cheaper. I just set up a 29 Biocube and am in the same boat. Trying to decide on what to do. Keep stock lighting and add some LED or go all LED. here's a pic of the 12g in it's prime Picture 006 by daddeee, on Flickr http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/351215-my-review-of-steves-leds-retrofit-kit-for-jbj-nano-cube-28/ Wow! Thanks for sending me that link. Looks like the choice just went to NanoBox and Rapid. My husband can do the installation of all the LEDs, so I don't need to have it solderless. Thanks!!!! Lisa Link to comment
Markburns43 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Not to bash any vendor but just to say ive heard and read multiple posts about steves led retrofit kit. Not good at the least. Seems your going in the right direction though. Good luck Link to comment
dadummy Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 those are tough questions. That pic was back from 2011. Flow was the stock return pump and a Hydor Koralia 1 (I believe) covered in bryopsis lol. Temp was whatever the house was, no heaters or chillers. Water changes were with natural sea water and probably a shot of two part now and then. When I switched the lighting nem's went from long and stringy to bubble tip. After some time under the LED they went back to long and stringy. People would ask how I get them to bubble and I have no answers. Sorry not much help there. BTA's are pretty forgiving, been in the cube for close to ten years. Alk swings, temp swings, power outages you name it, they are still with us. I have lost more to a power head than anything else. Your tank looks clean and healthy, keep doing what you are doing and you will be fine. Link to comment
ETCs_Lady Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Not to bash any vendor but just to say ive heard and read multiple posts about steves led retrofit kit. Not good at the least. Seems your going in the right direction though. Good luck Thank you!!! those are tough questions. That pic was back from 2011. Flow was the stock return pump and a Hydor Koralia 1 (I believe) covered in bryopsis lol. Temp was whatever the house was, no heaters or chillers. Water changes were with natural sea water and probably a shot of two part now and then. When I switched the lighting nem's went from long and stringy to bubble tip. After some time under the LED they went back to long and stringy. People would ask how I get them to bubble and I have no answers. Sorry not much help there. BTA's are pretty forgiving, been in the cube for close to ten years. Alk swings, temp swings, power outages you name it, they are still with us. I have lost more to a power head than anything else. Your tank looks clean and healthy, keep doing what you are doing and you will be fine. Thanks again! Link to comment
smiz Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Just giving my input from what I did with my biocube. I love my hood, it keeps evap down to next to nothing (5 gallons in 4 months). That being said I don't prefer hood less biocubes. It takes away from their design. I mounted a Aurora puck from rapid LED right into my hood. These puck are similar to the ones used in the radion so that can handle anything coral wise and put out a very nice spread with the tight LED cluster. Prior to that I had the retro kit from rapid and was also very happy with that for almost 2 years till I upgraded. Link to comment
ETCs_Lady Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Just giving my input from what I did with my biocube. I love my hood, it keeps evap down to next to nothing (5 gallons in 4 months). That being said I don't prefer hood less biocubes. It takes away from their design. I mounted a Aurora puck from rapid LED right into my hood. These puck are similar to the ones used in the radion so that can handle anything coral wise and put out a very nice spread with the tight LED cluster. Prior to that I had the retro kit from rapid and was also very happy with that for almost 2 years till I upgraded. I agree about the hood. I really like it over all. Thanks for the info about the puck. Link to comment
ETCs_Lady Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 So, I ordered from Rapid today! Excited and can't wait for it to come. :-) Link to comment
dadummy Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 cool, which kit did you get? spectrum? Link to comment
ETCs_Lady Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Dimmable Retrofit kit... with the Storm Controller. 6x 4,000K, 12x Royal Blue, 4x Cool Blue with added 6x Lime, Does anyone know alot about the Storm Controller? I've never really used one, so I don't even know half of what it can do! Link to comment
ETCs_Lady Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 I actually ended up going with 4x 4,000K, 4x Lime, 12x Royal Blue, 4x Cool Blue still with Storm Controller How does that look for BTAs? Once it comes... what percentage/rate do I start with before ramping it up? Can ANYONE tell me how a Storm Controller works as far as what it does. I am totally clueless. Just looking for a general overview! Link to comment
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