Volnation Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Does anyone know of a kit to retrofit into this new style Biocube? Link to comment
zooman72 Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Any kit designed for the BC 14 should work fine in this new dimension, which has the same "footprint", but is simply 2" taller. Seems so strange that they redesigned them to be so PAR deficient - just 38 at 12"... Link to comment
Volnation Posted December 11, 2016 Author Share Posted December 11, 2016 Any kit designed for the BC 14 should work fine in this new dimension, which has the same "footprint", but is simply 2" taller. Seems so strange that they redesigned them to be so PAR deficient - just 38 at 12"... Rapid responded to an email I sent yesterday. Told me nothing made would fit it now. Including the nano box Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I call BS,I'm sure you can figure out a way,there is always a way. Link to comment
zooman72 Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I call BS,I'm sure you can figure out a way,there is always a way. Rapid responded to an email I sent yesterday. Told me nothing made would fit it now. Including the nano box No offense to RapidLED, but I would talk to Dave at NanoBox directly before writing it off. You could also check with Steve'sLED to see what they think... I call BS,I'm sure you can figure out a way,there is always a way. I would not think it would be too hard to find mounting points for the retro heatsink - heck, I wonder if the one already in it would work... Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 That's what I was thinking. If there is room for the light already in there,then there is room. I wonder if the poster can post a pic of the underside of the hood. Link to comment
Water Dog Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I think the issue is that the the current RapidLED retro heatsinks and mounting holes are not compatible with the new hood designs. Furthermore, the Nanobox Retro heatsinks currently mount into the old CFL reflectors of the old BC 14s, 29s and NC28s. With the newer LED Biocubes, you have a heatsink with weak LEDs, therefore, no reflector to mount Dave's Retro heatsinks onto. I'm guessing we'll have to wait for Rapid LED to come up with new retrofit kits for the LED Biocubes or have Dave figure out a way to effectively mount his Retro kits into these new hoods and work around their existing heatsinks. Link to comment
Horerczy Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Strip out old heatsink put in new one. Not that hard to figure out. Old heatsink has to be mounted somehow so take advantage of its mounting method. Link to comment
Water Dog Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I'm sure you could take out the stock heatsink and use it's mounting holes to tap and drill the RapidLED retrofit heatsink and screw it into the hood's mounting posts. That said, as I am unfamiliar with the new hoods, you'd just need to make sure it has the proper vent holes for the fan that comes with the retrofit heatsink for proper cooling. Link to comment
Water Dog Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I know this doesn't help for BC16 owners, but I just found this for the BC32... http://www.stevesleds.com/Biocube-32-LED-System-Plug-and-Play_p_332.html Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Or even look at heatsinkusa they have super thin sinks you could tap new holes in the canopy and the sink and mount it. For a tank that size you shouldnt need TOO much power so you can use a lower current driver. Link to comment
Volnation Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 Got in contact with Dave. Sending him a picture to see the differences. The major difference is the new lid is much much thinner. I'd guess 3/4 to an inch. Link to comment
Volnation Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 So after some discussion, Dave recommended the small retro kit. Said I would be able to have some sps but not acroporas, which is my main reason for wanting the light upgrade. Don't think that is going to work for me. So I'm back to square 1. I call BS,I'm sure you can figure out a way,there is always a way. I'm all ears...I don't know what to do now. Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Can you post some pics of the underside lid ? Depending on howyou wanted to control the leds (mainly driversajd psu) you can always add some leds to channels. Also depending on your rock work,I'm sure you can keep Acro's. I've kept them with less lighting,while I didn't have vertical growth I had amazing colors and encrusting. You just have to play your cards right. Link to comment
Volnation Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 Not sure of the best way to post pics here. These are taken with my phone sorry. https://goo.gl/photos/nthciPUJpnBWqZVL7 https://goo.gl/photos/45XJsZDvy3785XA4A https://goo.gl/photos/ZzAw6RBX8Bigqbui8 https://goo.gl/photos/jFnSNHejpHWwQX7G7 https://goo.gl/photos/Xhr5fiuosuUtnFDJ9 https://goo.gl/photos/d6CfPpHG6sa9p27ZA https://goo.gl/photos/YTSEVWvb1DAyVXU88 https://goo.gl/photos/R4S76ohMRtWfJqwy5 Link to comment
Volnation Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 These are the tank dimensions..... Dimensions: 15" long X 16.75" Wide X 17.5" High Main thing is I want it to be right and not half assed Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 I think you can definitely had a small retro to your lid no problem. Link to comment
Volnation Posted December 24, 2016 Author Share Posted December 24, 2016 I think you can definitely had a small retro to your lid no problem. And still be able to grow acroporas? Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 I would say with 1 array,you can keep them alive and colored up,but I would say 2 to get yop notch color and growth. Link to comment
Volnation Posted December 24, 2016 Author Share Posted December 24, 2016 Why would Dave not tell me that then. I guess I'm confused Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Like I said,they may live,just not thrive. If you want Acro's,don't skimp on lighting. Link to comment
jcolletteiii Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 I'm thinking of trying one of the Hamilton 12" LED strips in mine. They come in 9w (9 x 1w) and 18w (6 x 3w) configurations. I think the black coating at the rear of the splash guard can be scraped or peeled away and the strip mounted just to the rear of the current lights. Link to comment
jcolletteiii Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Okay, there is a snag. The inside surface of the black (rear) part of the splash guard in the 16g. LED Biocube is painted. Not only that, but the clear plastic is molded with an 'orange peel' texture as well - it's not flat. That might be good for light dispersion though if you can chemically strip the paint without melting the plastic. But - the maximum space available behind the stock LED circuit board (to the stock fan wire connector is only about 1.125"; the Hamilton strips are 1.5" wide. If I wanted to seriously upgrade the lighting, I'd look for a stock 14g. hood (they should fit the 16g) and gut that and do a retro. Sell the LED one on fleapay. Link to comment
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