Maddevil1 Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 July 4, 2012August 13, 2011 Updated July 4, 2012EquipmentOceanic BioCube 1410lbs CaribSea SeaFlor Special Reef Sand25lbs Fiji LRFishNeedIt 150W MH (Phoenix 14K), modded with fans 5/22/20101 True Violet LED for moonlightingTunze Osmolator ATOChamber 150W Visi-Therm Stealth Pro HeaterFlow mod between 1+2 chambers and false floor removedPinPoint pH ProbeChamber 2Stevie-T's Media RackFilter Floss (Top)Kent Marine Reef Carbon (Middle)Purigen & Phosguard (Bottom)Chamber 3MaxiJet 1100 upgrade(Removed Sponge)Tunze ATOClean-Up Crew2x Trochus Snails2x Margarita Snails2x Emerald CrabInvertsCoralsGSPMushroomsRicordea MushroomZoasBird's NestGreen Apple MontiporaYellow Hornet ZoasFishSunrise Pseudochromis 9/13/10 Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted April 22, 2009 Author Share Posted April 22, 2009 I am now starting the LED Retrofit with the help of Waterproof,evilc66, and crs2k Heatsink (HeatsinkUSA.com) in hood, just to see what it looks like. Its not bolted down yet. 80mmx80mmx15mm SilenX iXtrema 11dBa-18CFM Fan - Checking for clearance Fan installed. Decided to cut a hole in the hood instead of drilling holes like crs2k did. The fan is pretty quiet. I am going to remove the screws and place the silicone-composite fan mounts instead to see if it make a difference with noise. I picked up the grill at Fry's for $1.99. There is another piece that goes on top of the grill but decided to leave it off. The other piece gives the grill a higher profile. Link to comment
FishChum Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Did you take out the false floor in chamber 1? Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Did you take out the false floor in chamber 1? Sure did. I also took the bottom tray from chamber 2 and replaced the top tray with it. I will put the filter floss on top of the tray and run purigen and chemipure elite below this. I will also replace the stock pump with a MJ900 and put the hydor flo nozzle on. I will not use the 90 degree elbow and replace it with 2-45 degree elbows to make a smoother flow for the water. I have been thinking about not doing any of this and incorporating my refugium that I had with my 46 gallon tank. Need to think about this some more. Just waiting on the LEDs to come in from the group buy so I can finish my lights and get this tank up and running! Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted May 31, 2009 Author Share Posted May 31, 2009 Buckpuck drivers in the project box Moonlights installed in the hood Hopefully the LEDs will be coming in late next week so I can finally start building it! Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 LEDs have arrived! I did a check-out of every LED and they all work and are very bright. Will post pics when I get the LEDs installed on the heatsink. Link to comment
evilc66 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Glad you got them. ETG does nice work don't they? Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Glad you got them. ETG does nice work don't they? Overall yes! There were about 4 LEDs with some kind of silicate around it. Just took some tweezers and removed it, no biggie. They were freaking bright! Took a while for my eyes to adjust after I tested the first one. LED retro should be completed by this weekend! Link to comment
evilc66 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Hey, there you go Time for some action shots. Don't forget to add your project to the list in the lighting forum. Link to comment
jewbilee Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 If you don't mind me asking, how much did everything cost when it was all said and done? Link to comment
crs2k Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 That looks great. Nice job. Is it a brand new tank? If not, what do you have in it already? I'm still playing with the dimmers as I think my zoas don't like soooo much light. I just haven't quite found the happy medium yet. Link to comment
laszlo462 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Very cool. This is exactly what I want to do for my 12g nanocube. Let us know what the rough cost was for parts. Does the tank look alot more bright? I'm still trying to figure out how many LEDs to use. Link to comment
djprofd Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 very very nice sir. is that the cold cathode mod? if not, what is that moonlight? thanks d. Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 If you don't mind me asking, how much did everything cost when it was all said and done? Screws and Nylon Washers (Lowes) - $10 Solder and 22 AWG wire (Radio Shack) - $12 Tap, Drill Bit, and Aluminum Bar (Ace Hardware) - $13 Expandable Sleeving (Fry's Elec.) - $18 SilenX Fan and Grill (Fry's Elec.) - $20 Project Box and 4 DC Plugs\Jacks (Radio Shack) - $20 Heatsink (heatsinkusa.com) - $24.38 (includes shipping) 2 Power Supplies and 2 IEC Power Cords (MPJA.com) - $43.50 (includes shipping) 2 Buckpucks and Artic Silver (LEDsupply.com) - $51.97 (includes shipping) 16 LEDs (only used 12 - bought in GB) - $92 (includes shipping) Misc Total: ~ $305 Doing it yourself - PRICELESS Things that I didnt purchase that was key: Dremel tool and drill press attachment; Soldering Iron Let me know if you have any questions. Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 That looks great. Nice job. Is it a brand new tank? If not, what do you have in it already? I'm still playing with the dimmers as I think my zoas don't like soooo much light. I just haven't quite found the happy medium yet. Thanks! And thanks for helping me! Yep brand spanking new. After Hurricane Ike wiped out my 46 gallon, decided to do a nano tank. I am in the process of trying to find a stand, I heard that the BC14 stand isnt that stable. LFS says it wobbles when you clean the glass. After that, still need to get all the other bells and whistles before I start the cycle process. I already got StevieT's media rack. I want to do all the basic mods before I start. Not sure if you noticed, but I reversed the Royal Blues and Whites from what you have in your design. I am hoping that when there is water in the tank, it looks more like 14K. Right now, it looks more white. When I first turned the lights on, I forgot I had the dimmers all the way down, I thought it was bright then! Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 Very cool. This is exactly what I want to do for my 12g nanocube. Let us know what the rough cost was for parts. Does the tank look alot more bright? I'm still trying to figure out how many LEDs to use. I think 12 LEDs should be fine. If I am not mistaken, the 12g Nanocube is very similar to the BC14. If so, with the 12 LEDs, you can keep anything you want under the lighting. If you do more than 12, then you have to get another buckpuck and more LEDs and maybe a bigger heatsink. So, is the additional cost worth it? I dont think so, but thats my opinion. I cant really speak if its brighter or not (in comparison to the stock lighting). This is a brand new setup and I basically gutted the hood as soon as I bought the tank. very very nice sir. is that the cold cathode mod? if not, what is that moonlight? thanks d. Thanks! LOL, no cold cathode mod. Its the R2 Solutions Mooonlight. Its awesome! Here is a link to it: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~cat...y~FILTFIML.html Link to comment
gfxcomplex Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Hot looking system you got there. I have seen a lot of people do that same LED set up now. I think there should be a step by step tutorial by now. "wink, wink" But any how that's really cool. Nice work. I can't wait to see your tank with some life. Link to comment
deepdvnarq Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Hot looking system you got there. I have seen a lot of people do that same LED set up now. I think there should be a step by step tutorial by now. "wink, wink" But any how that's really cool. Nice work. I can't wait to see your tank with some life. there already is search for diy highpower leds the author is waterproof Link to comment
jewbilee Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 So a drill press is actually required? I don't have access to something like that. I think I'll have access to a regular hand drill at best... Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 So a drill press is actually required? I don't have access to something like that. I think I'll have access to a regular hand drill at best... A drill press isnt required, just makes drilling easier.. Link to comment
bpkenn Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 any suggestions for the 12v PS for the fan? Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 Maddevil, nice work, it looks really slick and clean. Id like to replicate what you did here and was hoping you could elaborate on a few things. I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to all of this, so trying to piece everythign together from all of the threads here. Thanks! Ask away, I read many of the threads over and over as well as asked many questions myself. can you explain more about the project box? like where do the dc plugs go, and how is it wired etc. The DC jacks on the project box are two different sizes, M and N, N being the bigger size. Looking at the pic of the top view of the project box, you see the size N dc power jack, the power switch (scavenged from the hood), the pot from the buckpuck, and then the size M dc power jack (not in pic). The dc jacks I bought (from Radio Shack, panel mount) have 2 prongs to attach your wires to, some have 3 is why I mention this. One prong is for the inner diameter and the other is for the outer diameter. Make sure to wire your hot to the inner diameter and return to the outer diameter. I soldered the wires on. When you attach your wires to the dc plugs, make sure to the wire them the same way, hot to the inner diameter and return to the outer diameter. Also use small heat shrink tubes on the dc plugs so the hot and return do not touch. I soldered these as well. So from the power supplies, I attached the size N dc plugs. From the LEDs, I attached the size M dc plugs. The buckpuck as 6 wires, 2 for the pot, 2 to go to the power supply and 2 to go to the LEDs. If you want to connect the switch like I did, you'll have to connect the hot from the dc jack and the hot from the buckpuck (to power supply) to the switch. I hope I answered you questions on the project box. If you have any more, let me know. Also, can you put a link to the power supplies and cords you bought. (2 Power Supplies and 2 IEC Power Cords (MPJA.com) - $43.50 (includes shipping)) Power Supply http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16854+PS Power Cords http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=7378+WI Would i be able to just take two computer power cords, and cut off the end that plugs into the computer and use those? Yes How did you wire the fan? is it wired onto one of the power supplies for the LEDs? I'm assuming you are using 1 PS for each color LED to do a dusk/dawn effect? The fan is wired to its own 12V PS. Yes, I have the cool whites wired to one PS and the royal blues wire to the other. Let me know if you have any more questions. Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 any suggestions for the 12v PS for the fan? You can use any 12V PS as long as its rated for enough amps to run the fan. I had one laying around that I bought from Radio Shack. I say the cheapest one you can find that fits your needs. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...oductId=2552559 Did you mainly use the switches for an easy kill switch? Yes, wanted to have the option to turn the lights off without having to unplug. Link to comment
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