C Jerome's BioCube 29 Custom LED

[firebirdude]

With the new clam I will need to increase and maintain my calcium levels. In consideration of this as well as the coloration issues I have reviewed above I am going to switch salts. I have been using Instant Ocean since my first nano almost 8 years ago because its a standard, was easily available, and there were less choices then. I am just coming to the last few cups of a 160 gallon bucket and am ready for a change. I will begin the transition to SeaChem Reef Salt with my next water change.

Don't know if you've seen this topic, but this gives some great info on salt mixes. Also, since you mentioned Seachem's salt, this thread was all the rage awhile back.

[C Jerome]

Good links, I did review the long post comparing all the salts prior to making my purchase as well as a few similar posts on other sites including on in the UK that had even more info on levels, will have to look up the link. I did not see the other post but like most other things there are people with different experiences.

 

I chose the salt because of the elevated levels and hopefully reduced dosing needs. I will switch to a fresh bucket for mixing the new salt because my old one dose have a bunch of calcification and stuff on the bottom and clean the pump and heater. I used to just fill the bucket then dump the salt in half cup at a time, I will have to try the fill and let the water heat some before adding the salt.

[mg4015]

what size fans do you reccoment for your cooling mod? i am having hest issues with the leds, and saw the mod an i am curious about it. also what did you use to get the clean holes cut for the fans? what fan guards did/will you use?

[C Jerome]

You could go 60 or 80mm, and use computer fanguards/filters like These. I left the two start review because the ones they send do not match the exact photo but have a spider web pattern. They would work but did not match one that I had. If you want it to look that that photo you can order from Mouser. Be careful with the placement because if they are too far back it will interfere with opening the feeding hatch door so if you use this a lot I would go with the 60mm fans mounted toward the front. Make sure to use nylon nuts/bolts from the hardware store to hold everything together. I used a dremel to cut out the holes and a cordless drill to put the four holes in the corners.

 

Jerome

[mg4015]

alright. no another note befoe i go doing this i am looking for ICA nanochiller, are they still avalible or are they defunct? no link to purchase off of nanocustoms, but the page is still there.

[C Jerome]

I snapped a few photos of my stand setup and skimmer this morning. I am still looking for some input on my questions in post #22 just above the tank photos.

 

The stand in the BC29 is great, I have room for just about all my tank stuff except my water change buckets. I added the extra top shelf for the electronics. The next shelf down has two baskets, one with food and the other with tests, additives, and media. The bottom shelf has one big basket with odds and ends like my fragging supplies, measuring stuff, gloves and more.

 

I added that shelf and made up the piece to surface mount the RKL.

 

The goods behind the scenes. The power supplies are in the center and the power strips are mounted on the sides, everything is labeled up nicely and as organized as possible. I have two fans, one right there in front for circulation over the power supplies and then another in the back, I cut a hole in the stand for it to exhaust air out.

 

The bubbles come out of the vent holes in the skimmer lid even when its not full, a little weird but I am happy its working well.

 

Cup prior to emptying it. I find it too difficult to remove the cup for emptying because then you end up jarring the skimmer and where it is set, so I empty it using the turkey baster.

 

Skimmate looks like pretty good quality.

[C Jerome]

Check out the review I posted about this Aquarium Log App for the iPhone or iPod touch HERE It a nice app with lots of potential.

 

Also still looking for feedback on above questions.

[Bonsai]

Did you screw the RKL modules to the sides, or just use double sided tape?

[C Jerome]

I attached with stainless steel screws and I had to use a black nylon washer too because the hardware store did not have screws short enough.

Did you see my post above regarding the coloration, how is your tank doing?

 

Jerome

[Bonsai]

My previous tank was lit with 72w of PC since the tank was transfered the fist week in July I have been looking forward to seeing the brighter colors of many of the corals(LPS & SPS) under the increase PAR. At this point I cant say that I have seen that, I though it could take a few weeks but now it has been over two months. I think that most of the soft corals and polyps are brighter than ever, however I cant say the same for the LPS & SPS. I would like to get to the bottom of the coloration issue and get it rectified. I had a local reefer over and he suggested maybe the light is not strong enough, but I am leaning more toward it being too strong.

 

I agree with you on the coloration issue, Jerome. I have my LEDs turned way down because anything over 50%, to my eyes, was too much light. The corals, especially my hammer colony, just reflect the light, so that particular coral looks completely white with the LEDs turned up.

 

I feel like I'm missing a lot of the rich tones that I had with PC Bulbs. In fact, I'm sitting here in my office next to my BC8 with stock lighting, and I feel it has much richer tones than my LEDs do.

 

My Plate Coral, which is an Orange Plate, is pretty faded, and it's in the sand bed. I rarely see tentacle extension during the day, but at night it extends nicely. Some of my Ricordea Florida are 50% smaller than before, and I attribute this to the increase of light. The more light, the less surface area it appears they need.

 

So I'm torn. I love the longevity of LEDs and the fact that they run my tank cooler than the PCs, but I'm not sold on the colors.

[heyitsomid]

Is the heat sink from heatsinkusa too heavy for that hood? Is there a way of making it less heavy or bracing it properly so that the Heat sink doesn't exert too much force on the hood? Also did you keep the stock plastic cover over the LEDs?

[TheStar]

I have the BC29 and the heatsink is not too heavy. I kept the plastic over the LED's and its just fine. It would be interesting to see if anyone replaced that.

[Bonsai]

Is the heat sink from heatsinkusa too heavy for that hood? Is there a way of making it less heavy or bracing it properly so that the Heat sink doesn't exert too much force on the hood? Also did you keep the stock plastic cover over the LEDs?

 

Not too heavy, just make aluminum brackets like C Jerome outlines, and screw those into the stock screw posts on the BC29, then screw the brackets into the heatsink. I mean, it's heavy, don't get me wrong, but not too heavy. And the stock Splash Guard works just fine.

[SbCaes]

update?

[C Jerome]

I will try to get some photos of the tank to post. I am still wondering whats up with the coloration, maybe its just too much light?

The big news is that I removed my pigmy angel so I could keep my clam, more to come soon...

 

Jerome

[C Jerome]

Yes, a photo update. I was feeding the tank last evening and thought this looks cool, maybe I could snap a few good shots, some how I was able to. I only have a nice point and shoot camera so getting closeups and nice focus is difficult. Last night it just worked out.

Since my last post a few things have changed. I am now using almost completely SeaChem Reef salt in my weekly(~or so) 5 gallon water changes. I have started to dose BRS 2 part solution, though I do not have the schedule/amounts worked out yet. I also was laid off from my job the second to last week of October so I have had a little more time to play with the tank so my feeding schedule is a little better/consistent, and it is starting to show.

I am still struggling with micro bubbles. I can not seem to track down what the issue is. I know when I run my skimmer there are going to be bubbles but the past few days it was making a sucking noise louder then normal so I turned it off until I can get a chance to clean it, one would think then there would be NO bubbles, but there still are even with the skimmer off. Any tips on where they could be coming from and or how to stop them? The only thing I can think of is that possibly 90 degree fitting that screws into the bulkhead since that is the only thing above the water surface. Any other ideas, really would like to stop them, as its distracting and taking away from the tank.

I have re arranged a few of the acans to lower in the tank (I think the LED is too bright for them), moved some zoos off the rocks into a garden arrangement on the sand and added a little rock work down in front extending off my existing aquascape.

I added a few things, a encrusting green favia I picked up at a LFS for $12 for some reason it was in this damaged frags basket but it looked good to me and its almost the size of my palm. I also added some zoo frags from local club members, a blue/gray hairy mushroom, and a hydnophora. I think thats it but there could be more.

I have also been doing a lot of zoo fragging(per usual) and have a whole shelf of frags ready to roll, just waiting for people to come and buy or trade them! The way I do it just about any time I move pieces around or have my hand in the tank I will grab a rock with zoos and invariable there is a polyp or two growing off the rock or that can be easily scraped off. I then glue the single polyp down to a tiny rock, and the tiny rock onto the frag plug with two or three other tiny rocks on the same one. I let them multiply until there are a few polyps then I will glue the tiny rock onto a bigger one that will fit by its self or with one other on a plug. I keep all the aforementioned plugs on one small egg crate rack that is 2 squares wide by about 10 or 12 inches long on the top right wall of the tank, its pretty non invasive. When I think a frags is big enough to trade or be sold for $8 to $15 I glue the frag onto its own plug, if I have a bunch ready I will put a second temporary shelf into the tank to hold all the individual frags that are ready to go.

With out further ado, here are the photos from last evening, a updated full tank shot will come soon, there was too much in the water to get a good one last evening. Look forward to your comments...

Jerome

 

 

After feeding a piece of silverside. This is one of my favorite pieces, the color, texture and shape are all so fine. Can someone remind me as to the name of it?

 

 

The white stripes on the plate are so cool

Both mouths full, the orange plate seems to be more fleshy then the pink, I am trying to feed the pink more in hopes of it puffing up more with the lights on.

 

Baby dendros. This guy is recovering from an incident I had with it in the pico, starting to come out more with feedings.

I thought I got lucky with this photo, the colors and shadow came out just right and with out any retouching

Clown goby lounging aroun

Zoo garden

More zoos and LPS, I just got those green ones on the left from a club member

Zoos looking from the right wall of the tank, the pinks are looking nice

Clown goby lounging again on the fluffy hairy mushroom, the blue gray one is new

Pallys, I have several different types, I have been keeping them for a long time since before they were in vogue, 'back in the day' people could not give them away

Frag rack, with some LPS on the end.

[firebirdude]

Lookin good! Any more input on the color bleaching issues you were seeing?

[travisurfer]

Wow, awesome tank!

[C Jerome]

As for the bleaching, I have not had anything get worse it really more that things are not collring up to the colors I expected. Example the monit shoudl be orange with purple rim, you can see the purple rim but I would not call it orange, much rather brown. It is growing a lot faster now I can tell you that, getting bigger and putting out new branches/plates/rings what ever you call them. I have played with the dials a bit to turn them down some so we will see what happens.

 

Thanks Travis, I am happy with how it is coming along!

 

Jerome

[Chest Rockwell]

Awesome tank and fantastic photos.

[C Jerome]

Thanks! My strategy with the photos is to take a ton and then delete all but the 10 okay ones then post the 5 good ones, it makes me look beter then I am.

 

Jerome

[firebirdude]

[TheNordCelt]

any updates? how is the coral growth and color doing?

[ss21]

Any updates?

 

How is the aquaticlife skimmer doing?

[Marine1]

Great tank Jerome! I have a question for your regarding the AquaLife mini skimmer 115. I just bought one for my BC 29 and I have squished it in the 1st chamber, but I am worried that there isn't enough water getting into the 2nd column and the water level in the 3rd chamber is lower than normal.

 

Where do you have your skimmer?? Do you have any pics of how you put it in (which way does the water outlet point and collection cup)?

 

Any insight you can give would be greatly appreciated.