What is the Best Retrofit LED Kit for the Oceanic Biocube 29?

[Braden8558]

Hello,

 

Recently I have started my first saltwater aquarium and I purchased a used Oceanic Biocube 29 off of craigslist.

 

Here is the thread for anyone interested....

 

I currently have two anemones, one is a rose bubble tip and the other is a pink condy tipped anemone. The pink tipped condy is doing well, but the rbta isn't and I would like to upgrade my lighting. IT may also have to do with my low pH but I am trying to solve that currently.

 

Anyways what is the best one to choose? I am looking for something relatively cheap, but I have found that is not really much of an option. So which is it? RapidLED? Steve's LEDS? Nano Tuners?

 

Please tell me about your experiences and opinions below.

 

Thanks, Braden!

[1.0reef]

Steves

[metrokat]

Rapid.led

[ElmoC]

I got steve's for my corallife bc29 and love it. Great customer service. Got the 95% kit with the Typhon controller. I broke one of the switches, my fault, and emailed asking how much a replacement would be and they are sending me a replacement free.

[Mechanic1]

I had the some problem trying figure out what to change the lighting to,and after lots of checking this is what I went to

[vegasgundog]

Hello,

 

Recently I have started my first saltwater aquarium and I purchased a used Oceanic Biocube 29 off of craigslist.

 

Here is the thread for anyone interested....

 

I currently have two anemones, one is a rose bubble tip and the other is a pink condy tipped anemone. The pink tipped condy is doing well, but the rbta isn't and I would like to upgrade my lighting. IT may also have to do with my low pH but I am trying to solve that currently.

 

Anyways what is the best one to choose? I am looking for something relatively cheap, but I have found that is not really much of an option. So which is it? RapidLED? Steve's LEDS? Nano Tuners?

 

Please tell me about your experiences and opinions below.

 

Thanks, Braden!

 

Well ill be following closely, I was going to post almost exact same thing this morning, except for coralife 29. :-D

[ElmoC]

I had the some problem trying figure out what to change the lighting to,and after lots of checking this is what I went tohttp://www.nano-reef.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=130677'>image.jpg

 

Looks nice, but who makes it?

[Mechanic1]

Forgot to mention its a radion.

I really like the controllability of the light.

The worst thing was figuring out how to mount it,I think I made a good looking system

[Braden8558]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Mechanic 1 how much did that cost you to make? Is that PVC pipes. I want to preferably stay under 200. I figure if you should replace your bulbs once a year and I just replaced them then each bulb is about $30 x 2=$60 and then for the 3 years I plan to have it up makes a total of $180. So it should pay for itself mostly and it will also give me a lot better light.

[Mechanic1]

Well the light cost 549,got it at the sale price.

The mount cost about $10.00,had the materials laying around.

The main parts are emt conduit,eye bolts,and1" alum bar

The light really made my hammer and plate corals growth explode

Word of advice from personal experience is to buy the best the first time,it will save you money in the long run.

[ElmoC]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Mechanic 1 how much did that cost you to make? Is that PVC pipes. I want to preferably stay under 200. I figure if you should replace your bulbs once a year and I just replaced them then each bulb is about $30 x 2=$60 and then for the 3 years I plan to have it up makes a total of $180. So it should pay for itself mostly and it will also give me a lot better light.

Don't forget to calculate in the power cost. LEDs cost a lot less than other lighting options.

[Braden8558]

Don't forget to calculate in the power cost. LEDs cost a lot less than other lighting options.

 

Yeah that to. It is basically going to cost almost the same amount in the long run, put out a lot better light for the corals and anemones and what ever else I decide to put in there, and also run with a lot less heat I believe. Another reason why it is a good idea is that the biocube lid with everything is really heavy and it will be a lot lighter without the heavy ballasts. I think that all around it is just a better idea. Which one to go with though!

 

Has anyone tried multiple retrofit kits?

 

 

Well the light cost 549,got it at the sale price.

The mount cost about $10.00,had the materials laying around.

The main parts are emt conduit,eye bolts,and1" alum barimage.jpg

The light really made my hammer and plate corals growth explode

Word of advice from personal experience is to buy the best the first time,it will save you money in the long run.

 

Wow that is pricey. To be honest though it seems like overkill to me. The retrofits are cheaper and lots of them can supposedly grow whatever you throw in there.

 

Thanks for the help and opinions,

 

Braden

[Mechanic1]

 

 

 

 

 

Might seem pricey at first but if you do a retrofit then want to do a tank upgrade then you spend more for new lights while I just swap mine to new tank.

As we all know upgrading tank size is just a matter of time,so spending more once is cheaper in long run.

And I also know I can grow anything

[Ivery]

I have Steve's full spetcrum on my 12 jbj and its great. I have sps ,Lps and sorties. I ran into 2 problems. one there's and one major one was mine. I plugead them in backwards and nuked them. They fixed there's no cost to me. I had to have a new fan. And they fixed my screw up and I payed to have it. Communication is a bit frustrating Since they only communicate via email. But they do always respond.