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Who is Dave & Nano Box Reef?


DaveFason

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Hey guys,

I have always wanted to make a post like this. So many companies don't get personal with there customer base/fans. I am sure many of you have wondered, " Who is this Dave guy? ". Here is a small background of myself and how Nano Box Reef was started.

Its me!

17267029501_2cbe768ff3_b.jpgIMG_7985 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

I started an aquarium ~nine years ago. I quickly feel in love with it and started a true reef tank. Setting up a 250w halide over a small 24" tank. It worked but man was it ugly. I have always been in to the aesthetics

side of things. There are so many tanks out there that are gorgeous on the inside but the outside looks like something from the Matrix. During this time I was playing professional paintball. I had time for the tank but not enough to devote a full SPS. I broke the tank down a few years later to quickly set a new one up.

I can't believe I found these photos! I made my own stand that could have held ~3000 pounds.

17456998349_a342659f86_z.jpgpost-18330-1143597921 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

17616994646_ee4999ac7c_z.jpgpost-18330-1140996293 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

My next tank was my pride and joy. I loved the dimensions, I loved the corals and I loved the look. The Sunpower unit was SO close to being perfect but still felt it was a little large. I would sketch ideas for units but nothing that would be feasible. The 35g was set up for many years, won a few TOTM awards and was to this day my favorite. I was highly inspired by supernip, Tigahboy, Sushi Man and a few others.

The beginning :

15859241069_f77c2cf386_z.jpgIMG_3497 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

All grown up :

8469481226_5a74317900_b.jpgDSC03116 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

I started to read about LEDs and thought, " man this could be the ticket for a nice looking aquarium light ". The technology was still behind but it was very promising! Guys from RC and NR ( Evil ) really sparked me to do something. I started group buys for LED's and then ordered a few extra to build myself a unit or two. A few people saw them and asked if they could buy them and Nano Box was born.

One of the first :

15859520867_6dc977f943.jpgIMG_0108 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

16045279105_886393dc7c.jpgIMG_0107 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

16019510326_723936c7b8.jpgIMG_0109 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

15858010400_4c4475e2ed_z.jpgIMG_0236 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

15858008560_534e0c4d1c.jpgIMG_5502 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

 

I was still working a 50 hour a week full time job but every possible moment reading data sheets, how to's, going to electricians housings and anything I could to learn. I bought a small hobby CNC to see what I could do. I failed many times but loved building and cutting metal. I still have this mill and will keep it as a souvenir for Nano Box.

My first AIO heatsink. Don't laugh!

16043338771_4d3c0e342a_z.jpgIMG_0219 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

16045278715_8ea94d6859.jpgIMG_0218 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

I contacted a friend from the paintball world and we made one of the first controllers out there. I was to small then to make enough but I ~20. These did lightning, storms, dusk/dawn before anyone was really doing it. I built each by hand. This only fueled me to make something really cool.

15423010714_3625f3e331.jpgIMG_0021 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

This is what jump started Nano Box before it was really anything. People were contacting me to build stuff for them. I was terrible at time frames then with a full time job and a girlfriend ( now wife ). I had a friend that had a router CNC and I found a housing material that I knew would be KILLER. We busted our butts and made a small run of 50. This was it, my dream. Small, sleek, sexy, powerful and my own creation!

Prototype :

15423006594_dbfcbb9af4_b.jpgIMG_20110318_123632 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

15423006294_f680a09d3e_z.jpgnbrside by Dave Fason, on Flickr

My logo designs at first :

15859242269_01c8da7414_z.jpgIMG_0067 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

I sold all of these quickly and knew I had to do something from here. I contacted a local manufacture to see if we could manufacture the units. Things progressed but ultimately they screwed me. BIG time. I was paying NRE fee's, prototyping fee's, they put me off because I was smaller and in the end I made a bunch of customers angry. I was promising things that were being promised to me and had nothing. To be honest I almost threw the towel in. Here are the prototypes I had. it has a full built in USB controller, same housing, etc.

7129172435_cf00cfee61.jpgIMG_0441 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

7129173801_b4ca024420.jpgIMG_0434 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

After refunding people, paying insane fee's and a few other things I was in a slump. I then started stalking a few knife makers and other handmade goods. I was blown away with the creativity of there work. This sparked the idea, CUSTOM LED units. Have a base unit that was easy to customize and look exactly how the customer wanted. I made a few and people bought them within minutes. I started building every one by hand, got to use my creativity and absolutely loved it. Joel from Cut Brooklyn ( check his stuff out! ) really fueled my fire. I now own three of his knives.

7692486452_c7b15e8b79_c.jpgNano Box Flavors by Dave Fason, on Flickr

7651565906_ab4eae5405.jpgFW Unit by Dave Fason, on Flickr

8121829427_8823cf02af_z.jpgNew Color and Milling on NBR by Dave Fason, on Flickr

8017072576_07c707cac5_z.jpgKyles Custom 24" Unit by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

As things progressed I wanted a smaller and sleeker unit. I found a new housing and then the Nano Box line was born. Minis, DUOs, QUADs. Jake from Reefbuilders REALLY helped me out along with a few industry people. Along with them the Nano-Reef squad has ALWAYS been here. You guys really helped me out with bad times, good times and ideas. I took photos of every unit, took photos of behind the scenes and kept up with you guys. I still to this day do this! I believe that this is the future and things will only get better. I love sharing peoples tanks on Facebook or Instagram.

The first Minis :

8246381128_759a4d8ce3_z.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

Newer Mini :

8663305790_c73b721720_c.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

Fast forward and back in March I quit my full time job to pursue my dream! I know have a few new products like the HYBRID, the new BEAM and a few other things I am working on. The units are only getting better and more people are finding out about them. I will continue to innovate and be on the cutting edge.

 

Without you guys I would not be where I am today. THANK YOU!

 

 

Here are a few other fun photos from the past. As you can see I have been playing with LEDs for a while now.

Full Spectrum back in 2010!

15425629793_06e791e3fe_z.jpgIMG_5418 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

RETRO in 2010 :

15859239539_99c2276e26_z.jpgIMG_5504 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

300+ LED Build for a massive tank 2011

16019509786_7ca96da698_b.jpgIMG_0367 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

4"x4" 48 LED Array : Back in 2011 before anyone!

16019512386_ae563a7f76.jpgb4b9b73d by Dave Fason, on Flickr

15423006174_765c1ee468_b.jpgpulsarside by Dave Fason, on Flickr

One of the first HYBRIDS :

9671514537_2c70abe138_c.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

Lights for a Zombie Shoot :

15208027557_ea120a7229_b.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

I also love food and traveling.

My favorite person on earth :

15207822629_62408832df_b.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

My other best friend :

15208045127_f93c65feaa.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

Me in Kauai - My favorite place on earth.

15208027557_ea120a7229_b.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

Talking with Joel at Cut Brooklyn : THE MAN

9209457117_b2554f70f0_c.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

Pie I made :

15394563215_8aa0285eaf_c.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

One of my knives :

17079805518_d2b219d0f2_z.jpgIMG_7729 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

FOOD :

17267563755_b2938057c3_c.jpgIMG_7898 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

FOOD :

17267039971_60f075960d.jpgIMG_7887 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

Good Friends : Johnny, Joe, Jake

16602911946_d829355251_z.jpgUntitled by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

 

-Dave

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Dave,

 

This post was awesome. I really enjoyed reading through the history of Nanobox. I am a very proud owner and cannot wait to see what you have in store for us in years to come!

 

Best of luck to a very well deserving businessman!

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the nom noms look pretty good

 

the picture of the "zombie scene" lights really reminds me of the opening scene of jurassic park, you know, the cage with the raptors and one of them eats someone.

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Great idea to post all of this info. I didnt know much about you and this really opened my mind to who Dave the Nanoboxreef guy really is.

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I remember reading through your accomplishments many moons ago right here on nano-reef!. I know for a fact the community is a better place and glad that you didn't throw in the towel when things got bad. You have proven yourself and set the bar so high that the future is gonna be awesome. Reach around and pat yourself on the back you deserve it, rock on man...

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Thanks everyone! When I say I have some cool stuff in the works I mean it. I will also start a thread of my food. :)

 

-Dave

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Great post! A little background is always interesting!

Good luck with everything going forward. I love my Tide and I am sure you will continue to expand and prosper with such great products and attention to detail!

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I remember reading through your accomplishments many moons ago right here on nano-reef!. I know for a fact the community is a better place and glad that you didn't throw in the towel when things got bad. You have proven yourself and set the bar so high that the future is gonna be awesome. Reach around and pat yourself on the back you deserve it, rock on man...

 

Heck, I go back before Dave was even on this site on another forum, Carolina Reef or something like that.....

 

 

dave is a tall ############

 

 

And to think, he was/is pretty good at paint ball! You'd think he would be an "easy" target, LOL!! :D Coarse as skinny as he is, that may be another thing.....

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NorthGaHillbilly

Is that knife damascus? really a slick way to weld it up, ive always delt with a folded pattern.

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Partially Submerged

You selling that organic milk? There's a major shortage going on.

 

Great presentation! I don't own a Nanobox, light and I don't always buy into the "Made by a great guy in America, now give me tons of money" narrative, but it's clear that you love making great lights, and the hobby needs lots of people like you. Two thumbs up! a045.gif

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