Anyone add a T5 strip to an existing NanoBox Duo?

[Bells>Waimea]

Need some more PAR in my tank with the acros I've been getting.  

 

Have a NanoBox duo which i like for the most part, but could use some extra par and was looking at adding an 18 or 24 inch strip or two onto the duo. 

 

Wondering if anyone has done this and what it looked like.  I'm not much of a DIY'er, but willing to try at this point. 

 

Thanks!

[mitten_reef]

1 hour ago, Bells>Waimea said:

Need some more PAR in my tank with the acros I've been getting.  

 

Have a NanoBox duo which i like for the most part, but could use some extra par and was looking at adding an 18 or 24 inch strip or two onto the duo. 

 

Wondering if anyone has done this and what it looked like.  I'm not much of a DIY'er, but willing to try at this point. 

 

Thanks!

pics of your setup?  

 

Yes, adding LED bars or T5 would help greatly both in increased PAR and eliminating shadowing.  

For T5 - look into Sunblaster single-bulb fixtures to add to your setup

For LED bar fixtures - recommend looking at Orphek OR2 series, I think they have the best value. Others that similar are Reefbrite ($$$), Illumagic vitamini (newer product, unknown results), orbit marine IC (lower power). 

[Bells>Waimea]

29 minutes ago, mitten_reef said:

pics of your setup?  

 

Yes, adding LED bars or T5 would help greatly both in increased PAR and eliminating shadowing.  

For T5 - look into Sunblaster single-bulb fixtures to add to your setup

For LED bar fixtures - recommend looking at Orphek OR2 series, I think they have the best value. Others that similar are Reefbrite ($$$), Illumagic vitamini (newer product, unknown results), orbit marine IC (lower power). 

Really any t5 strips that would be able to be mounted to the current set up without being too bulky (wires every where etc.) and too much of a hassle is ideal. 

[mitten_reef]

19 minutes ago, Bells>Waimea said:

Really any t5 strips that would be able to be mounted to the current set up without being too bulky (wires every where etc.) and too much of a hassle is ideal.

what did you mean by that?  hang on to the nanobox gooseneck?  I doubt the gooseneck will be able to support the weight.  but I don't know how stiff those are either.  you may have to figure out how to hang it some other ways.  any tank-mount T5 fixtures will be so large, that they'll block nanobox.  

you're gonna get as many wires as you're adding, so maybe try one sunblaster?   The sunblaster is plug and play, not retrofit of any kind, you might need a timer outlet to control the T5 time.  the only work/hassle you have to do is to figure out how you'd mount/hang it over your tank.  

[Bells>Waimea]

11 hours ago, mitten_reef said:

what did you mean by that?  hang on to the nanobox gooseneck?  I doubt the gooseneck will be able to support the weight.  but I don't know how stiff those are either.  you may have to figure out how to hang it some other ways.  any tank-mount T5 fixtures will be so large, that they'll block nanobox.  

you're gonna get as many wires as you're adding, so maybe try one sunblaster?   The sunblaster is plug and play, not retrofit of any kind, you might need a timer outlet to control the T5 time.  the only work/hassle you have to do is to figure out how you'd mount/hang it over your tank.  

 

I agree thats the only hassle.  im fine with a timer kicking them on for 4-5 hours a day.   That gooseneck is pretty solid id be surprised if it couldnt handle the weight. 

 

I texted Dave from Nanobox and he said he'd shoot me an idea or two. 

[righttirefire]

I cant find a picture of my setup. But i had a dou with a hanging kit, not gooseneck, and used that to attach aluminum flat stock like 1/8 x 1" and hung a sunblaster t-5 on either side of the dou and used there jumper cord to attach the lights with a uv and "blue" and ran that as a sunrise/sunset and used the led as main power. 

 

On second thought it wasnt a nanobox light, but another led that was mostly white. But the theory remains the same