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Innovative Marine Aquariums

MH in 24g Nanocube


Esper

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Thanks to artarmon42's awesome write-up, I've successfully installed metal halides into my 24 gallon nanocube!

 

I got the same kit from aquabuys slightly used on ebay. 10k Ushio bulb for now. Because I have the older, 2004 design splash gaurd/shield, I had to change my fan setup to achieve the best cooling, which I am still tinkering with. I will also be adding a 70W 20k unit to have 2 x 70W or 140w MH, so more modifications will follow...I'll post my results as I go!

 

Metal Halide Installation

I followed artarmon42's instructions when installing the socket, bulb, and reflector. I won't re-write these steps as artarmon's are already perfect! the only thing I did differently was mounting the socket with high-temp. aluminum tape instead of glue. This will allow me to move the light around as necessary when I get the second unit. I will probably use epoxy once I finalize their positions.

 

For actinic supplementation until I get the second, 20k metal halide kit, I kept the one of the stock 36w actinic bulbs in place. It lights up the tank pretty well without the reflector! This will either get removed or relocated when I get the second MH.

 

 

Cooling

The older splashguard only covers about 1/4th of the rear fans. This means very little air would get pushed in or out if I simply replaced them with higher-cfm fans. Thus, I mounted

scroll fans in the stock locations to pull ambient air from the grills in the top of the hood and blow it straight into the spashguard/ hood area. Fry's didn't have the higher output 60mm fans so I mounted the stock fans to blow hot air out of the hood through the stock vents. I will replace them with these from nexfan tomorrow, and post the results. Because the splashguard in the 2004 24g isn't as complete as the new version, I opted to wait before I installed the exterior scroll fan per artarmon's suggestions. The odd "advantage" to the crappy stock fan placement is that if i need to vent the area between the hood and the water, I can just put regular fans back in the stock positions, only pointing down to hit the water. The only reason I haven't done so is because (a) i need more cooling inside the hood and (B) I haven't had a problem with water temp. yet.

 

Results so far:

 

With the scroll fans and the stock fans running at 12V, temps are fine inside the hood!!! Its been run for 4 hours so far with no problems. Water temp increased all of 1 degree with the front flap down (it went from 80 to 81...with the heater set at 80). The top of the hood feels only slightly warm, and the splashgaurd is cool in everywhere except RIGHT under the bulb itself (even the edges of the reflector do not heat the splashgurd to a noticeable degree). Unfortunately, while the stock fans are whisper-quiet, the scroll fans are waaaay too loud. Today I forgot to turn them up from 6v with the MH bulb on for about an hour, and it warped the splashguard slightly! darn it to heck.

 

When the new fans come in tomorrow I will replace the stock fans with the higher CFM ones. I will point them down on the splashguard instead of venting hot air up. This will help cool the splashguard while retaining plenty of room in the stock vents for hot air to rise out of. If this doesn't work, I should still have room to mount two more fans venting hot air out. More info tomorrow!

 

here's a pic with stock lighting:

13910IMG_1435-med.JPG

 

and here it is with 70watts of 10k metal halide:

13910IMG_1454-med.JPG

 

13910IMG_1451-med.JPG

 

actinics only:

13910IMG_1457-med.JPG

 

hood shot:

13910IMG_1453-med.JPG

 

after burning in for a few more hours:

13910IMG_1502-med.JPG

 

it looks brighter every day as the bulb burns in. More pics to come!

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artarmon42

That's awsome Esper! Thanks for trying this mod in a 24G... been wondering how it would work. Can you post some pics of your hood (how everything is arranged)?

 

By reading your description, without seeing the hood, I believe you're pulling air in from the top/rear vents, blowing it forward using scroll fans, and then exhausting them out the side vents.

 

While that would work (to cool the hood) I believe the most efficient method for the 24 (bear in mind, I don't have a 24G so this is all theoretical) is to:

1) Buy the highest possible CFM fans (if fans bigger than 60mm will fit, get those) for the light chamber, and position them to blow air TOWARDS the splashguard. These fans should run 24 hours a day.

2) Let the air "naturally" exhaust out the rear holes in the splashguard.

3) In the stock fan positions, place the highest possible CFM fans (as long as they don't block the rear holes of the splashguard) to blow air OUT of the tank. These fans should ONLY come on while the MH is on.

 

That should get you better hood cooling PLUS provide evaporative cooling of the water (the "secret sauce" of the MH mod).

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Good suggestions! You're right, I don't think i'm currently using the most optimal cooling. This will become even more apparent when I get the second metal halide.

 

1) I definetely need to point the vent fans down towards the splashguard. I have bigger vents than you so maybe i should use bigger fans as well for more CFM at less RPM.

 

2) I'm still unsure about venting, however...the rear vents are covered by the stock/ scroll fans and probably won't vent much with the older slpashgurd design. I may have to drill "speed holes" (sorry, old simpson's reference) or place additional fans in the front two corners when the 2nd MH goes in.

 

3) this sounds like a great idea the more I think about it. Cooling both sides of the splashgaurd will help prevent warping.

 

I got my fans today so I'll take more pics as I install them.

 

Cube dude: I accidentally melted the shield a little bit when I forgot to turn up the voltage on my scroll fans with the MH running. its not very bad, it looks like the first pics from artarmon's thread, before he melted the whole thing and got a new one. before and since then its been fine.

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Can't wait to see your double MH set-up. Haven't decided on which lighting upgrade to install so your results will be the deciding factor. To alieviate the manual voltage adjustment of your fans, why don't you install thermostatically controlled fans? I bought 2 sets of two in preparation for a MH uprade. They increase RPM w/increased temp. Don't have the specs with me now...if you're interested I'll find them.

 

BTW Artarmon, since your thread is the MH-Upgrade bible, I hope you stay involved!

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artarmon42
Originally posted by trumph

BTW Artarmon, since your thread is the MH-Upgrade bible, I hope you stay involved!

 

I'm happy to help where I can :nerd:

 

Originally posted by trumph

To alieviate the manual voltage adjustment of your fans, why don't you install thermostatically controlled fans? I bought 2 sets of two in preparation for a MH uprade. They increase RPM w/increased temp. Don't have the specs with me now...if you're interested I'll find them.  

 

You know, I did spot those at Fry's when I was fan shopping.

I decided to pass because:

1) I couldn't find any that were 60mm size

2) Their CFM weren't as high as some fans of the same size

3) I'm sure they're calibrated for a PC, but I'm not sure how they'd hold up being so close to a MH unit. I'm sure they'd turn on, just not sure if we're blow the temp sensor or fry the logic with the MH's heat which would be significant hotter than what is in a PC.

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Got the specs for the fans I got....80 x 80 x 25mm Voltage: 12V Current: 0.23A Temperature and Fan speed / estimated airflow and noise - 85C - 3100 RPM / 40CFM - 34dBA - 65C - 2600 RPM / 33CFM - 29dBA - 45C - 2100 RPM / 27CFM - 23dBA - 25C - 1800 RPM / 22CFM - 18dBA. They are a pre-wired pair to an AC/DC adapter so its just install in hood and plug into the outlet/timer. I bought them for the large vents at the top of the hood and maybe the rear vents if needed for additional cooling (I'll enlarge the vent.

 

Didn't look for any 60mm fans so can't help out there. Bought these at Windydayzz.com.

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Yeah, those fans look perfect for the vents on the 24g! I got out of class late tonight and was too tired to install the new fans. here's a pic of the current setup to tide you over:

 

13910IMG_1507-med.JPG

 

trumph-- ha! i'd like to get another Seio and stick them in the 1st and 3rd chanmbers...with 1.5" elbows directing flow through holes into the tank. 1240GPH might be too much for the brain coral i wanna get, though...

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artarmon42

Hmmm... the scroll fans look like they extend into the splashguard. The top vents are partly "inside" the splashguard?

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I haven't installed the fans yet. W/O a lighting upgrade they would just make my heater work harder. I unpugged my heater yesterday to check the running temp of my tank...with my three pumps and stock lights running I dropped the temp down to 74.3F. Might have gone lower but then remembered that my snails were being delivered, oops!

 

For pictures just go to Windydayzz.com. I haven't posted any pics yet, though I have lots.

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artarmon42

Those fans look good.

 

As I suggested to Esper, just run those fans when the MH is on. Remember, lower temp = evaporation (not a big deal with top off). But evaporation = salt creep, and with the fans exposed to the water, I'd watch for corrosion or other impairment of the fans. There are quite alot of threads about salt creep / corrosion problems in the 12 OG tanks (which has a similar splashguard design to the 24).

 

If those fans come on with the MH, you are more likely to be only exhausting hot air and minimizing the evaporation (read salt creep) during the dark hours.

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Yes, the top vents are partly inside the splashguard. I tried installing the new fans but I need taller screws now, too!

 

temperature update: 6 hour photoperiod

start temp: 80.5

ending temp/peak: 81.2

 

it looks like the 24g nanocube doesn't heat up as quickly due to the larger body of water!

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artarmon42

Hey when you get the new screws, can you tell us what you bought and how much? I'll put that in my instructions so others can buy the same next time.

 

0.7 in 6 hours! Nice! You might get almost zero temp change with the new fans!

 

During the Monday chat, I hypothesized that the MH kit that I used would not spread the light out far enough in a 24G. Now that you've done in, do you think that the edges of the tank is getting sufficient lighting? What's your thinking of going 2x70W now?

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Good questions! yes, I'll give you the info on the screws when I get them. The MH covers the entire tank pretty well in my opinion...If it came with a 20k bulb I would be a lot less tempted to get a second unit! But since 20k bulbs are $75-$85, I figured its not that much more to get the ballast, reflector, etc and have twice the lighting!

 

One MH is probably sufficient for most people. If they use a 10k bulb it might be worth it to reposition the stock lights but switch them both to actinic. That would provide some nice color balance I think.

 

I'm still planning on doing 2x70W, though!

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artarmon42
Originally posted by Esper

I'm still planning on doing 2x70W, though!

 

I'm REALLY looking forward to see how that comes out! :woot:

I suspect alot of other people are too :P

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Unfortunately, it will be June before I get back to do it! I'm going home to florida and then to a conference in chicago. By then the tank should be cycled and ready to stock!

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