Nano Cube DX Moonlights

[sNEIRBO]

I am in the process of trying to decide whether I should invest in a 24 Gallon Nano Cube DX to start a Nano Reef. I have a question about the Moonlights that are included with the Nano Cube DX I hope someone can answer for me -

 

Can the moonlights be independently controlled?

 

I would like to plug them into a lunar timer to correctly simulate phases of the moon. I tried looking for detailed info concerning Nano Cubes online, but it appears to be non-existant. My other option would be to purchase a Nano Cube w/o the moonlights pre-installed, then install moonlights and the controller afterwards.

 

I have a really good Salt Water Shop right around the corner from me. They're expecting a delivery of 24 G DXs tomorrow or Tuesday. The owner said he'd sell me one for $210 - the best price I've seen anywhere. But unfortunately he has no experience with the Nano Cubes - he has some awesome 70 gallon and bigger setups - he just doesn't know anything about the Nano Cubes.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks -

sNEIRBO

[DamageInc]

The moonlights on the dx go on and off the same time the stock lights do. You would have to re-wire them to a separate 12v dc adapter.

 

I bought the non-dx version of the 24g and bought r2 led moonlights separately from nanocustoms.com just so I would not have to re-wire them.

 

Damage.

[sNEIRBO]

I bought LEDs and the Lunar Cycle timer from Fishbowl Innovations

 

http://www.fishbowl-innovations.com/index....roducts/product

 

Just got an e-mail today saying they shipped via USPS Priority from San Jose CA. Hopefully I'll see the package by this weekend. I'll add the LEDs and reply with photos and comments after the job is done.

 

Cheers -

sNEIRBO

[shao-lin nano]

There is a switch that controlls the moon lights but the regular lights and moon lights operate off the same power cord. So if the main lights are on a timer and the timer is in the off position you cant turn on the moon lights independently.

[embryoguy]

i love the nanocube.but the developers with this moonlight , as shaolin nono stated with how it functions is irrational. i dont get it. what were the nanocube dev.s thinking when they designed it like that.

[drbegalke]

"thinking when they designed it like that"...

 

probably thinking of their profit margain? But, yeah, I agree, seperate cords would be much prefered.

[steelhealr]

Well..I have it and the problem is correct....timer = no moonlight LEDs unless you rewire. Major defects with the 24G Nano Cube DX:

1) Moonlight LEDS don't run off a separate switch

2) Stock lighting is insufficient to support many corals and invertebrates

3) Under 'circulated'

4) Unlike a computer, little design for upgrades

5) No built in skimmer, either surface or protein

...to name a few. SH

[sNEIRBO]

I got the Moonlights from Fishbowl Innovations on Saturday. Very easy to install -

 

The moonlights came with double faced tape to mount the small brackets that hold the LED lamp

I took off the clear plastic shield that covers the lights

Mounted the moonlights on the reflective shield right where it bends and flattens out

Routed the wire under the reflective shield

Put the clear plastic shield back on

Plugged them, ready to go

 

They look great. The lunar time (which you have to buy to power the lights) adjust the intensity of the lights over a 29.5 day period - same as the phases of the moon. They start off at full power, work their way down to completely off, then cycle back up. The lights do run 24 hours per day. Fishbowl Innovations said you can hook them up to a timer, but that will stop the lunar timer from working since you'll be resetting their timer back to day 1 every time the power comes back on. I guess it's just a matter of what you want. I personally think it's cool that they cycle through a lunar month so I just leave my on 24/7.

 

I'll try to post photos later showing where I installed the LEDs, and what the tank looks like at night.

[Web Guy]

Those were the ones sold on ebay correct. They have a little adjustment panel it comes with and the tube with the lights mounted in it. There like $60 or so?

 

I think those are the same ones I saw on ebay while looking for a moon light upgrade besides the stock moon lights.

[sNEIRBO]

I bought mine direct from Fishbowl Innovations - the website is listed a couple of posts up. I don't know what's being sold on eBay.

[Web Guy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...4382569966&rd=1

[sNEIRBO]

That's it. 1 Tube, the controller and shipping cost $70 and some change direct from Fishbowl Innovations. Don't pay more than that from eBay.

[Web Guy]

Cool, thanks! How does it light up your tank? Does it fill up the whole tank or just parts of it with there one light set up?

[sNEIRBO]

The whole tank is filled with blue light. I had to turn the LEDs so that faced the front of the tank a little bit, but there's coverage front to back, side to side. My local LFS has a 24 Gallon Nano DX w/ the stock LEDs. I turned off their main lights the other day to see how their LEDs lit up the tank - barely. These LEDs from Fishbowl do a lot better job than the stock Nano DX LEDs.

[Web Guy]

Thanks for the info! I also liked them for the fact that I can run them on the lunar cycle and just run them 24hrs a day which is realy good for your corals.

[sNEIRBO]

I love these LEDs. My Emerald Crab keeps tucked under the LR all day long so you don't see him do very much during the day when the hood lights are on. But at night when the LEDs are on - he's all over the place. It's neat to be able to watch how all the different critters behave at night.

[Web Guy]

One of my stock LED lights in my DX went out already after only 1 month. That sucks!!

[uscgairdale]

I've got a moonlight from Fishbowl Innovations in my 12DX and it works really well. I got a good deal on it off of Ebay. If you're thinking about getting a moonlight, you should get one of these bad boys......you won't be disapoited.