Biocube 29 PC to LED conversion, all done + pics

looks cool can wait to see it installs great job

 

how about some before and after pics?

 

Thanks... It'll be super clean and look just like the regular Biocube 29. I'm excited. I opend the lid and held half of it over the water and it looked great.

Will certainly do

 

It's in the hood and back on the tank.

Here's a Before...

Taken at ISO 100, f/5.0, 1/3 second shutter

Modifying the hood to allow enough room for the new wires...

I also had to cut a small hole in the plastic shield for the wires.

Testing


Annnnd on

IIRC, camera settings were ISO 100, f/5.0, 1/40th of a second, which would indicate to me a lot more light for the same exposure (Before was 1/3 of a second). It's worth noting, this is on the lowest setting.

And some actinic (RB Cree) pics.



The brain coral was all ready for bed when the new LEDs went on, which is why it looks half dead. It looks just fine now. And yes, I realize there's a little cyano going on in front.

 

All inhabitants seem rather happy with the new lighting. The RBTA is doing a bit of walking, but it's always around the same rock (near the top). I'm sure it's just getting comfortable. I'd be curious to know how much PAR they're getting. All the LEDs are on full blast now. I took 4 days or so to ramp them up from "barely on" to full on. Good color and they positively glow under the RB actinics.

 

Just as an update... the dimming ability is wonderful. Never purchase or build a system that can't be dimmed. I have used it several times thus far. Also, the RBTA seems to really be enjoying the light and has started splitting this morning. A word of caution, it seems as though I didn't acclimate the acans well to the new light and some fried under the intense light. The LEDs don't seem super bright, but they are.

 

this is great! im getting a biocube 14g soon from someone and the fans are shot. maybe ill re-rig the lighting and fans at the same time. what kind of fans are you using? the stock ones seem to be garbage.

 

the stock ones were garbage... I picked up some appropriately sized SilenX fans (15 dB I believe?). I had to modify the fan shroud that is also part of the reflector for the lights to get them to fit as they are a little wider, and had to modify the fans so I could use the stock screws, and had to modify the screws themselves (I do love to modify...) but they are wonderful. I can't hear the tank at all now, it's just whisper quiet. Fans are silent (yes they are on, you can feel the air movement), water is silent as it goes into chamber 2.

 

What type of optics are you using (if any)? Nice work, BTW. I may give this a go myself.

 

Great build, Jimmy. The tank looks nice!