miggs76 November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-229/Plug-dsh-and-dsh-Play-Biocube-14-Retrofit/Detail I started a thread a few weeks ago asking if anyone would be willing to install upgraded lighting for a BC 14. Quite a few offered help and I really appreciate that.......I think I found out that the link above would be the easiest to install....is there anyone who has done a Rapid LED retrofit kit??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 Talk to bowieReefer (Mike), I believe he did, and his looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thefishman65 November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 I have done several LED builds from scratch. No retrofits exactly, but I have adapted for different canopies and such. Where are you located? I recommend trying to find someone close so if there is a problem they can look at it. I had one LED go bad in one fixture that I built after about 6 months. Still don't understand it, but it does happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miggs76 November 8, 2011 Author Share November 8, 2011 I have done several LED builds from scratch. No retrofits exactly, but I have adapted for different canopies and such. Where are you located? I recommend trying to find someone close so if there is a problem they can look at it. I had one LED go bad in one fixture that I built after about 6 months. Still don't understand it, but it does happen. In Rockville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thefishman65 November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 I can do it for you, not as close as I would like. Maybe someone else will chime in. PM me (can you do that as a BB member) if you want me to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 Talk to bowieReefer (Mike), I believe he did, and his looks great. Don't be fooled... I have had much trial and error. First mistake buying non dimmable, second wrong mix of led's, third not knowing how to solder, and so on. I think the main thing with putting led's on your tank is going to be the proper ratio of colors. You will only be having one driver as you will not need more than 14 led's, so it is key to get a nice color you like. I have 24, and I can melt corals under them and my tank is twice as large. I would aim for 2 warm white, 4 neutral white, 4 blue, and 4 royal blue. This should give you a crisp tank, and I would guess the color of 14k. Also, you will want your kit to dim (I had someone wire up the circuit for me). It looks like rapid led sells 4.25" X 9" heatsinks that would fit perfectly into your hood with a couple holes drilled. I would say go check out people setups, and set a budget. If you have $500 laying around take your lid off and throw a radion or AI fixture over it and call it the day. If you don't want to spend that much let fisherman do it for you. By the time you buy a soder iron, solder, and wire you mine as well have him do it. At $5+ a pop you can easily be on the losing end of the learning curve doing it yourself. What types of corals are you keeping? Unless you want sps you may not even need upgraded lighting. If you plan on keeping sps the lighting is needed, but so are a lot of other things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 You could always get two of these bulbs with 80 degree lenses: http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-141/7-LED-PAR38-Bulb/Detail They just install into any normal socket. I think that $89 is a good price personally, and I like the mix of colors that they use. Depending how high you hang them 1 might even be enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 Or you could pick up a couple Ecoxotic Panarama Pro Modules.. Im currently using a few of the first generation on LPS/Softies and I am rather pleased. Im sure you can grow SPS with them in a BC14.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 Or you could pick up a couple Ecoxotic Panarama Pro Modules.. Im currently using a few of the first generation on LPS/Softies and I am rather pleased. Im sure you can grow SPS with them in a BC14.. Yea, I have heard positive things on things. They are plug and play as well right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 Yes, and very easy to mount, and they come in multiple color choices and you can add stunners for actinics etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thefishman65 November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 Choice, choices Interesting what Bowie through in. I have been PMing about color choices and dimmable driver. I am afraid I don't have much experience with the mass produced ones, but I know some of them are great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miggs76 November 8, 2011 Author Share November 8, 2011 I'd really like to get some SPS, especially a Clam. I really want to keep the BC14 canopy too instead of ripping it off and putting on a whole new piece, which is why I think the retrofit RapidLED would work best??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 I'd really like to get some SPS, especially a Clam. I really want to keep the BC14 canopy too instead of ripping it off and putting on a whole new piece, which is why I think the retrofit RapidLED would work best??????? Just so you know sps is very hard to keep/grow in smaller tanks, as they are less stable. I had some trouble early on with my 29gal tank. You will need an auto top off, and dosing pumps, as well as turbulant water flow, and very regular water changes. This is what I have found to work. I have BRS doser pumps, MP10 vortech, tunze ato, tunze nano skimmer, media rack with gfo and carbon, as well as weekly (or bi-weekly) water changes. The amount you are going to need to invest to sustain sps in a small tank is substantial. The retrofit by rapidled is a great choice. I would send them a message requesting that they let you "mix" the led's instead of 6cw and 6rb. Be aware you can also order 2 more, as that driver is fine pushing 14 led's. I would not order any cool white. I would get the mix I listed above... Goodluck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella November 8, 2011 Share November 8, 2011 Mike was right on, the lights are only so important, especially on a small tank. Honestly you can grow SPS with just about any descent light. You may have to much light from the LEDs for some corals (ask mike).. You really need to focus on constant water parameter stability on those little tanks. I had a NC12, and I thought it was a pita personally. Every little change really isnt little in the nano's. Its easy for your parameters to get out of whach without the proper equipment, ie ato, dosers etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 November 9, 2011 Share November 9, 2011 Yea, ask me. I melted mushrooms and zoas under the led's and even bleached a bunch of sps. I do not even have optics on my led's. I made the mistake of non-dimmable, and couldn't avoid the problems of too much light. At full power out of water I get 1,400 par! I dim this way down still. The $200 you spend on led's can end up around $1,000 once you get everything else you need for sps. To give you an idea: 1 - 2 BRS doser pumps $180 2 - RKL - $160 (control the dosers) 3 - ATO - $100 4 - Skimmer - $145 stevie t cup - $30 5 - MP10 - $150(used) $230 new 6 - mediarack - $50 I am starting to depress myself... I don't want to discourage you. I think if I was setting up a 14 gallon biocube I would get a rbta and a really fancy pair of designer clowns. People on here constantly sell rbta's for $30-$40, and they are usually hardy clones. Add some supplemental led's, and you should be good. I am not sure if you are working on a budget or not. You may not care about any of this really. Sorry to take this topic of course. Just trying to give you an idea of what you can do with these tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 November 9, 2011 Share November 9, 2011 Not sure if you have checked out my build thread, but here is the link: http://www.wamas.org/forums/topic/39572-mikes-29gal-biocube/page__p__336408__fromsearch__1&?do=findComment&comment=336408 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miggs76 November 9, 2011 Author Share November 9, 2011 Yea, ask me. I melted mushrooms and zoas under the led's and even bleached a bunch of sps. I do not even have optics on my led's. I made the mistake of non-dimmable, and couldn't avoid the problems of too much light. At full power out of water I get 1,400 par! I dim this way down still. The $200 you spend on led's can end up around $1,000 once you get everything else you need for sps. To give you an idea: 1 - 2 BRS doser pumps $180 2 - RKL - $160 (control the dosers) 3 - ATO - $100 4 - Skimmer - $145 stevie t cup - $30 5 - MP10 - $150(used) $230 new 6 - mediarack - $50 I am starting to depress myself... I don't want to discourage you. I think if I was setting up a 14 gallon biocube I would get a rbta and a really fancy pair of designer clowns. People on here constantly sell rbta's for $30-$40, and they are usually hardy clones. Add some supplemental led's, and you should be good. I am not sure if you are working on a budget or not. You may not care about any of this really. Sorry to take this topic of course. Just trying to give you an idea of what you can do with these tanks. Well here is some background info on the tank..............I started it up in the summer.... I've spent a good deal on this set up already.....but I knew that coming in..... 1) Premium Figi Live rock (most of it is already coraline encrusted) 2) Took out the bioballs, put in InTank media basket with filter floss, chemi-pure elite, and purigen 3) Got the InTank fish saver (to save fish from jumping to sump) 4) UV sterilzer is running 5) Took the stock pump out and put in MaxiJet 900 6) Put in Hydor Koralia Nano So far I have a yellow watchman goby, along with 2 frogspawns, 1 hammer, 1 candy cane frag, 2 favia frags, and a chalice frag...........all of the coral are doing great.in fact the frogspawns and hammer have almost doubled in size in the last 6 weeks..the goby is cool...he waits all day for food, then sleeps in his cave at night. I do my own testing buy brought a sample to my LFS last week and he said in fact everything was perfect......I even use the natural seawater that you can buy in a 5 gallon container from petco.......every Sunday I change out about 15-20% of the water. The only real mod I haven't done is the lighting........I think if I mod the lighting I would really have a perfect little reef....... I do want to get a designer clownfish (know a good place to get one????), but only one to share the tank with my YWG.......however, I want to put as many coral as possible inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 November 9, 2011 Share November 9, 2011 Sounds great so far. I didn't realize you were so far along. I was also using purigen, but have since switched to the chemipure and GFO from BRS. I find the purigen ok, but GFO really helps me with phosphates. How much is that 5gal water? I buy gallons of distilled from grocery store at $1/ea and use Instant Ocean salt. RODI is the best value, but I haven't made that commitment on my small tank. I would retro fit the hood with some of the panorama modules mentioned above. It will be MUCH easier than the rapidled kit, and is a more finished product. I don't think they are as powerful, so you won't need to worry about melting your LPS. You may be able to leave the stock lights in and fit it all, or may have to rip them out. Not really sure. Maybe check out nano-reef website to find more info. Also, if you become a paid member you will have access to the classifieds. People sell corals on here for next to nothing, and lots of equipment as well. Surprised Tom (Origami) hasn't gotten to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miggs76 November 9, 2011 Author Share November 9, 2011 Sounds great so far. I didn't realize you were so far along. I was also using purigen, but have since switched to the chemipure and GFO from BRS. I find the purigen ok, but GFO really helps me with phosphates. How much is that 5gal water? I buy gallons of distilled from grocery store at $1/ea and use Instant Ocean salt. RODI is the best value, but I haven't made that commitment on my small tank. I would retro fit the hood with some of the panorama modules mentioned above. It will be MUCH easier than the rapidled kit, and is a more finished product. I don't think they are as powerful, so you won't need to worry about melting your LPS. You may be able to leave the stock lights in and fit it all, or may have to rip them out. Not really sure. Maybe check out nano-reef website to find more info. Also, if you become a paid member you will have access to the classifieds. People sell corals on here for next to nothing, and lots of equipment as well. Surprised Tom (Origami) hasn't gotten to you. The 5gal water is 11.99 at Petco----I know it is half the cost to buy my own salt and RO water from the grocery store, but for an extra few bucks all I have to do is pour it in the tank...for such a small tank it is worth it.....if I had a 40 or 50g tank then it wouldn't be cost effective. The coral love it. I believe that the fact it is real ocean water made them grow so fast. Which panorama lights were you thinking of? Are they something that would require me to scrap the biocube canopy? I like the look of the canopy and don't really want to get rid of it....and yes I am going to send in payment to become a paid member....i'll use my teacher discount! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypertech November 9, 2011 Share November 9, 2011 At $1 a gallon it won't take that long to pay for an rodi unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 November 9, 2011 Share November 9, 2011 At $1 a gallon it won't take that long to pay for an rodi unit. I know... I am in a rental condo. Once I purchase a house I'll get a rodi unit. Don't feel like fooling with it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iangibby November 9, 2011 Share November 9, 2011 http://www.wamas.org/forums/topic/41289-14-biocube-led-diy/ I buillt this very very cheap with no permanent mods to the hood.I could put all the old components back together and its still running strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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