Biocube 29 - Current USA Orbit Marine IC LED (with Loop) Mod

[ArowanaLover1902]

My biocube 29 has been up and running for almost a year now, it's doing really well at the moment (I had a weird thing happen and lost a ton of livestock [2 clowns and a goby]). I've added a custom refugium with a PVC overflow (which works very well) last week and am finally ready to get rid of my stock lighting (which has been very disappointing, the only hard corals/anemones I can grow are those right next to the light (and only then the corals it can handle), so I'm going to be switching to the Current USA LED (which looks amazing, I can't wait to have remote lighting system). My question concerns mounting this; will I need some type of splash guard cover in-between the light and the water, also, I'm going to certainly need a mesh or something to keep those crazy snails from running, but where would I attain this? Does anyone make custom biocube covers (for a good price, that light is a little out of my budget already), or can someone give me a little advice with building one? Thanks for your time and advice.

 

[Big G]

I like to use a combination of egg crate with a layer of 1/4" plastic mesh screening zip tied to the egg crate. The standard legs on the Current LED are way too short. I have two of them on my QT tanks. The salt vapor gets all over the light. I cut a couple of pieces of 2" pvc to make stands for the lights. It's simple and works. I'd really like to get a piece of clear acrylic and make a set of feet for the light. Oh, I really like the Current Marine LED lights. Plenty power for a small tank. Cheers!

 

[Michael Llabona]

Artfully Acrilic makes custom lids for coralife biocubes. I have not bought 1 but plan on it

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

What if I was able to mount the light inside of the biocube hood, I could remove the stock lighting, place some type of glass/acyrlic between the light and the water and place the light under the hood? I looked at AA, but their prices are really high and they seem to take forever to ship.

 

[Big G]

What if I was able to mount the light inside of the biocube hood, I could remove the stock lighting, place some type of glass/acyrlic between the light and the water and place the light under the hood? I looked at AA, but their prices are really high and they seem to take forever to ship.

Sounds like an interesting idea. The stock unit does accumulate moisture on the inside of the clear plastic bottom of the light fixture. That's why I raised it up about 1 3/4" above the egg crate. No interior moisture since then. That would be my only concern; keeping moisture out of the interior. Cheers!

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Ok having watched a few youtube videos I get the sense that it doesn't need a separating barrier, perhaps I'll run it without one for a bit, or maybe just use a small strip of glass between it and the water. The rest of the aquarium I'll probably leave exposed, after all, the tank has a decently lipped rim that I feel may affront those snails enough to make them stop (I don't keep many snails anyway, they clean glass well, but also knock over everything and can't clean the rocks/sand as well as some good hermit crabs partnered with a mithrax crab). I don't think I will do stock lighting after all, the way I saw it seems like there would be a ton of moisture and it would require a lot of maintenance.
- I keep watching videos of this light and it is incredible, here is a link just to convey the awesomeness of the storm feature . I can't wait to set a cycle for my lighting, I abhor my little timer (it keeps getting off cycle and there's only so much you can do with it)