Biocube 29 help

[TheBouncer]

I still have the old school hood and was thinking about eliminating the hood in general and running better lights. What would be recommendations on better lighting? Figuring that upgrading the old hood to biocube led hoods runs about $150-$180.

 

[Cristy17]

I still have the old school hood and was thinking about eliminating the hood in general and running better lights. What would be recommendations on better lighting? Figuring that upgrading the old hood to biocube led hoods runs about $150-$180.

I purchased a used older RS Max C-130 and hated the lights. They just were not strong enough to sustain what I wanted. I purchased the Steve's LED which is retrofitted. They are pretty expensive but I was able to keep the hood, which helps with evaporation and the corals but the temp does tend to run a bit higher but not enough to kill the fish/corals.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I still have the old school hood and was thinking about eliminating the hood in general and running better lights. What would be recommendations on better lighting? Figuring that upgrading the old hood to biocube led hoods runs about $150-$180.

It all depends on budget and controllability.

smatfarm makes good light and not that expensive. Would cover a bc28 without issue. Downside is that you set the color you like and that is the color throughout the day. It ramps up and down in intensity, but doesn’t change color.

Depending on the rock work, you could also look into some l thing like the nicrew 30w light (round one) and the add on timer. This will allow for you to change spectrum and intensity throughout the day. Little cumbersome, but not too bad.

Then there is a Noopsyche light. Clumsy controller, but tons of control and would work good for a bc32. You could do the small one or the dual pick. Again, depends on your rock work.

Then you start to get into a kessil a160 or a360we, possibly 2 primes (may be able to get away with 1 depending on your rock work or a hydra32, and even radions would work

I currently use all of the above and the all work well/grow corals.

In summary, all of the above works, just comes to budget. Another thing to think of is do you plan to upgrade to a bigger tank? If so, go for a light that is readily available, can be linked to other lights of the same kind and has numerous mourning options. Then when you upgrade, you only have to buy additional lights and not a whole new setup.

 

[MaxTremors]

I am using a Noopsyche K7 V3 on my 28g nanocube, and it is excellent. As mentioned, the controller isn’t very intuitive (though they just came out with an app controlled version), but the actual quality you the lighting is excellent (nearly identical in terms of spectrum, spread, and intensity as the G4 Radion XR30). IMO, this is one of the best values in reef lighting.

I have also run an AI Prime on this tank, and it was also pretty decent, it’s pushing the limits of the dimensions it will cover evenly, but it will provide enough light for most corals. It’s an excellent light, but if you’re doing an SPS dominate reef I would run two of them or a Hydra 32.

If you’re going to take the hood off, you’ll need an ATO and some sort of lid to keep fish from jumping. On my nanocube, I had a glass lid made and it has cut evaporation down to maybe a half gallon a week. The back chambers are uncovered, I have a skimmer, and a HOB refugium that overflows into the back chambers so I’m not too concerned with gas exchange, my PH is pretty stable at around 8.2. If you wipe down any dust a few times a week, the reduction in PAR is like 2-5% depending on condensation on the underside (but you run into these same issue with the biocube hood). Anyway, that may be an option to look into.