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Difrano
09/16/2015, 06:22 PM
Hi all,

I'm new into saltwater and reef aquarium but I have a 55G planted freshwater running for 3+ years.

I setup the tank on 08/23/2015 with the following equipment:

Tank: 29G Biocube.
Pump: Stock.
Lights: Stock, upgraded to galaxyHydro 165W Wifi.
Powerhead: 2 Hydor Koralia Nano Aquarium Circulation Pump 425.
Skimmer: None.
Refuge: None. To be installed DIY on middle chamber
Substrate: 40 Lbs. Arag Alive Fiji Pink.
Rock: Cured 15 lbs from LFS. 10+ Lbs uncured from Tampa Bay Saltwater.

Livestock: as the first day:
Orange Sponge, I believe it will die.
Barnacles, Also believe they will die.
Several small crabs, So far identified: Emerald and Red Mithrax, and Gorilla:hammer:.
1 small brittle star.
Lots hithickers in the uncured rock.

Some pics of the setup process:
Stand:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-08-13%2022.52.38_zps4jygyabv.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-08-13%2022.52.38_zps4jygyabv.jpg.html)

Tank in place, the bag are the 2 bazillion bioballs I removed from chambers:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-08-22%2018.19.52_zpsqedt94hh.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-08-22%2018.19.52_zpsqedt94hh.jpg.html)
Filled:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-08-22%2023.51.08_zps35b5ltql.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-08-22%2023.51.08_zps35b5ltql.jpg.html)
Tampa bay saltwater rock I picked from Richard:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-08-22%2001.35.46_zpsnerogxht.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-08-22%2001.35.46_zpsnerogxht.jpg.html)
The goodies in the box:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-08-22%2023.53.58_zpsduw2nzi3.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-08-22%2023.53.58_zpsduw2nzi3.jpg.html)
Water cleared up:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-08-23%2022.54.58_zpsknbgqtss.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-08-23%2022.54.58_zpsknbgqtss.jpg.html)
New aquascape:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/Difrano%20Biocube/2015-08-26%2023.25.00_zpsjxeofoqu.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/Difrano%20Biocube/2015-08-26%2023.25.00_zpsjxeofoqu.jpg.html)

Difrano
09/16/2015, 07:00 PM
My tank cycled ver fast in one week I got 0 Ammonia and Nitrites, and 40 nitrates, Diatoms and algae started growing everywhere so it was time to add the CUC. I noticed that the tank was running hot at 81-82F with no heater and the house at 76F, so I started to look into a DIY led retrofit, there are very nice options around but i'm already broke from the tank setup so decided to give it a shot at the GalaxyHydro 165W Wifi, they are $145 and can be programmed using your phone.

So here it goes:

This are the lights:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71VRCPHQGqL._SL1500_.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71byxArvdpL._SL1500_.jpg

So first I removed all the guts from the Biocube hood, and also removed them from the new lights, forgot to take pictures of the process.

Then I laid out the new lights controllores in the hood of the biocube:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2013.18.46_zpslpwcdsrm.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2013.18.46_zpslpwcdsrm.jpg.html)

I replaced the noisy biocube fans with the ones that comes with the led set, but they where bigger so did a custom 3D printed cardboard duct to optimize air flow on the fans:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2013.48.07_zps2gsgn4wm.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2013.48.07_zps2gsgn4wm.jpg.html)
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2013.48.02_zpssyua17hi.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2013.48.02_zpssyua17hi.jpg.html)

Then i secured the 2 led drivers near the ventilation slots of the hood, drilled the potentiomenters on site and replaced the biocube default switches with the ones that comes with the light:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2013.18.56_zpsflxhbqbm.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2013.18.56_zpsflxhbqbm.jpg.html)

Then attached the lights for a functional test
Whites:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2013.52.59_zpswvvispb7.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2013.52.59_zpswvvispb7.jpg.html)
Blues:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2013.53.40_zpsw39cnsbv.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2013.53.40_zpsw39cnsbv.jpg.html)
Royal Blues? UV? I dont believe they are full UV:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2013.54.50_zpspbqjqvgr.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2013.54.50_zpspbqjqvgr.jpg.html)

Part 2:

Difrano
09/16/2015, 07:01 PM
The leds comes with lenses that don't allow the light to spread at the height its going to be on the tank, so did several tests and removed a few of the lenses so it have good penetration with a lot of spread.

I wanted to fit everything inside the hood to reuse the waterproof case that the default Biocube lights have. I used a couple of screws to secure the led board to the hood cover, please excuse me but trying to remove the black paint i did a mess trying to sand it with a dremmel, the acrylic melted and mixed with the paint creating a disaster, then i realized that was easier to just scrape it... but the damage was done:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.18.31_zpsbf3gj7nj.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.18.31_zpsbf3gj7nj.jpg.html)

Leds secured in place:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.22.14_zpspkph1g6f.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.22.14_zpspkph1g6f.jpg.html)

Final test with some of the lenses removed and all the lights on:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.23.05_zpsg38beai7.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.23.05_zpsg38beai7.jpg.html)

Top of the hood:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.39.33_zpscvfegg6w.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.39.33_zpscvfegg6w.jpg.html)

Switches detail:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.39.38_zpsh9iuf4po.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.39.38_zpsh9iuf4po.jpg.html)

In place:

http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.51.53_zpsuthswqrf.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.51.53_zpsuthswqrf.jpg.html)

Closed look:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.45.34_zpsox7afavu.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.45.34_zpsox7afavu.jpg.html)

Led array reflected:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.50.06_zpsznneiatu.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.50.06_zpsznneiatu.jpg.html)

If you made it this far, thank you and hope you enjoyed it.

Difrano
09/16/2015, 07:06 PM
I added 2 Skunk cleaners to the tank as my slow process of getting livestock, the lights are amazing and after some testing I had to dim the 50% in order to get good light, even the snails where ****ed at 100%.

Tank shot lights at 50%:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-14%2001.31.14_zpshub038h9.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-14%2001.31.14_zpshub038h9.jpg.html)

Some pictures:
http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.46.26_zps0158yczd.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.46.26_zps0158yczd.jpg.html)

http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.46.35_zpsemdjz7bm.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.46.35_zpsemdjz7bm.jpg.html)

http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.47.07_zpsb7sydv8q.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.47.07_zpsb7sydv8q.jpg.html)

http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.48.23_zpsp7fxezr2.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.48.23_zpsp7fxezr2.jpg.html)

http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s426/Difrano/2015-09-13%2016.48.44_zpsnx1rjudo.jpg (http://s1051.photobucket.com/user/Difrano/media/2015-09-13%2016.48.44_zpsnx1rjudo.jpg.html)

Cheers

MrWilcox281
09/16/2015, 09:26 PM
Good looking setup.

Milez803
09/17/2015, 10:38 PM
Nice work. I might do the same with my Bio Cube. Thanks

ReefWreak
09/18/2015, 06:57 AM
Great looking setup and excellent DIY. Thanks for posting pics and documenting the process. I bet that you'll get plenty of light out of those LEDs.

I was going to recommend looking into the lights to see if the pots are on a 10v line for dimming, so that you could eventually hook them into a controller, but then I realized you have them on a wifi controller already. Pretty neat, I'm excited to see how these lights work out longer term since I haven't seen many of these builds around.

Orcus Varuna
03/20/2016, 09:10 AM
I know this thread is a bit old but I joined specifically to ask you a few questions on the retrofit you did. I like the idea of programmable LED lighting but as was the case with you I am trying to save some money. Steves/Rapid LED retro kits look awesome but I priced them out with a good controller and they run well over $300!! I was just wondering how challenging you thought this was? I am good at DIY projects but tend to stay away from anything with electrical wiring; did you have to solder anything? Also, how is your tank doing 6+ months on; any luck with SPS? Finally, after your experience would you recommend doing this retrofit? I appreciate any (and all) of your time you take responding to this.

Best,

Orcus Varuna