Kessil A80 and Biocube Hood

Smoke Inator · 11/27/2016, 03:16 PM

I have an LED Biocube 32, ive looked at all of the "retro" solutions and not quite sold on them. Ive even considered building my own.

The Kessil A80 intrigues me, i was thinking of getting two of them and incorporating them into my hood.

Goal 1 - Keep the Hood
Goal 2 - Control - I want to control via app and do fancy crazy things
Goal 3 - SPS - I want to be able to keep any coral even with high light requirements.

I was thinking of getting two of these and drilling/mounting into the hood.
My main concern is that they wont be high enough off the surface to work correctly.

Any thoughts or solutions are welcomed.

Thank you,
Ron

I have no problems with a dremmel and cutting...i just want a clean look.

dt204 · 11/27/2016, 03:20 PM

I am in a bit of the same boat with a 12g biocube. I was going to just remove the hood entirely and get one a80 on it.
What is your reasoning for wanting to keep the hood?

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Smoke Inator · 11/27/2016, 03:30 PM

mostly because i like the look of the hood in my office but, i got jumpers

juniorrocketdad · 11/27/2016, 03:37 PM

It's better to remove the hood and get a screen top because with the leds so close to the surface of the water you will get a very bad disco ball effect

Smoke Inator · 11/27/2016, 03:37 PM

i was also thinking cost, i could add one now and it would be better than original and add another down the road

dt204 · 11/27/2016, 03:38 PM

I dig it. I'm hoping to make a lid for mine with window screen kit and 1/4" mesh. Not positive how I will fill the curve of the front if the tank. Probably a combo of egg crate and mesh.

I would be concerned about the lights not being high enough as well. In the hood they would only be a few inches off the water, and susceptible to spray. The splash guard could help with that. At the same time I would worry about heat as well. Those a80s are passively cooled, with no fan. I would think that they would need sufficient space for this to work properly. Maybe email kessil and see what they say. They've been very helpful with me in the past!

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Smoke Inator · 11/27/2016, 03:46 PM

Thx DT....Distance from surface was my major concern with the disco effect.
making a clean look was not an issue...i got a buddy with a scanner and 3d printer that will make a mount to make things look stock

zooman72 · 11/27/2016, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juniorrocketdad

It's better to remove the hood and get a screen top because with the leds so close to the surface of the water you will get a very bad disco ball effect

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smoke Inator

Thx DT....Distance from surface was my major concern with the disco effect.

You do realize (or maybe you don't) that the dense matrix diode layout and single lens over the diode cluster makes this practically a non-issue with Kessil's...

I would be concerned with heat being trapped under the hood with the A80's. If you want to keep the hood, look into a retrofit from NanoBox or Steve'sLED - they come with fans to ensure proper ventilation.

gus6464 · 11/28/2016, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juniorrocketdad

It's better to remove the hood and get a screen top because with the leds so close to the surface of the water you will get a very bad disco ball effect

Kessils don't do disco.

dt204 · 12/01/2016, 09:31 PM

Disco Stu.... Does disco 😂

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fizzlefish · 01/15/2018, 03:12 PM

Know this is a bit old of a thread but I added a A80 to my Biocube 16s hood. I first put it under the hood within the clear plastic but ended up just cutting a hole in the hood mounting it to the outside of the hood. Heat rises out through the A80s fine and actually draws a bit of air in through the vents built into the hood due to the rising heat sucking the air out. Has been working good so far.

72bajaben · 09/03/2018, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fizzlefish

Know this is a bit old of a thread but I added a A80 to my Biocube 16s hood. I first put it under the hood within the clear plastic but ended up just cutting a hole in the hood mounting it to the outside of the hood. Heat rises out through the A80s fine and actually draws a bit of air in through the vents built into the hood due to the rising heat sucking the air out. Has been working good so far.

Can you post pics?

monti1 · 09/30/2018, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72bajaben

Can you post pics?

I second that. Please post some pics. I’m in the same boat with keeping the stock hood. My wife doesn’t care for the open top, and I’m not looking for an argument

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11/27/2016, 03:16 PM	#1
Smoke Inator Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 200	Kessil A80 and Biocube Hood I have an LED Biocube 32, ive looked at all of the "retro" solutions and not quite sold on them. Ive even considered building my own. The Kessil A80 intrigues me, i was thinking of getting two of them and incorporating them into my hood. Goal 1 - Keep the Hood Goal 2 - Control - I want to control via app and do fancy crazy things Goal 3 - SPS - I want to be able to keep any coral even with high light requirements. I was thinking of getting two of these and drilling/mounting into the hood. My main concern is that they wont be high enough off the surface to work correctly. Any thoughts or solutions are welcomed. Thank you, Ron I have no problems with a dremmel and cutting...i just want a clean look.

11/27/2016, 03:20 PM	#2
dt204 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 233	I am in a bit of the same boat with a 12g biocube. I was going to just remove the hood entirely and get one a80 on it. What is your reasoning for wanting to keep the hood? Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

11/27/2016, 03:30 PM	#3
Smoke Inator Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 200	mostly because i like the look of the hood in my office but, i got jumpers

11/27/2016, 03:37 PM	#4
juniorrocketdad Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 733	It's better to remove the hood and get a screen top because with the leds so close to the surface of the water you will get a very bad disco ball effect

11/27/2016, 03:38 PM	#6
dt204 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 233	I dig it. I'm hoping to make a lid for mine with window screen kit and 1/4" mesh. Not positive how I will fill the curve of the front if the tank. Probably a combo of egg crate and mesh. I would be concerned about the lights not being high enough as well. In the hood they would only be a few inches off the water, and susceptible to spray. The splash guard could help with that. At the same time I would worry about heat as well. Those a80s are passively cooled, with no fan. I would think that they would need sufficient space for this to work properly. Maybe email kessil and see what they say. They've been very helpful with me in the past! Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

11/27/2016, 03:46 PM	#7
Smoke Inator Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 200	Thx DT....Distance from surface was my major concern with the disco effect. making a clean look was not an issue...i got a buddy with a scanner and 3d printer that will make a mount to make things look stock

12/01/2016, 09:31 PM	#10
dt204 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 233	Disco Stu.... Does disco 😂 Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

01/15/2018, 03:12 PM	#11
fizzlefish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 168	Know this is a bit old of a thread but I added a A80 to my Biocube 16s hood. I first put it under the hood within the clear plastic but ended up just cutting a hole in the hood mounting it to the outside of the hood. Heat rises out through the A80s fine and actually draws a bit of air in through the vents built into the hood due to the rising heat sucking the air out. Has been working good so far.