Work Entertainment: Biocube 8

[corruption]

So, this is my new tank, that I purchased from stangchris back in mid November -- a BioCube 8. I decided to put it on my desk at work, to give me some entertainment during my long overnight shifts. Started it the day after I got it from Chris, and started adding some small frags of zoas I had within about 2 weeks (the rock was quite matured).. Last week, I went nuts and added in several new large zoa colonies, as well as a couple mushrooms I had in my 40 gallon -- and my first buddy to hang with at work: a Golden Tiger Blenny (Ecsenius tigris).

Tank Info:
BioCube 8 w/bioballs removed -- 2nd chamber currently only contains ChemiPure Elite.
OEM Ballast has been replaced with a Workhorse 3, otherwise the tank is still stock.
Koralia Nano, modded by Chris for increased flow
Approx. 9lb of Fiji live rock
Current Stock:
8 Astrea snails
1 Scarlet Skunk cleaner shrimp
1 Golden Tiger Blenny
lots of zoas

My goal is to make a nice, colorful display to view at work -- probably will be a zoa/mushroom/GSP garden, with a single Euphyllia of some sort as the centerpiece. Will likely add a couple Trimma sp. gobies down the line as well -- Blennidae and Gobidae are my favorite genus by far :D

On to the pics!

http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00754.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00738.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00739.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00734.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00735.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00740.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00741.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00742.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00743.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00748.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00751.JPG
http://binarybuccaneers.org/tank/DSC00753.JPG

Thanks for looking! :D

-Justin

[Big_Pun]

looking good

[Europhyllia]

It's going to be an adjustment to not think of Chris as 'The Cube Guy' anymore. :)
Looks like you are off to a good start!

[corruption]

So, I gave in and ordered my lighting upgrade supplies tonight:

Cree XR-E Q5 CW $6.29 6 $37.74 http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php?products_id=621
Cree XR-E RB $6.29 6 $37.74 http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php?products_id=622

Buckpuck w/ Pot. $19.99 2 $39.98 http://ledsupply.com/03023-d-e-1000p.php
Pot. Knob $2.49 2 $4.98 http://ledsupply.com/03021hep-knob.php
Thermal Adhesive $12.99 2 $25.98 http://ledsupply.com/asta-7g.php

8.5”x5” Heat Sink $11.25 1 $11.25 http://heatsinkusa.com/storename/heatsinkusa/dept/263912/ItemDetail-10502779.aspx

24V 2.65A PSU $11.80 1 $11.80 eBay Item #250511317631 – Apple G4 Power Supply @ proper voltage/amperage – includes shipping

...Also included a pair of 18w dual spectrum 10,000k/Actinic bulbs from Nanotuners -- give the tank a bit of a color boost while I finalize all the DIY parts at home.. I'll probably come up with a use for the current lights down the line -- would work great to boost the light over my 'fuge at home :)

I also appear to have a zoa-eating nudi invasion going on -- not full scale yet, so we'll see how dipping regularly and manual removal goes... :)

Otherwise, no new pics -- added a couple ric's from CoralMorphologic.com last week, but haven't gotten pics just yet :)

-Justin

[txg8gxp]

Awesome...You will love them...If you think you look at the tank all the time now, just wait until you finish the led's..If you need any info or help just let me know.

[hobogato]

cool, look forward to seeing it with the led lights

[Mr Cob]

Nice man. I like those zooos!

[corruption]

Awesome...You will love them...If you think you look at the tank all the time now, just wait until you finish the led's..If you need any info or help just let me know.

You already provided enough of a blueprint for a blind man to make it through successfully -- couldnt ask for more than that :) None of it is beyond my realm of abilities -- i've strung together many an LED in the past... Now its just actually got a purpose, instead of just being part of an art-deco display :rofl:

-Justin

[corruption]

Nice man. I like those zooos!

So do I -- all from good ol' Gabes, except the green one. Now to get rid of the nudi invasion before the zoas start going away! :bigsmile:

-Justin

[Big_Pun]

Looks great can i have it back after you put the LED's lol, thanks for the links to all the equipment, i need to get started on one for my pico

[txav8r]

Man, I really want a biocube at work. Looking great Justin!

[corruption]

Looks great can i have it back after you put the LED's lol, thanks for the links to all the equipment, i need to get started on one for my pico

Sure! But it'll cost you... All the tea in China. :rofl:

Modding the picotope light will be easy as pie -- you should get on that, it'll look fantastic :)

-Justin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[joelb]

there is nothing like a reef in the office. smart move corruption!

[corruption]

there is nothing like a reef in the office. smart move corruption!

Yeah... I spend 4 nights a week, 11 hours a night, at that desk.. It really does make the time go by faster :)

I'll be doing my work, and get this "I'm being watched" feeling -- turn around, and theres my blenny.. as soon as I turn towards him, he starts going ballistic and darting in and out of the rocks -- endlessly amusing :)

-Justin

[diego]

So when are you going to frag those really cool green zoas that you have at the bottom middle\right? Those are very nice.

[corruption]

Oh yeah -- in case anyone was curious as to my choice of power supply for my LED builld -- its purely an aesthetics thing. Since this tank lives in my cubicle at work, I wanted to have the end result be as clean as possible -- I figured an aluminum project box with the power supply would look far less clean than a laptop power supply.. the input/output on everything is the same as well, should power a pair of buckpucks/wired 6 LED circuits with no issues whatsoever.

-Justin

[corruption]

So when are you going to frag those really cool green zoas that you have at the bottom middle\right? Those are very nice.

When they're not being chomped at the bit by zoa-eating nudibranch -- unless, of course, you want a frag of those too! :D

Edit: Aggressive dipping and manual removal starts tonight -- so with any luck, all should be clean in a month or 2 :)

-Justin

[profntbtr]

flatworm exit will destroy zoa eating nudis, or so i've heard

[corruption]

You know me, man -- I'll do anything to avoid treating the tank directly... Lugols dips and manual extraction it is, unless it starts to look fruitless.. :)

-Justin

[ErikH]

Me likey!

[corruption]

First dip is complete... dropped a bit over a dozen of the evil little suckers off into the dip mix, as well as manually removed several egg casings... Everythings just starting to open up again -- here's hoping that this is the start of defeat for the bastards :D

-Justin

[saabtech]

sorry to hear about the evil war in your tank. hope you can get them all before you decide to give away a frag or two.. hehe.
good luck and nice DT project

[Goofball310]

I always wanted a tank at work but it worried me that I would be spending more time working on the tank than on work.

[corruption]

Goofball: I haven't had much problem in that respect -- the tank has been pretty low maintenance. Just upkeep my top off and water changes -- the thing seems to evaporate about a half a liter of water a week, so its not difficult :)

This thing garners me more attention at work than I've ever had -- people, from upper execs down to receptionists stop by on a near daily basis to check it out... always the same questions too, "Is that saltwater? Are those corals real? Where's the fish?"

My favorite so far was someone who spotted the blenny on their own, and exclaimed "My god, I see the fish... he's staring at me -- and I think he's judging me!" :rofl:

Received the first batch of LED parts yesterday, and the rest should arrive today... Heat sink, buckpucks, thermal epoxy, and potentiometer knobs are all here already, LED's and power supply are scheduled for delivery this afternoon... May start hammering away on the mod this weekend -- can't wait! :D

-Justin

[nubz]

sweet nano reef.

[hobogato]

you never know what non reefers will say about a tank - that is a good one!


...My favorite so far was someone who spotted the blenny on their own, and exclaimed "My god, I see the fish... he's staring at me -- and I think he's judging me!" :rofl:...

[corruption]

Just finished wiring up my LED's about an hour ago... holy cow these things are bright! tx8gxp and saabtech weren't kidding! I *LOVE* that I spent the extra time to find a non-industrial looking power supply.. the Apple power supply is a MUCH cleaner look, IMO. Worked perfectly too.

Just gotta do the install tomorrow night -- I'll take some pics then. I haven't taken any pics of the build, cuz tx8gxp did a much better job than I could have on documentation :) It looks just like his :)

-Justin

[saabtech]

POST PICS POST PICS POST PICS!!!!!!! thats great Justin you will never look back i promise.
what buckpuck drivers did you get (mA rateing) and how many blues and whites.
better yet. i would like to see a list with pics and prices and all. I want to see your power supply. i want, i want, i want... please.......

[corruption]

Already posted it above... here it is again for a quote :)


So, I gave in and ordered my lighting upgrade supplies tonight:

Cree XR-E Q5 CW $6.29 6 $37.74 http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php?products_id=621
Cree XR-E RB $6.29 6 $37.74 http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php?products_id=622

Buckpuck w/ Pot. $19.99 2 $39.98 http://ledsupply.com/03023-d-e-1000p.php
Pot. Knob $2.49 2 $4.98 http://ledsupply.com/03021hep-knob.php
Thermal Adhesive $12.99 2 $25.98 http://ledsupply.com/asta-7g.php

8.5”x5” Heat Sink $11.25 1 $11.25 http://heatsinkusa.com/storename/heatsinkusa/dept/263912/ItemDetail-10502779.aspx

24V 2.65A PSU $11.80 1 $11.80 eBay Item #250511317631 – Apple G4 Power Supply @ proper voltage/amperage – includes shipping


Total build cost: around 180-190 with shipping on all items.

Build is almost identical to tx8gxp's, with the exception of the power supply, and that I ordered the knobs for the potentiometers as well -- the available space in the hood is pretty close to identical between the Biocube 8 and 14's.. Used the same ringed pattern as his -- white blue blue white, blue white white white blue, white blue blue white -- 12 total LED's, 6 blue, 6 white.. 1000mA buckpucks, wired into a 24v, 2.65a Apple PowerBook G4 power supply. I used thermal adhesive to adhere the stars, I'm too lazy to tap-and-drill 24 holes into aluminum :)

No pics at the moment -- it looks identical to tx8gxp's before he did the install.. A loose aluminum block covered with Cree stars and some loose wires :) I'll get some pics tomorrow, once I do the install in the hood... Gotta go to work to do the install, the tank doesn't live here! :D

-Justin

[saabtech]

sorry i missed that. i though i scaned the whole thread (there is only 3 pages) but thanks anyway for humoring me....
i think you will find that you will only need to turn the leds up on the 1000ma driver to 1/2 power. over 3/4 power and you will not notice any real light output change, the only thing extra you get is heat. plus at 1/2 power you will likely not need any fans at all. (so if the fan failed the leds will still survive)

and those pot knobs are sweet. i never saw those and i knew i was missing something.
like i said before. you will never look back. good riddance PC bulbs!!

[txg8gxp]

Good to hear it is all coming together for you. You will love it...Mine has ran perfect, and all the coral seems plenty happy.sps,lps(acans,dendro,etc),zoa's, etc. Everything is happy. I run might pots right around 3/4 and run the two stock fans only. I haven't turned on the two extra fans in atleast 3-4 days. With no extra water temp.

[corruption]

Install is complete, pics to come in the morning... can't unload them and upload from work :D

The whole thing went together as easy as could be -- took me about 2 hours of work to assemble all the parts into the hood. There's definitely less room in the BC8 hood than the BC14 -- I was quite a bit more cramped than Steven was.. but I got it all to fit. Looks great so far -- but I definitely see what Erik was referring to with the sharp points on the peaks of rocks... there's definitely a blue tinge to certain angles and peaks. Not a big deal -- the adjustability of the color temperature more than makes up for that :)

As nice as the color is all-around, the thing I'm most impressed with is the royal blues.. they provide a seriously nice depth to the actinic pop -- color me happy :D

As I said -- pics, and maybe a video, in the morning! :)

-Justin

[corruption]

Too darn tired, and occupied, to post pics and such.. I'll get it tonight :)

-Justin

[Jordan N.]

Sounds like it worked out really well --You may be getting a call to help me put together some of those royal blues. odyessa actenics are really bad. Can't wait for pictures.

Jordan N.

[corruption]

Finally got my camera back in working order and have some pics to share -- just a couiple, cuz hectic work hasn't let me get real good closeups :)

As is always the case with high output LED's, the colors are not very representative of what the tank actually looks like -- the white balance against the LED's is just near impossible. :)

http://binarybuccaneers.org/biocube-041510-1.jpg
http://binarybuccaneers.org/biocube-041510-2.jpg

Edit: argh, new forum size limits...

-Justin

[ramsey]

I've seen this tank in person (I work w/ Justin). These pictures do not do it justice. Your tank is awesome! I love it! I also really like what you've done with the lighting. Adjustable LEDs, freaking awesome. I'd love to do that to my nano at some point but I'm not brave enough yet. :)

[corruption]

Thanks, Ramsey :) I've got the upgrades for my LED's already up there and waiting, but haven't had a chance to do the upgrade yet.. Gonna swap to 8 white XPG's, and 10 royal blue XRE's -- should be about twice as bright as it is now :)

Between Ev and myself, we could knock any fears out of doing an upgrade for your nano for you -- just come grab me at work sometime, I'll be in Wed. night :)

-Justin