Upgrade Biocube 16g LED lights or see how it goes?

[CanadaKong]

Hi, I used to be a reefer back in the big tank halide days, picking it up again, and gone tiny. 16g biocube, stock LEDs. I am keen to remove the lid and upgrade to Radion 15 g6 pro or AI prime 15HD reef. (I am building it up slowly with 3 monti caps, 1 forest fire which is doing awesomely, a neon hammer, 2 candy canes and a mini zoa garden)…., the tank is in the sitting room and the sofa is low.. concerned about the light causing glare from the side (well my wife complaining about it). What’s your experience? Thanks Neil (All my money goes to reefing, don’t tell my wife)

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I have 3 tanks in my sitting room around my sofa, one tank is even using MH lighting, I do not find the glare distracting at all. There is a bit of overspill light on the tanks of course, but I don't find it a nuisance.

Tell your wife that it will be the beauty of the tank which is distracting. Thats why I keep turning my head to look at my tanks, not because of light glare.

 

[CanadaKong]

Thanks for that! Now all I need to do is to get a retrofit cover for it for when I remove the lid, once I pin that down, then it's trying to decide on the right lights. My iPhone refuses to take a picture properly when the tank is waking up

 

[kevgib67]

There are other options, I added two led strips to my Biocube, just for more blue light as everything was growing great with the stock lights. If you are going to dominate your tank with high par demanding sps, I’ve read great things about Steve’s leds.

 

[CanadaKong]

There are other options, I added two led strips to my Biocube, just for more blue light as everything was growing great with the stock lights. If you are going to dominate your tank with high par demanding sps, I’ve read great things about Steve’s leds.

Thanks for this! I am tempted! .. mmm... do I go with a built in lid light upgrade, or take it off and hang some fancy pants light above it.. Some of the comments on Steve's lights are that the fans are noisy on the smaller 16g, that's putting me off a bit. My plan is a zoa garden mainly, with some SPS and once it's about a year or so an anemone. Nice and slow..

 

[oreo54]

Thanks for this! I am tempted! .. mmm... do I go with a built in lid light upgrade, or take it off and hang some fancy pants light above it.. Some of the comments on Steve's lights are that the fans are noisy on the smaller 16g, that's putting me off a bit. My plan is a zoa garden mainly, with some SPS and once it's about a year or so an anemone. Nice and slow..

If you are worried about glare and over spending on a tiny tank is ok ( )I'd look to the reefi
270 overkill watts but "only" $480
https://www.reefi-lab.com/reefi-uno-2-0-pro/
2x the cost of an AI prime but less than the 15 g6.

ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

Oh and with a choice of lenses one can tailor it to your room.
Any reflector-ed led will beat a lens for glare.

EDIT.. Newest w/ mount..

ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro with ReeFi Tank Mount Kit – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

 

[CanadaKong]

If you are worried about glare and over spending on a tiny tank is ok ( )I'd look to the reefi
270 overkill watts but "only" $480
https://www.reefi-lab.com/reefi-uno-2-0-pro/
2x the cost of an AI prime but less than the 15 g6.

ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

Oh and with a choice of lenses one can tailor it to your room.
Any reflector-ed led will beat a lens for glare.

EDIT.. Newest w/ mount..

ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro with ReeFi Tank Mount Kit – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

Thanks for this! Not one on my radar. Secret credit card spending so this could work’!

 

[CanadaKong]

If you are worried about glare and over spending on a tiny tank is ok ( )I'd look to the reefi
270 overkill watts but "only" $480
https://www.reefi-lab.com/reefi-uno-2-0-pro/
2x the cost of an AI prime but less than the 15 g6.

ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

Oh and with a choice of lenses one can tailor it to your room.
Any reflector-ed led will beat a lens for glare.

EDIT.. Newest w/ mount..

ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro with ReeFi Tank Mount Kit – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

I took the plunge. Reefi 2.1 on order with the stand. I did non stop obsessive research after your post and kept coming back to it after many loops and dead ends. Thank you for you help!

 

[steveschuerger]

I took the plunge. Reefi 2.1 on order with the stand. I did non stop obsessive research after your post and kept coming back to it after many loops and dead ends. Thank you for you help!

Nice! I have the ReeFi Uno 2.0 and like it a lot.

 

[nsteinca]

Just the obligatory comment saying I’ve kept the stock lighting for just over 4.5 years on mine and the only “problem” I can think of is the lack of being able to fine tune various spectrums. With the stock lights, you have 3 lighting options and timers for each of those 3. I do really like the hood though, it helps reduce evaporation and prevents the light from shining in your eyes when you’re looking at the tank. I’ve been told countless times over the years these lights wouldn’t grow coral, but alas.

 

[CanadaKong]

Thanks for this! Not one on my radar. Secret credit card spending so this could work’!

If you are worried about glare and over spending on a tiny tank is ok ( )I'd look to the reefi
270 overkill watts but "only" $480
https://www.reefi-lab.com/reefi-uno-2-0-pro/
2x the cost of an AI prime but less than the 15 g6.

ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

Oh and with a choice of lenses one can tailor it to your room.
Any reflector-ed led will beat a lens for glare.

EDIT.. Newest w/ mount..

ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro with ReeFi Tank Mount Kit – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

So my reefi uni 2.1 arrived today, and it is perfect, no side glare and so controllable. Spoke to Daniel Lu and had it set to acclimate up to 40watts, only my clown fish went demented under the new light so starting very low tomorrow and will bring it up over a few weeks! Thanks for the tip, it’s superb!

I took the plunge. Reefi 2.1 on order with the stand. I did non stop obsessive research after your post and kept coming back to it after many loops and dead ends. Thank you for you help!

 

[BlueSallymandr]

Just the obligatory comment saying I’ve kept the stock lighting for just over 4.5 years on mine and the only “problem” I can think of is the lack of being able to fine tune various spectrums. With the stock lights, you have 3 lighting options and timers for each of those 3. I do really like the hood though, it helps reduce evaporation and prevents the light from shining in your eyes when you’re looking at the tank. I’ve been told countless times over the years these lights wouldn’t grow coral, but alas.

What a gorgeous tank!

 

[CanadaKong]

Just the obligatory comment saying I’ve kept the stock lighting for just over 4.5 years on mine and the only “problem” I can think of is the lack of being able to fine tune various spectrums. With the stock lights, you have 3 lighting options and timers for each of those 3. I do really like the hood though, it helps reduce evaporation and prevents the light from shining in your eyes when you’re looking at the tank. I’ve been told countless times over the years these lights wouldn’t grow coral, but alas.

So good!! I hope I can get halfway as good as yours. What routine do you follow to keep it so amazing?