So I'm trying to gather some real world feedback on the newer biocube 32 from folks who are still running the stock lights. Ours has currently been up and running since october 10th. I stalked the folks over at coralife for more info on the lights, per their info par 2 inches from the center of the lights should be around the 400 range ( I have the chart and the email if anyone wants to take a look), has anyone used a par meter to comfirm this info? Also just looking for feedback on livestock, anyone struggling to keep anything under the stock lights? So far I've been keeping green and purple montis, ducans, frogspawn, an elegance, plate coral, doughnut coral, GSP and Xeina. The green monti and the ducans have seen the most growth but have also been in the longest. What have any other owners been having luck or struggling with, that lighting could be the culprit?
Biocube 32 stock lights
- Thread starter rajilnaja
- Start date
Scurvy Dawg
New member
I have a duncan, some frogspawn, open brain coral, acans, and green candycane coral with the stock 32 lights.
The frogspawns seem to be doing the best at about mid level with lots of new growth, I moved the duncan up towards the top after it seemed to struggle for several weeks. It has improved and a few new heads are showing up. My Candy Cane doesn't do much, it looks happy but have not seen any new growth. Moved it mid high and still no changes.
Brain coral is at the bottom and doesn't do much. Have had 4 acans and all but one died off.
When I get around to it, going to go with a Steve's LED that can be installed in the 32 hood very easily. I am sure things will pick up then.
Overall, I think the stock lights are average at best.
Sucks about the acans. Think I forgot to list those, I do have a small frag that was 9 polpys at time of purchase, now its 10. Barely 10 but hey I'll take it. I've only lost a brain, which was damaged at purchase and slipped throught because of a miscommunication between me and the girlfriend. And I currently have a bubble coral that probably wont make it much longer.
Seattle_Reef
New member
With the stock lights I have a duncan on a rock near the bottom that has 2 new heads, and a clove polyp colony that has many new polyps (it's mostly on the sand bed, but there is one colony up about 4 inches). I have a green torch in the sand and it is definitely growing (length), I have a large zoanthid covered rock that is in the upper half but hasn't done much. Lately about 50-60% of the zoa polyps have been closed at any given time. Not sure why, although it coincides with when I upgraded the pump to a Cobalt MJ1200. Too much flow? I also have a green candy cane in the sand that hasn't done much and a green pagoda about 3 inches from the bottom that has a couple of new heads. Lastly there is a striped mushroom that looks fine but hasn't grown. Keep in mind that I started stocking corals about 12 weeks ago and add 1-2 every few weeks. Some of these I've only had 3-5 weeks.
I direct feed them once a week with Reef Roids and do daily supplement with Red Sea Reef Energy A&B.
I direct feed them once a week with Reef Roids and do daily supplement with Red Sea Reef Energy A&B.
rockhead51
New member
I'm running everything stock except I don't use the filter cartridge (just floss, then bagged matrix, and Coolingthen some LR, but all in the stock rack. Stock white lights 8hrs, then moonlights for 3, with and hour overlap). Frogspawn about halfway up, cloves slightly higher, and zoas and a shroom up top. Kenya tree, colt leather, GSPs and some palys and button polyps down in the sand. Everything is growing like gangbusters. Not just size but adding polyps.
Only lost one coral, a hairy mushroom that was up top and may have got too much light.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Only lost one coral, a hairy mushroom that was up top and may have got too much light.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the info everyone! I recently moved my green monti a little lower and I'm getting better color and PE. It was only about 2-3 inches from the light, seems weird but maybe it was getting too much that high. I thought my ducans were browning out because of lack of light, I moved them closer a few weeks and and only noticed a slight change, starting to think they just arent ever going to be that green. But hey they are huge get nice PE and are growing heads left and right.
ReeferGrower
New member
Mine seems to be ok so far. Two acans on the bottom, torch just above bottom, zoas midway, christmas favia midway but in darker area, pink goniopora up top and a green goniopora up top. All seem to be happy and doing well. Will be doing some sps soon just to see how it does.
ReeferGrower
New member
Theyve been there since I put them in the tank. One has been there for over a month and the other about 1 week.
ReeferGrower
New member
Sorry, my phone takes terrible pictures since my rear cam took a crap.
So I got ahold of a par meter since we have been thinking about removing the hood and going with a gen 4 raidon. With the stock lights they are outputting around 250 PAR 2 inches from the light in the middle, 175 in the top corners, 155 half way down, 64 on my 2inch sandbed in the center.
Hey, I found this thread as I was trying to find out some PAR readings for the Biocube 32. I've had mind since August and discovered the hard way the stock lights are, as previously said, average at best, and I've killed several SPS frags. That's awesome you have an elegance that's doing so well, mine was on the sand bad and started massively receding so I gave it back to my buddy. This is my setup. I just finished moving things around and I'm really only concerned that my octospawn might be too high. You said 175 PAR in the upper corners?
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Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=25027603&postcount=63
There should a picture of some of the readings I got, I have betters ones I can dig up if needed. I'll post a newer full tank shot if you'd want. I do belive the green and purple monti are struggling a little, even with them sitting in around 200 PAR. So far all the LPS I've added have done decent.
There should a picture of some of the readings I got, I have betters ones I can dig up if needed. I'll post a newer full tank shot if you'd want. I do belive the green and purple monti are struggling a little, even with them sitting in around 200 PAR. So far all the LPS I've added have done decent.
