Aqua Illumination AI Prime Sol Disappointments

[swvahawker]

So I decided to light my 210 Fowlr/ maybe some gsp and mushrooms tank with 3 AI prime 16 SOL lights.
Out of the box they are great looking lights and the app interface on my phone is fantastic, but the blend of the lights colors on anything but full power is disappointing to say the least. It’s bad enough to call one light green and another blue. Certainly not something I’d consider acceptable after spending $600.
I’ll be selling those and purchasing Kessils to replace them.

 

[KC's CNC Creations]

quiet honestly, you should of spent the extra 20 bucks per light to get the 16HD's and you'd of been happy, i can't understand why anyone would buy the SOL lights, it's a far inferior light at a minimal cost savings, not sure why AI even produces them.

 

[zoaprince]

you'll get yourself 1 A360x with $600. Good luck covering your 210G long tank with that.

 

[Saltyreef]

138 watts of 3 color leds over a 210.......

 

[swvahawker]

you'll get yourself 1 A360x with $600. Good luck covering your 210G long tank with that.

3 x A160’s is what I would replace them with. Plenty of light for a FOWLR with some mushrooms.

 

[swvahawker]

138 watts of 3 color leds over a 210.......

Again, plenty of light for a FOWLR and some softies. Everyone’s a wattage queen these days like we’re all trying to grow wall to wall acros.
As stated, I’m just trying to see my fish and maybe keep a few mushrooms and gsp happy while having a single color of light during ramp up and down. Maybe even go crazy and add a leather directly under the light. I know it works, I’ve seen it. No need for confirmation by people pumping astronomical par to the sand bed. We get it. Cool lights, bro.

 

[MichaelReefer]

quiet honestly, you should of spent the extra 20 bucks per light to get the 16HD's and you'd of been happy, i can't understand why anyone would buy the SOL lights, it's a far inferior light at a minimal cost savings, not sure why AI even produces them.

+1

 

[swvahawker]

quiet honestly, you should of spent the extra 20 bucks per light to get the 16HD's and you'd of been happy, i can't understand why anyone would buy the SOL lights, it's a far inferior light at a minimal cost savings, not sure why AI even produces them.

+1

I should have gone with kessils, but I was trying to keep this build as budget friendly as possible after dropping $9k on my last tank which was sold due to a move.

SO, for anyone that found this thread while trying to research the AI Prime 16 Sol light, my intention was to give a review to steer people away from them because of the difference in color if they intend to have more than 1. Ya know, to try and be helpful.

 

[Little c big D]

Why didn't you go with the 16HDs? It is an odd piece of equipment to sell considering the HD can be set to any color

 

[swvahawker]

Why didn't you go with the 16HDs? It is an odd piece of equipment to sell considering the HD can be set to any color

Because I, along with many others, end up turning down the reds, whites, and greens to very low power when they’re there anyway.

 

[Little c big D]

Because I, along with many others, end up turning down the reds, whites, and greens to very low power when they’re there anyway.

I guess that's fair. The reason it's hard to wrap my mind around is the minimal cost difference.

 

[swvahawker]

I guess that's fair. The reason it's hard to wrap my mind around is the minimal cost difference.

Yeah, it was a “why not” moment for me. If they ramped the same color I’d be pleased and spend the saved $69 on a fish.

I’m sending them in for service. Maybe they can put together three that do put out the same color.

 

[Kessil]

3 x A160’s is what I would replace them with. Plenty of light for a FOWLR with some mushrooms.

Yup, plenty of light for that kind of system.

I recommend getting the full angle adapter with the A160s if you're using the gooseneck mounts - it will let you mount them a bit higher off the water so you can maximize the coverage.

 

[Saltyreef]

Again, plenty of light for a FOWLR and some softies. Everyone’s a wattage queen these days like we’re all trying to grow wall to wall acros.
As stated, I’m just trying to see my fish and maybe keep a few mushrooms and gsp happy while having a single color of light during ramp up and down. Maybe even go crazy and add a leather directly under the light. I know it works, I’ve seen it. No need for confirmation by people pumping astronomical par to the sand bed. We get it. Cool lights, bro.

You might just not have the coverage/penetration with such under powered lights esp non full spectrum is what im getting at but i guess this was just a post for you to vent the quality of AI.

Looks like youll need as much of that as possible with your scape unless youre floating your soft coral on the surface....

I have no issues with AI myself.......

 

[swvahawker]

You might just not have the coverage/penetration with such under powered lights esp non full spectrum is what im getting at but i guess this was just a post for you to vent the quality of AI.

Looks like youll need as much of that as possible with your scape unless youre floating your soft coral on the surface....

I have no issues with AI myself.......

Two hydra 64’s over a small, shallow frag tank?

Like I said. Cool lights, bro.

 

[Saltyreef]

Two hydra 64’s over a small, shallow frag tank?

Like I said. Cool lights, bro.

Thanks bro!
Do i send a card at christmas now?

I have them turned way down on top of custom diffusers installed.
They are 52 non HDs. Idea is for coverage and spread vs intensity.

But have fun with your nano lights....bro....
Theres a reason they look like crap on your tank

 

[swvahawker]

Thanks bro!
Do i send a card at christmas now?

I have them turned way down on top of custom diffusers installed.
They are 52 non HDs. Idea is for coverage and spread vs intensity.

But have fun with your nano lights....bro....
Theres a reason they look like crap on your tank

look at you all mad and insulty. “Nano lights.” A size queen too?

Looking forward to anyone who has anything to discuss that’s potentially beneficial. I’ll post an update after AI sends the lights back after service. And when I have some soft corals thriving under my “nano” lights.

 

[Little c big D]

look at you all mad and insulty. “Nano lights.” A size queen too?

Looking forward to anyone who has anything to discuss that’s potentially beneficial. I’ll post an update after AI sends the lights back after service. And when I have some soft corals thriving under my “nano” lights.

I'm not on sides here... but if you had just called them "insulty reef" it would have just been hilarious. Anyways Good luck on the lights.

 

[Saltyreef]

look at you all mad and insulty. “Nano lights.” A size queen too?

Looking forward to anyone who has anything to discuss that’s potentially beneficial. I’ll post an update after AI sends the lights back after service. And when I have some soft corals thriving under my “nano” lights.

I think you were the first one to insult anyone here....we were simply trying to suggest your lights are too weak to illuminate your whole tank and youre expecting too much from 3 small nano lights. You obviously have nothing in the tank and you can see how spotty the lights look....you said it yourself.
perfect for a deep open water type display. Put some tuna and sharks in there and youre all set!