aqua illumination hydra

[MattN]

Would 1 aqua illumination hydra light up a 75 gallon reef tank

 

[SLUF681]

No Matt, it sure won't. CLOSE, but no wee-oh. The AI Hydra will light an area 36"X36"@24" deep. Perhaps 2 AI Sols?

 

[madman]

36x36 @ 24inch deep is 150 gallons.

 

[MattN]

ah ok thanks....

 

[SLUF681]

36x36 @ 24inch deep is 150 gallons.

Sorry madman, I didn't explain myself. I was referring to the area that the light would cover, not the size of the tank itself. However, I guess theoretically if a person did have a tank with those dimensions, one of the lights SHOULD work I guess. The PAR readings at 24" deep are 100-200 I believe, so that's maybe a little low. Also, the fact that the coverage area is a round bullseye (with intensity increasing with each ring toward center), PAR readings in the corners would be even lower than 100. Most of us aren't really all that concerned with the corners though. Well, I'm not anyway. The majority of my corals are on the rocks away from the corners, or in the center between the rocks and glass.

 

[MattN]

i was just thinking about getting that as my lighting and buy alittle at a time until i get everything i need to get a 75g or maybe a 90g tank up and running...would one of those lights be ok for a 20 long...right now im usning a 2 bulb t5 ho light one 10k and the other actinic...if that light would make a big diffrence i would go ahead and get one to use on it and just buy the other stuff i need as i get the money to put in it

 

[SLUF681]

Sure, Matt. One of those lights would be more than sufficient for a 20 long. A 20 long is 12" X 30" X 12ish". Just remember, start with low power percentage on your whites, and slowly increase until you get to where you want it and aren't bleaching your corals. Too much light is probably more dangerous than too little. Also, if the AI Hydras are anything like the Sols, you need to change the optics from the 40 degree optics to 70 degree optics. I think I have the numbers right. Either way, you go to the wider optics and eliminate the "spotlight" effect and the "hot spots" directly under the lights.

I'm not sure about the blues and any other colors the Hydras may have. I think you can crank the blues up without any worries, but I wouldn't swear to it. Buddy (Ole Man) has 2 AI Sols over a 90 currently and can tell you much more about AI LEDs in general than I can. Dapple can tell you what happens if you turn the whites up too high too quickly. He had 2 on a 75 himself. He runs 3 X 175 Watt halides on a 125 now, with his AI Sol blues on an angle on each end supplying killer actinics.

Hopefully someone else will be around soon to help you more than myself.

 

[MattN]

you are helping me alot and i thank you for that...i think the hydra comes with a 80degree optics...im just wanting something thats going to bring the color of my corals out more then my t5 ho and more lighting so i can grow something other than softys and zoas...and thank you agian for all the help cant wait to meet everyone at the next meeting...oh and i need to bring anything food drinks somthing like that just let me know and i will

 

[SLUF681]

If they do in fact come with 80 degree optics, that's a plus. You'll definitely be able to grow anything you want under them. Any particular reason you're going with LEDs in general? You can grow anything under T5s, granted you have enough of them. Metal halides are also a definite option. I run halides myself and will continue to run them until they're pried out of my cold dead hands! Lol.

As far as food for the meeting goes, there is a thread on here each month specifically for the meeting. Once Buddy posts the main course (he is hosting this month) then we'll all hash out the sides and so on.

 

[MattN]

only reason for the leds is the color they bring out in the corals and and the flexabillity of them...the t5 i have right now is a deepblue solarmax 24inch 1 10k bulb and 1 actinic...and i will keep and checking up one the thread for the monthly meeting

 

[SLUF681]

Ok. LEDs are definitely more flexible than halides or T5s. It has to be raining outside for my tank to see a thunderstorm. Lol. I run 20,000k halides and get, in my opinion, excellent color. However, I don't see the same colors that I see at night when just the moonlights are on.

 

[Dahood5855]

Take the plunge matt and get the radions. Best lights on the market because of customer service, interchangeability, and communication between all of their products. They also have great par readings. At 30in deep, I still read about 150-250 above par.