Aqua Illumination or maxspect razor

[Walts O]

Hello all I'm currently in the 3rd month of my 34 gallon reef tank. 4 years ago I bought a 120 watt maxspect razor for a tank build. I changed my mind and did a discus tank. Fast forward till now and was finally using the maxspect, I've bought a number of corals from my lfs, the color of the coral is much better in the lfs they use aqua Illumination led lights. Are aqua Illumination hydra HD that much better than maxspect razor?

 

[mcarroll]

Did you make some effort to match your light levels at home with theirs at the store?

Big changes in lighting always knocks the color out of a coral.

Changes in flow and nutrients, or variable water chemistry can also have a similar effect.

(The brand of light or minor color differences shouldn't have all that much impact. Not in this case, anyway.)

 

[mcarroll]

(Both are pretty nice lights, IMO.)

 

[Walts O]

I'very done some research on AI hydra lights there are i think 6 light settings on my maxspect there is 2 I have the blue settings about 15 to 20 percent higher at my different time points.

 

[AcroNem]

I have 2 maxspect razors over my display (halides on one prop system T5 on the other) the 160 watt 16,000k and I love them. Had them for 3 years now and over this system for over 2 years.

p.s the couple unhappy one's are my fault, I was gone for over a month recently.

 

[Walts O]

Your tank looks great what mine is also 16,000 k. What do you generally keep settings at

 

[AcroNem]

Exact settings I don't remember I'll get them for you when I'm home again and post here. If they're different I'm sorry I'll correct myself.

Ramp up starts at 9 am, up to 40% and 40% at noon, blues peak at 75 and whites at either 48 or 58 around 2 if I'm remembering correctly, stays that way until 7 ish and whites drop to 30 blues at 55 until ramp down at 9-10. Blue at 1% until cycle starts over. Sorry that's confusing. What matters is that your tank likes the settings you have, took about a year to find my sweet spot. So mine could be garbage for yours haha.
Thank you for the compliment I haven't shared it much since I've been getting it back to normal, back to growing like weeds and colors strong again.