Hydra 26 vs new 32

SaltyRootsReefing · Oct 24, 2019

I noticed BRS stopped selling the Hydra 26. I understand this was the manufacturers call, not theirs. That being said it looks like you can still get the 26’s on a few other sites for a good price. Would it be a bad idea to still get the 26’s now that it appears they will soon be phased out/discontinued?

Anchor · Oct 25, 2019

Well, they were good 2 months ago.. why would they still not be good? Yes, you can get a newer model with a bit of upgrade for the previous price.. I guess it depends on your expectations..

MERKEY · Oct 25, 2019

Just had 1 of my 26s replaced by AI. They said they have stopped making parts and will be cycling out what they have and then cycle in the 32s for replacements.

Not sure if that weighs into anyone's decision but eventually the 26s will be hard to fix or find parts for from AI. All on my own personal experience so others may have other experiences.

Sarah24! · Oct 25, 2019

Hello,

Honestly after review each one, I see no difference between the two, other than they mimic Ecotech (so your forced to buy a new light when your light breaks). Now I have not physically tested them (and not fond Of them ( I was till they became Ecotech). Now I may not know everything about this hobby but I do know physics and math. I can’t imagine these lights are any different since the power supply is still 90 watts. Pretty sure cree leds have not changed. There is only so much gain of any from the exact same power supply. Yes I didn’t major in EE but sure took a lot of math and physics. Yes it’s possible to create a new circuit with less resistance and making it more efficient, but more par from the same leds and 90 watts? Sorry definitely have to see it to believe it. Yes they could change the lens and do a hotter focused light. But then you have issues with spread, so it may have other better features clearly they didn’t make it water proof (like they should I mean seriously it’s over how many gallons of evaporating water? They use the same power supply, looks like the same case. Maybe they only changed the Puck led to
A cheaper China made one and made it the new 32. It does say more leds, however that consumes more power so if all channels are run equal or the same as the old (how is that 90 watt power supply going to run more leds and produce more par? Other than reducing resistance or maybe using special capacitors or diodes, I don’t see that as accurate. Yes a par meter would help but I’d like to see the internal parts side by side and see the actual difference. It’s common for radions to
Do this, highly suspect ai is going from you can have these lights for life, which is about 2 years and oh we no longer make that part. But for only 300 we will send you are new hydra 32 it’s really a 26 but we switched some things around so your forced to upgrade.

Personally I won’t say not to buy them you like them. However I’d buy the new ones, we all know they usually have issues from a month to 2 years. Its
Not fair to you to buy a 26 then suddenly oh we don’t have this part it’s under warranty but now you have to pay more for a 32. I would even mess with this nonsense, I mean the 64 is the same thing as the 52, exact same power supply, and still not water proof. Hmmmm

Anchor · Oct 25, 2019

If I am not mistaken, if it is under warranty, they have to honor it.. So for them to tell you, you have to buy the new model when you have warranty is .. I think Illegal.. I (if it were mine) and governing bodies might have something to say about that.

SaltyRootsReefing · Oct 25, 2019

Thank you everyone for your responses! I suppose at the end of the day my biggest and really only concern with the 26’s is something goes wrong down the line and they won’t replace it or I won’t be able to get replacement parts.

MERKEY · Oct 25, 2019

Joestajkowski said:
Thank you everyone for your responses! I suppose at the end of the day my biggest and really only concern with the 26’s is something goes wrong down the line and they won’t replace it or I won’t be able to get replacement parts.

Yes, this is the concern. NOT that they MAKE you buy a new one but there will simply be no other choice but to replace the 26s with a 32 when parts are not available.

MERKEY · Oct 25, 2019

Anchor said:
If I am not mistaken, if it is under warranty, they have to honor it.. So for them to tell you, you have to buy the new model when you have warranty is .. I think Illegal.. I (if it were mine) and governing bodies might have something to say about that.

Honoring a warranty doesn't mean they have to repair your 26 or send you a 26 when the parts aren't available. They will simply start replacing with 32s.

Bpb · Oct 25, 2019

Sarah24! said:
Hello,

Honestly after review each one, I see no difference between the two, other than they mimic Ecotech (so your forced to buy a new light when your light breaks). Now I have not physically tested them (and not fond Of them ( I was till they became Ecotech). Now I may not know everything about this hobby but I do know physics and math. I can’t imagine these lights are any different since the power supply is still 90 watts. Pretty sure cree leds have not changed. There is only so much gain of any from the exact same power supply. Yes I didn’t major in EE but sure took a lot of math and physics. Yes it’s possible to create a new circuit with less resistance and making it more efficient, but more par from the same leds and 90 watts? Sorry definitely have to see it to believe it. Yes they could change the lens and do a hotter focused light. But then you have issues with spread, so it may have other better features clearly they didn’t make it water proof (like they should I mean seriously it’s over how many gallons of evaporating water? They use the same power supply, looks like the same case. Maybe they only changed the Puck led to
A cheaper China made one and made it the new 32. It does say more leds, however that consumes more power so if all channels are run equal or the same as the old (how is that 90 watt power supply going to run more leds and produce more par? Other than reducing resistance or maybe using special capacitors or diodes, I don’t see that as accurate. Yes a par meter would help but I’d like to see the internal parts side by side and see the actual difference. It’s common for radions to
Do this, highly suspect ai is going from you can have these lights for life, which is about 2 years and oh we no longer make that part. But for only 300 we will send you are new hydra 32 it’s really a 26 but we switched some things around so your forced to upgrade.

Personally I won’t say not to buy them you like them. However I’d buy the new ones, we all know they usually have issues from a month to 2 years. Its
Not fair to you to buy a 26 then suddenly oh we don’t have this part it’s under warranty but now you have to pay more for a 32. I would even mess with this nonsense, I mean the 64 is the same thing as the 52, exact same power supply, and still not water proof. Hmmmm

Such is the lot in life of a modern, purpose made led unit for the aquarium hobby by a smallish company. Release a new edition every year or two in order to stay relevant or drown amongst the next “big” thing. I’m sure they work perfectly well. And the business model is basically essential to stay afloat. That being said, a sensible consumer will understand you don’t NEED to ditch your entire reef infrastructure every time a new edition of something comes out. It’s wasteful. At that point you’re more concerned with gear collecting, which I guess is a relevant and valid interest. That certainly isn’t me though.